Lettering guides for Copperplate?

[Chris]

Hi!

I was wondering if lettering guides are good for Copperplate. Here are some examples:

• http://paperandinksupply.com/lining.html
• http://paperandinksupply.com/amesgu.html
• http://www.jetpens.com/Staedtler-Ames-Lettering-Guide/pd/12316

or maybe even: http://paperandinksupply.com/tools-of-the-trade-writing-tools-phantom-liners.html

The reason I ask is because Copperplate needs to be at an angle between 52 and 55 degrees (53 in the case of Dr. Vitolo's guidelines), and I was wondering if the angled lines in those gadgets respect that.

Thanks!

Chris.

[Meredith S]

I love my Ames lettering guide. I don't use it for the 55 angle though. Generally I just put a lined paper beneath my paper I'm working on, line a ruler up along the lines and draw the lines like that (hopefully that makes sense!), if I'm drawing the angled lines at all.

You have to have a straight edge to hold the lettering guide against. I usually use a pad of paper or something. So if you wanted to use the guide for the angled lines I think you'd have to line up a ruler or some sort of straight edge for it.

I hope that's at least a little helpful 

[Chris]

Thanks Meredith!

I usually use Dr. Vitolo's guidelines under white paper (I hold both together with paperclips) with the help of my light table.

But this doesn't work when I use black paper. And making all those lines all the time is a tedious task

Do you know if the mentioned lettering guides have the right angle?

Thanks again!

[Meredith S]

I only have the Ames guide,  which has a 68 degree angle on one side. It would be so awesome if it was 53 or 55! Though the whole thing is only about 2 inches (5ish centimeters, I think? Sorry) so it wouldn't be incredibly helpful on larger pieces.

From what I understand about the phantom liner it doesn't have a guide for the angle, though someone who has one on here may be able to correct me.

I don't know about the Linex one, this is the first I've heard of it. If the angled edge on it is the correct angle for copperplate, it's going on my Christmas list asap.


Edit: I just looked at it and realized if you put the angled side along the bottom edge, that would allow you to use the  longest edge to make the angle,  which is about twice as long as the sides. Though still 68 degrees.  Just thought I'd mention .

[Chris]

Indeed! Me too!

I wonder what angle is the "√" inside the lettering guide...

[Meredith S]

Hmm.. good question. I will investigate when I get a chance.

[Chris]

Ooooh! I just found that in my things from when I was a kid...



I think it might just do the thing!

[AndyT]

I still think that the Linex 1007 is a super little piece of equipment, and there are plenty of situations where it'll make short work of ruling up guidelines which would be laborious by other methods.  Good luck with finding one though: the Alvin Lettering Guide and Rule will probably be easier to track down.  All the same, the 75° and 68° angles aren't much use to me - I don't know about anyone else - so I eventually gave up and made a 52° set square out of some 2mm clear acrylic sheet.  Much more convenient than the adjustable one.

Those two things combined with a T-square take care of ruling up sheets of paper, but for doing the odd envelope I've been using a rolling ruler similar to Christian's just lately because it saves on taping them down to a board and so forth.

[Blotbot]

I like using the Ames Lettering Guide to make lines with a pencil, however it won't make angles. 

 For giudelines with angles I use the programs at these sites:

http://calligraffiti.in/rulings
http://shipbrook.net/guidelines
http://www.allunderone.org/calligraphy2/calligraphy.php

[Chris]

Thanks, Blotbot!

But what do you do when it comes to black paper?

Chris.

[Blotbot]

For opaque paper, i just rule lines and approximate the slant.  Joi recommended this nifty mechanical pencil with erasable white lead:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001UAKL4Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[AmyNeub]

I use a white chalk coal pencil for lines on dark paper. Draw lightly, otherwise it doesn't come off well.

They make black erasers too, but I just use a kneaded one.

I just use an old-fashion protractor.

[Chris]

Hi all!

Little update... I'm going to order the Ames or Linex lettering guide very soon (which one is best?), but in the meantime, here is my little custom tool I designed to help me make quick guidelines on black paper:



I made holes for 5 mm, 7 mm, and 10 mm, and the side is angled at 55°.

All I have to do, is put my pencil into the holes, and slide it on a ruler to make my lines!

[Blotbot]

I have the Ames guide and it is fine, but it only has 11 equally spaced holes on the rotating disc, so 10 nib widths for 4 cm max.  Not enough for a full set of ascender, x and decender spaces for larger text.  The Linex guide looks like it has more holes and is larger.  THe Ames has a lot of features for archtects that I would never use, but which confuse things, while the Linex is simpler.  Finally the Ames used English units while it looks like Linex is metric.  In short, I recommend the Linex and will be adding one to my next John Neal or PIA order.

check out the instruction sheet available on the John Neal site.

[AndyT]

The Linex is rather small actually: 115mm / 4˝" along the long edge.  Also, mine is graduated in mm and 32nds, and the holes are on ⅛" centres.  It comes into its own in combination with a T-square or, better, a drawing board with parallel motion.

Chris, I like your homemade ruling guide a lot, because it's simple, effective and tailored to your needs.  If you could make one up in transparent plastic it should give good service for years, and might well be a better bet than the commercial alternatives.

*Edit*  Eeek!  I just noticed my mistake in the first sentence, which was a significant one.  I said "short" when I meant "long".  Now amended ... the template really is a dinky little thing.