I never had an interest in broad pen, and only a meh interest in copperplate. But then one day I saw an example of some ornamented Spencerian capitals (I think it was ladies hand) and I was like HOLD UP WHAT IS THAT
I am drawn to it because it is so free form and nature-like.. it reminds me of the things I love in art and life- flowers, gentle wavy long grasses, flowing ribbons, oval rocks, rose petals, waves in the sea, ripples on a lake.. I can see all this in the letterforms. A well executed ornamental spencerian page is like a graceful butterfly fluttering on a page, or a gentle song humming along on a page.. it ebbs and flows.. so it was like a mini winged PR Spencer shooting an arrow into my heart and I was in LOVE!
I also like how spontaneous and one-shot it is. Some other scripts need meticulous touching up that it's more like a drawn letter, not written.. that's boring to me. I would know the artist went back and touched up many times to get a perfect A or B or whatever. On the other hand, a well executed spencerian letter has to be done in one go and everything has to be *perfect*.. one imperfect oval or one badly placed line or a weird shade and the whole thing looks bad. That's why a beautiful perfect page leaves me breathless.. I know that the writer did it all in one go, in a very short time and the serendipity needed to get all the elements right is just so satisfying. That's why I'm kinda obsessed with collecting old specimens from the masters.. I want to hold it in my hands and to trace with my eye all the perfect lines without touchups.. shivers!!
It's not just me who feels this way right?? Any layman reading the above would think I'm nuts!