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General Categories => Open Flourish | General Discussion => Topic started by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 06:58:16 AM

Title: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 06:58:16 AM
INDEX

#00  Italic
#01  Uncial
#02  Foundational
#03  Spencerian
#04  Clerestory font (handwritten)
#05  Copperplate ; English Roundhand
#07  Gothic Rotunda
#08  Kaufmann font (handwritten)
#09  Spencerian Ladies' Hand
#10  Spencerian Business Writing
#11  Elicit font (handwritten)
#12  Wilhelm Klingspor Gotisch font (handwritten)
#14  Madarasz Script
#15  Upright Italic
#16  Vivaldi font (handwritten)
#17  Vere Foster Civil Service Script
#18  Italic with Swash Capitals
#19  Double Stroke Foundational
#20  Italian Hand 18th Century
#21  Italic pointed variation
#22  Italicized Uncial
#23  Uncial var. by Byron J Macdonald
#24  Gothic var. by Byron J Macdonald
#35  English Court Hand
#39  Rustic Capitals
#44  Spencerian & Copperplate
#48  Irish Uncial
#49  Light Italic
#50  Formal Italic with Swash capitals
#51  Cursive Italic
#52  Bardolino
#53  Engrosser's Script
#57  Lombardic Versals


ITALIC

This version of Italic is only one of many variations. It was written at a slope angle of 5 degrees from the horizontal with a Rotring Artpen fitted with an edged nib.
It is very suitable for use as everyday handwriting as it can be written very fast without breaklng down and becoming illegible

Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 07:03:41 AM
UNCIAL

Whilst this script is too slow for everyday handwriting, it is very effective as a style for letter writing where time isn't such an issue.
The letters are written wide and spaced close together.
The exemplar was written with a Rotring Artpen fitted with an edged nib.

Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 07:07:57 AM
FOUNDATIONAL

This alphabet was written with a broad-edged nib fitted in a Manuscript fountain pen.
The paper was Conqueror smooth white and the ink was Higgins Eternal.

Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 07:17:25 AM
SPENCERIAN

Spencerian Script was devised by Platt R Spencer after whom it was named.
For extensive information on the style, go to www.iampeth .com
This exemplar was written with a Hunt 101 nib in an oblique holder with Iron Gall ink.

Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 07:27:46 AM
CLERESTORY (font) handwritten Gothic Textura

This exemplar was written with a Rotring Artpen fitted with an edged nib. The paper was Mondi IQ Selection
100gsm white and the ink was Higgins Eternal black.
This is a handwritten version of the Clerestory font.

Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: JanisTX on July 17, 2017, 07:30:21 AM
@Ken Fraser I am unfamiliar with "Clerestory font".  Is it a computer font??  Has it ever been a handwriting style, like Uncial or Italic?  It's very attractive!

Janis
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 07:31:33 AM
COPPERPLATE (English Roundhand)

The version of English Roundhand (Copperplate) derives from 18th century exemplars. It was written with a Gillott 303 flexible dip nib in an oblique holder. The ink was Higgins Eternal and the paper was Mondi IQ Selection 100gsm. It was written at a slope angle of 55 degrees from the horizontal.

Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 07:35:09 AM
GOTHIC ROTUNDA
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 07:42:21 AM
KAUFMANN handwritten

This is a handwritten version of the monoline font 'Kaufmann'.
The alphabet was written with a Pelikan fountain pen fitted with a round-tipped fine nib.
The text was written with an edged nib, creating an attractive alternative.

Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 07:48:25 AM
SPENCERIAN LADIES HAND

This style, with minimal shading, was originally written with a straight penholder. As such, it is well suited to being written with a fountain pen with a moderately flexible nib. I wrote this, and the alphabet, with a Namiki Falcon.
The shading can follow the pattern of shading in Spencerian, or omitted altogether, or as in this example it can be used on all downstrokes, as in Roundhand aka Copperplate.
The most obvious characteristic is in the extended ascenders and descenders. This, combined with modest shading, gives the lettering a light, elegant look which no doubt accounts for the name 'Ladies Hand'. It can, of course, be written with as much pleasure, by either sex.

Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 07:53:50 AM
SPENCERIAN BUSINESS WRITING
The 'Business Writing' alphabet was written with a Pelikan fountain pen fitted with a round-tipped nib.
The ink was Aurora black and the paper was Conqueror smooth white.

Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 08:13:12 AM
ELICIT handwritten

This handwritten interpretation of the font called "Elicit" was written with a Rotring ArtPen.
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 08:22:16 AM
@Ken Fraser I am unfamiliar with "Clerestory font".  Is it a computer font??  Has it ever been a handwriting style, like Uncial or Italic?  It's very attractive!

Janis

Of all the styles, Gothic scripts have by far the greatest range of variations. This is just one of the many scripts under the general heading of Gothic.
This is based on a computer font which was written/drawn to simulate handwriting. This is going full circle;  attempting to make a few minor adjustments to produce a style which can be easily handwritten.

Text : Clerestory font handwritten

for full alphabet see reply #04

Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 08:24:00 AM
WILHELM KLINGSPOR GOTISCH Handwritten

This is a handwritten interpretation of the Wilhelm Klingspor Gotisch font designed by Rudolph Koch. It is a particularly attractive style IMO which easily lends itself to handwriting with very few modifications.
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 08:38:52 AM
MADARASZ SCRIPT 

This much-admired hand was devised by Louis Madarasz. He called this Spencerian/Copperplate hybrid, "Madarasz Script". It was written here with a Brause Rose 76 nib and Higgins Eternal ink.
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 08:43:38 AM
UPRIGHT ITALIC
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 08:47:22 AM
VIVALDI Handwritten
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 08:51:33 AM
VERE FOSTER CIVIL SERVICE SCRIPT

This simple handwriting style is the script I was taught in the UK in the 1940s. It's written with a flexible nib in a straight penholder, either upright or at a slight slope (as here). It derives from Copperplate (English Roundhand) and the slight shading is the natural result of the flexibility of the nib. There are no pen lifts within words.

Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 08:56:21 AM
ITALIC WITH SWASH CAPITALS
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 09:01:14 AM
DOUBLE-STROKE FOUNDATIONAL condensed
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 09:14:58 AM
ITAIAN HAND 18th century
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 09:17:53 AM
ITALIC pointed variation

Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 09:19:50 AM
ITALICIZED UNCIAL
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 09:25:38 AM
UNCIAL Variation

This is my interpretation of a beautiful, personal variation of Uncial script devised by Byron J Macdonald.
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 09:29:41 AM
GOTHIC variation
This is my interpretation of a beautiful, smooth variation of a Gothic script devised by Byron J Macdonald.


Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Elisabeth_M on July 17, 2017, 10:46:13 AM
VERE FOSTER CIVIL SERVICE SCRIPT

This simple handwriting style is the script I was taught in the UK in the 1940s. It's written with a flexible nib in a straight penholder, either upright or at a slight slope (as here). It derives from Copperplate (English Roundhand) and the slight shading is the natural result of the flexibility of the nib. There are no pen lifts within words.

Bless you, @Ken Fraser, this is exactly what I've been looking for.  I've been wanting something that is a close enough approximation to my current, informal handwriting (which tends to be upright) that will feel natural as I try to learn it in order to use for letter writing on regular lined paper without slant guidelines.  And I don't want to have to fool around with pen lifts.  I would love to see a quote written in this style if you ever have some time and feel so inclined.
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 04:23:59 PM
I would love to see a quote written in this style if you ever have some time and feel so inclined.
[/quote]

Text : Vere Foster Civil Service Script

For full alphabet see reply #17
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 04:44:24 PM
Text : Italic


Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: marilyns on July 17, 2017, 05:05:18 PM
Ken, what a handy resource you have given us.  We can just lay these pages out to view, compare and study without pulling out many file folders.  Thanks!
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 17, 2017, 05:13:51 PM
Ken, what a handy resource you have given us.  We can just lay these pages out to view, compare and study without pulling out many file folders.  Thanks!

You're welcome!
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Simone Lettering on July 18, 2017, 03:44:39 AM
This gives such a great over iew  :D

Thank you very, very much for making this overview @Ken Fraser !!
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: JanisTX on July 18, 2017, 07:40:27 AM
@Ken Fraser :  Brilliant, as always!  THANK YOU!!

Janis
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Elisabeth_M on July 18, 2017, 08:44:17 AM
ITAIAN HAND 18th century

This is one that I have tried out a little bit but I'm not so fond of the filled in circles on the ends of some of the capitals.  But, when I try leaving them off, the letter looks unfinished somehow, like that end is just sort of dangling in space.  I haven't figured out a satisfactory solution to that, so I have put this script far down on my list of ones to master in my lifetime (it's a long list, I'm not sure I'll ever finish it).
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: AndyT on July 18, 2017, 02:52:19 PM
Splendid, Ken.  I think there are still some to come - court hand, for instance?
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: LAscripted on July 18, 2017, 04:27:54 PM
This is so amazing Ken, thank you for sharing this!

What great inspiration. I am new to the calligraphy world and it is amazing to see such beautiful examples of so many hands.

Lauri
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 18, 2017, 04:34:59 PM
ENGLISH COURT HAND 17th Century

"English Court-Hand writing was used by the official courts of the sovereign, but later became used by professionals such as lawyers and clerks. By the middle of the 17th century the writing had become so stylized that it was primarily being used for formal documentation." - Plymouth City Council.

This style of writing dating from 1585-95, is beautiful to look at, but virtually useless in a practical sense as it is almost indecipherable to modern eyes. The first line of this example is my name. I've then written out the complete alphabet, both minuscules and majuscules. It's worth noting that there are 10 letters with identical upper and lower case forms. It is relatively simple to write with its strong Blackletter influence but there are a couple of tapered downstrokes which require a bit of nib manipulation. The edged nib is turned gradually anti-clockwise narrowing to a point.


Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 18, 2017, 04:39:05 PM
Splendid, Ken.  I think there are still some to come - court hand, for instance?
Thanks for the reminder - I'd forgotten that one!
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: cejohnson on July 19, 2017, 11:23:53 AM
Ken - thank you so much for all your hard work and sharing your wealth of knowledge. I never tire of looking at your inspirational works.

With respect,
Catherine
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Elisabeth_M on July 19, 2017, 01:28:25 PM
ENGLISH COURT HAND 17th Century
"English Court-Hand writing was used by the official courts of the sovereign, but later became used by professionals such as lawyers and clerks. By the middle of the 17th century the writing had become so stylized that it was primarily being used for formal documentation." - Plymouth City Council.

I love court hand.  It's like someone decided to take a standard alphabet and make it as funky and stylized as possible.  Or they decided it would be infinitely better if the alphabet looked kinda like runes.
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 20, 2017, 07:09:10 AM
RUSTIC CAPITALS

Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Elisabeth_M on July 20, 2017, 10:52:40 AM
RUSTIC CAPITALS

Since Rustic Capitals are originally and ancient Latin script, the letters J, K, and U wouldn't have original sources, right?  So, for this exemplar, are those letters your interpretations of what they would look like or did you reference another exemplar?  Also, my understanding is that, in cases such as these, the non-canonical letters would have been created using strokes seen in the other letters and it does look like that was the case here.  It seemed like a fun exercise to see if I could figure out how the letters were created, so I spent some time looking at them.

After studying the script, I would say that the non-canonical letters were created in the following way:

1.  J:  The downstroke and top cross bar appear to be what you would get if you took the downstrokes of E, F, and T, plus the bottom cross bar and turned them upside down.  The bottom curve looks the same as the bottom curve on S, B, and D, which makes sense if you compare S, B, D, and J look in a standard printed font.

2.  K:  The left half (the downstroke) is identical to I, while the right half looks like what you would get if you took the X and cut it in half down the center vertical axis.

3.  U:  This is a tricky one.  It looks a lot like a miniscule italic v to me (but done large).  The left side looks just like the V, but I'm having trouble with the inspiration for the right side.  It might be the same as part of the right side of the O but I would need to print it out and lay them over each other on a light box to know for sure.  Mostly, it looks like a softened version of V, which I suppose U is. 

So, @Ken Fraser am I correct in my interpretation (if you used a reference for those letters, then you wouldn't be able to say for sure of course, but you could say if you agreed with me or not)?
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: AndyT on July 20, 2017, 11:31:00 AM
K (the Greeks' kappa) predates the Romans and was used in their early inscriptions until they'd figured out a way to phase it out.  Can't say I've ever seen a rustic example from the classical period, however.  Incidentally, this pdf (http://guindo.pntic.mec.es/jmag0042/ingles.php?d=LATIN_PALEOGRAPHY.pdf) might be of interest.
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 20, 2017, 05:14:45 PM
So, @Ken Fraser am I correct in my interpretation (if you used a reference for those letters, then you wouldn't be able to say for sure of course, but you could say if you agreed with me or not)?

Your analysis of how this was written is pretty accurate. There is nothing here that is original. I took my examples from early historic versions with the exception of the letters which didn't exist then. These are taken from various examples (including the u) which I've seen over the years. I gradually built up an alphabet from these sources and there is nothing here which is my own creation.
This alphabet is slow to write with constant nib manipulation with changes of angle. The occasional downstroke which tapers from narrow to wide can be written in one stroke whilst twisting the nib edge but this is difficult and I generally  take the easier way out and overlay a second short stroke at the foot.
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 20, 2017, 05:56:35 PM
Thanks for your interest, Andy  -   appreciated.  :D
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 21, 2017, 05:17:22 PM
SPENCERIAN & COPPERPLATE

The combination of Spencerian majuscules and Copperplate minuscules works very well IMO.
Combining the free-flowing flexibility of the Spencerian capitals with the austere elegance of the Copperplate minuscules creates an attractive alternative style, combining elements of both.
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: prasad on July 22, 2017, 01:30:04 AM
@Ken Fraser Thank you so much for re-collating this.  I was having panic attacks as I could not see the images in your earlier thread  ;D
Was going to write to you to find out what happened and then saw this.

Made my day.  Your talent and generosity is beyond compare.
Thanks again
Prasad
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 22, 2017, 09:54:01 AM
Thanks, Prasad. I'm glad that you found them  :)
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Elisabeth_M on July 22, 2017, 04:45:20 PM
K (the Greeks' kappa) predates the Romans and was used in their early inscriptions until they'd figured out a way to phase it out.  Can't say I've ever seen a rustic example from the classical period, however.  Incidentally, this pdf (http://guindo.pntic.mec.es/jmag0042/ingles.php?d=LATIN_PALEOGRAPHY.pdf) might be of interest.

I confess I was thinking more of Italian than Latin when I assumed that there wouldn't be a K (I know they are not identical but there are a lot of similarities) since Italian does not use the letter K except for words it might have borrowed from another language. 
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 22, 2017, 05:36:16 PM
IRISH UNCIAL
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 23, 2017, 06:47:26 AM
LIGHT ITALIC
This version of light Italic was written with a very narrow-edged nib at a slope angle of 8 degrees.
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 23, 2017, 07:06:20 AM
FORMAL ITALIC with SWASH CAPITALS
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 23, 2017, 08:28:49 AM
CURSIVE ITALIC
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 24, 2017, 05:38:23 PM
BARDOLINO

A few years ago, I designed this lettering style. as entirely my own work. 

As everything has to have a name, I called it "Bardolino" after our favourite holiday destination in Italy. As the letters have built-in ligatures as part of the design, the minuscules butt together eliminating any need for careful inter-letter spacing.

If anyone wants to try this style for themselves, I would appreciate acknowledgement of its origin.

Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 26, 2017, 04:54:43 PM
ENGROSSER'S SCRIPT
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Elisabeth_M on July 26, 2017, 06:54:53 PM
BARDOLINO

A few years ago, I designed this lettering style. as entirely my own work. 

As everything has to have a name, I called it "Bardolino" after our favourite holiday destination in Italy. As the letters have built-in ligatures as part of the design, the minuscules butt together eliminating any need for careful inter-letter spacing.

If anyone wants to try this style for themselves, I would appreciate acknowledgement of its origin.

It's lovely, Ken.  I'm really enamored of the last down stroke on the miniscule h, m, and n.  I was going to ask what the specs were if someone wanted to try their hand at it, and then I thought, "Where's the fun in that?"  So, after printing it out and messing with a ruler and protractor and a few nibs, I came up with:

x= 5 nib widths
ascender/descender= 2.5 x
caps= 2x
slant= 15 degrees from perpendicular
pen angle= 50 degrees from baseline

Is that an accurate assessment?
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 27, 2017, 07:36:55 AM

x= 5 nib widths
ascender/descender= 2.5 x
caps= 2x
slant= 15 degrees from perpendicular
pen angle= 50 degrees from baseline

Is that an accurate assessment?

Spot on! That's absolutely accurate ; well done!  ;D
Title: Re: Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Elisabeth_M on July 28, 2017, 11:40:49 AM

x= 5 nib widths
ascender/descender= 2.5 x
caps= 2x
slant= 15 degrees from perpendicular
pen angle= 50 degrees from baseline

Is that an accurate assessment?

Spot on! That's absolutely accurate ; well done!  ;D

Yay!  It was fun to do.  It's the kind of thing that speaks to my inner nerd.
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 29, 2017, 09:09:12 AM
LOMBARDIC VERSALS

Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Elisabeth_M on July 29, 2017, 10:23:54 AM
@Ken Fraser :  A question about Copperplate/English Roundhand:  In your alphabets, some of the ascenders are looped but in your quote exemplars, those same ascenders are not looped (ie #05: the l and h).  I'm asking because I do often see copperplate with non-loop ascenders, but I'd rather use looped ascenders as I would rather "write" it than "draw" it (if that makes sense? minimal lifts is what I'm getting at here) and I already use looped ascenders in my regular handwriting, so it seems more natural to me.
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on July 29, 2017, 04:36:31 PM
@Ken Fraser :  A question about Copperplate/English Roundhand:  In your alphabets, some of the ascenders are looped but in your quote exemplars, those same ascenders are not looped (ie #05: the l and h).  I'm asking because I do often see copperplate with non-loop ascenders, but I'd rather use looped ascenders as I would rather "write" it than "draw" it (if that makes sense? minimal lifts is what I'm getting at here) and I already use looped ascenders in my regular handwriting, so it seems more natural to me.

Much of my Copperplate is influenced by examples in The Universal Penman where almost all of the ascenders are straight. I believe that the looped ascenders were a later development. I like both ways, but never mix them in the same piece of writing.
I understand your preference for looped ascenders being "written" as opposed to being "drawn" with minimal interruption, but, in fact, both straight and looped ascenders can be easily written smoothly without pen lifts.
The looped ascenders are written with an upward hairline to the right of the letter continuing without a break, anticlockwise into the shaded downstroke. The motion is virtually the same for a straight ascender. The hairline is produced upwards on the slope line and without stopping at the top, the tines are spread open and the downwards shaded stroke covers the hairline to the base line. Both styles of letter can be written smoothly and without pen lifts.

AFAIK Straight ascenders are never used in Engrosser's Script or in Spencerian.
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: JERRY TRESSER on February 18, 2018, 08:47:51 PM
I was wondering if you would be kind enough to provide some examples of your Foundational Hand. Possibly a few letters and maybe one or two diagonals.  What nib height are you using and what the pen angle is.  Appreciated.  I could not find any examples of this style in your post.  JERRY
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on February 19, 2018, 09:16:31 AM
I'm sorry that you missed it - it's at the very beginning #2 just after Uncial.
Ken
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: JERRY TRESSER on February 19, 2018, 04:49:28 PM
Thank you Ken, the problem was that i did not login. Very nice.  Respectfully, JERRY
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: FirebirdArts on April 05, 2018, 05:16:09 AM
Ken, are you a master penman yet?  Because I swear after oggling and drooling after all your exemplars I am FLOORED...they are amazing...I'm out of words to describe my awe after this...
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: AnasaziWrites on April 05, 2018, 09:52:23 AM
Ken, are you a master penman yet?  Because I swear after oggling and drooling after all your exemplars I am FLOORED...they are amazing...I'm out of words to describe my awe after this...
Ken is too modest to respond in the affirmative to this question, so I will offer you my opinion:  Ken is indeed a master penman. He may not have the title that IAMPETH has conferred over the past 30 years or so, having never sought that title from them as far as I know, but surely would be granted that title if he were to seek it, imho. His work is better, again, in my opinion, than a number of people with the official title.
At best, in his modesty, he might describe himself as a scribe or master scribe.

Lest I reignite the discussion of what constitutes a master penman, which is discussed at length elsewhere on this forum, I would simply say I am old school on the matter, meaning I look at a person's work and compare it to the best work ever published that I've seen (for example, the "Universal Penman" for English Roundhand). Is Ken's work comparable? Yes, it is, again, in my opinion. That makes him a master by my lights. In olden times, that's how the title was granted, informally--by a person's peers based on the person's work. Whether or not a person has an "official" title granted by a self selected group is quite irrelevant.
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: InkyFingers on April 05, 2018, 03:41:05 PM
I am in complete alignment with @AnasaziWrites.  There are many times, I thought his work were generated from a computer typeface and I have suspected as so.  It wasn't until Sir Fraser described the process of this creation, that I was enlightened.  I am still at awe of his work.  I also recognized another master scribe, Michael Moore.
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: esmy77 on May 17, 2018, 07:10:29 PM
Wow this is amazing!!
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Cyril Jayant on May 18, 2018, 05:49:37 PM
Beautiful, amazing and wonderful work Ken Fraser. Thank you for the share of your talents that add more values to this forum.
Thank you again and again.
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on September 07, 2018, 04:45:03 AM
Beautiful, amazing and wonderful work Ken Fraser. Thank you for the share of your talents that add more values to this forum.
Thank you again and again.

You are more than welcome!  :)
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Nicola on September 08, 2018, 04:12:46 PM
May I ask which resource you used for the 'Spencerian Business Writing' exemplar please?
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Ken Fraser on September 12, 2018, 10:12:32 AM
May I ask which resource you used for the 'Spencerian Business Writing' exemplar please?

Nicola,
It was a long time ago and I can't remember my  sources as I was learning, but I do remember being influenced by the beautiful writings of E E Mills and J J Bailey.
Many examples from both are freely available on the IAMPETH site.

They would still be my first choice for study, coupled with the great resources from Dr Joe Vitolo as the up-to-date equivalent.

Ken
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Angelica acosta on September 13, 2018, 01:00:55 PM
Ken Thank youuuu so much for this compendium!!! It is great!!! bests, Angelica
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: ash0kgiri on December 05, 2018, 12:11:29 AM
Ken, are you a master penman yet?  Because I swear after oggling and drooling after all your exemplars I am FLOORED...they are amazing...I'm out of words to describe my awe after this...
I would simply say I am old school on the matter, meaning I look at a person's work and compare it to the best work ever published that I've seen (for example, the "Universal Penman" for English Roundhand). Is Ken's work comparable? Yes, it is, again, in my opinion. That makes him a master by my lights. In olden times, that's how the title was granted, informally--by a person's peers based on the person's work. Whether or not a person has an "official" title granted by a self selected group is quite irrelevant.

Well said @AnasaziWrites. Cant put that in any better ways. Thanks bro :D
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Angela Sampayo on June 16, 2019, 09:03:59 AM
This gives an amazing overview. Thank you so much!!
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: gracefulgiftedhands on October 21, 2019, 02:12:17 PM
Thank you Ken, for ALL the effort you went through to write, compile and post these here. I am SO excited to learn more about each script, and so far my favourite is Madarasz's Script ;)

I truly appreciate your generosity. I know this would be one of the places I revisit and revisit.

P/s: I'm new here and probably missed an instructional thread here and there, but I was wondering if anyone can help me with 'saving' this thread for easy access in the future? THANK YOU IN ADVANCE <3

Cheers to you!
Rachel
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Lindah on October 30, 2019, 08:31:28 AM
Thanks Ken, these examples are fabulous!  You are so talented.
Linda
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: scmwong on November 11, 2019, 07:22:46 PM
Thank you Ken for your time and effort on this post! It is thorough and I will reference your compendium in my future calligraphic endeavours.  :) Sincerely, Shirley
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: jrvalverde on November 12, 2019, 02:00:02 PM
Really, thanks. It is a wonderful work.
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Laura Peckham on December 14, 2019, 07:19:57 PM
What an amazing resource! Ken, thank you so much for gifting the rest of us with these! I know I will be coming back often.
Title: Re: My Compendium of Lettering Styles
Post by: Mark T on September 23, 2023, 02:51:00 PM
Having had the opportunity to view your work for hours, and at days end, continually be in deep awe, I genuinely salute you, Sir.
Not wishing to appear rude, I have read that you are +four score in years, and yet you continue to share your obvious love to educate mere mortals. You, Sir, deserve the appreciation you receive. You are, without wishing to overstate my opinion, a legend in your own lifetime.
Thank you so much, Mr Fraser.