I started learning Copperplate last April (2013 I mean), and while doing internet resaerch came across Spencerian. My reaction was similar to Schin's in another thread I saw yesterday where she talked so eloquently about the beauty of this script
I started then learning Spencerian around July / August last year, while I was still struggling (am still of course in a way, but feeling more secure) with Copperplate. In retrospect I guess it was not very clever to learn them more or less at the same time. I used different teaching materials the Mott copybooks, stuff I found on IAMPETH etc.; did a workshop with Barbara Calzolari (who learnt from Michael Sull) and believe me, it still looks so crappy. I get along with the capitals, because I write them rather slowly and use them together with Copperplate minuscules, but I find the miniscules incredibly hard. As Brad said, it is probably much easier when you learnt American Cursive as a child. I learnt a similar script like Natascha (sisterofdreams), and we were encouraged to develop a personal style (as long as it was legible). So I have the feeling, while I understand quite well the construction principles behind Spencerian, and I can apply them to a certain degree when I
letter them (in a sense of writing so slowly that it could be called drawing). Which is not how it is supposed to be written, as far as I have read. I have the feeling that just my subconciuos and muscle memory from nearly 40 years takes over and switch from "calligraphy slow and careful" to "handwriting! Yeah, let's do this fast!!". I have been writing a lot when I was younger, so my handwriting is just too much etched in my brain, I guess
I am really not sure if I go on trying this. It's too frustrating. I have tons of practising sheets, and I did intelligent practice (I think
), but it's still not really working even if some sheets look reasonably ok, especially when I am working directly after an exemplar (I have that practice set from Michael Sull). I have to write really, really slow to make it work just a bit.
So, in short: I find Spencerian much harder. And don't get me wrong, I don't want to say that Copperplate is easy, especially not when it comes to the finer details etc., but I personally found it easier for me to get halfway decent looking results in a much shorter time.
As to the quote in the beginning of this thread
1. I think we shouldn't forget that such sayings often were actually advertising copybooks or schools which teached a certain style, so it should be taken with a grain of salt; not only regarding the easiness with which is apperantly to learn but also regarding the naturalness or beauty
2. I generally don't like absolute discussions about wether a certain style is more beautiful than another. I find it is futile and leads to needless arguments. I am very much with you there, Ken
I think we can talk about if one
execution of a certain style is more beautiful than another, but to compare styles like that is like saying blonde hair is more beautiful than red.
Which is different to saying "I personally like
more than
"!
