Author Topic: How can I make this better?  (Read 1810 times)

Offline Fayep81

  • Freshman Member
  • *
  • Posts: 13
  • Karma: 0
  • Knit designer and copperplate newbie!
    • View Profile
How can I make this better?
« on: July 26, 2018, 03:56:45 AM »
I started out learning copperplate last year but I'm a bit out of practice. A friend asked me to write signs for her wedding. She's super chuffed with them but they make me cringe a bit, I feel like the writing is super inconsistent and I haven't got the bounce or slant right at all. I'm a bit bored with copperplate drills and I'd like to make my style a bit more fun.
In the modern tutorial, the word Avalon is bounced in the second example. I think that's the style I'd like to go for.

Does anyone have any tips for me? (Aside from practice more!!)

PS I realise this is a mish mash of styles, as I was out of practice I just looked up a modern calligraphy alphabet for reference so some of the letters are a bit different.

Offline Greenman

  • Freshman Member
  • *
  • Posts: 17
  • Karma: 0
    • View Profile
Re: How can I make this better?
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2018, 07:30:26 AM »
Looks pretty good, don't worry about the 'inconsistency' in the words, this so-called 'modern calligraphy' (i'm not really a fan of the term, can you tell?) encourages irregularity... one thing though, the times look slightly formal and a little undersized in comparison to the words.
« Last Edit: July 27, 2018, 12:16:31 PM by Greenman »

Offline Fayep81

  • Freshman Member
  • *
  • Posts: 13
  • Karma: 0
  • Knit designer and copperplate newbie!
    • View Profile
Re: How can I make this better?
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2018, 11:31:33 AM »
Thanks - I've not even tried numbers yet so that's why they're a bit odd! My friend is happy though :-)

In hindsight I think some guidelines might have been useful even though I was trying to be 'bouncy' - I can do it much better with brush pens on graph paper so maybe I should have used that as an example ;-)

Offline jeanwilson

  • Super Hero Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 1094
  • Karma: 167
    • View Profile
    • Pushing the Envelopes
Re: How can I make this better?
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2018, 01:20:30 PM »
I alway plan where the letters are going to go when I bounce them.
It may look random, but I like to do some rough drafts and then I am very careful to follow the layout when I do the final.
Modern/bouncy/wonky/casual - whatever you want to call it - even though it looks like it was *quick and easy* - it benefits from some careful planning.

Offline RD5

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 134
  • Karma: 5
    • View Profile
Re: How can I make this better?
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2018, 04:20:13 AM »
I think the writing space also creates a challenge. You have different size words, all to fit in the same size area. For example, you have left less space on the top, than on the bottom. You have to take into account the negative space. The boards also form some natural guidelines, but their straightness can clash with your bouncy lettering. I think that writing a sign like this has its own challenges in fitting in the words and achieving the right balance of uniformity and randomness.

That said, it is still pretty good, and I am not surprised your friend is pleased.

Offline Erica McPhee

  • Administrator
  • Super Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7201
  • Karma: 332
  • Be brave. Love life!
    • View Profile
Re: How can I make this better?
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2018, 11:00:04 AM »
I think it came out darling! Sign painting is hard and like RD5 said, it's difficult because of the space limitations.

When I teach modern calligraphy, I always emphasize "consistently inconsistent." So while the bounce may look like it's random, it is usually following a pattern of some sort. This evolves naturally over time but in the beginning, it may be helpful to use guidelines as Jean suggested. But I like to do an upper guide and then a lower one so I know where to "upper bounce" and "lower bounce." If the bounce is too big, it becomes awkward.

Also, you want to try to avoid a large "wave" in the pattern - so a string of letters going up and then down (like up a small hill). You want to alternate the up and down so you can't actually see the pattern (hope that makes sense). Otherwise, it is like when I write on a chalkboard without guidelines, it all goes uphill or down!  ;D

Hope that helps. I really do like your sign!
Warm Regards,
Erica
Lettering & Design Artist
Flourish Forum Shop
Instagram