Messages

1

Tools & Supplies / Re: Colored Inks - What am I doing Wrong?

« on: June 19, 2019, 10:53:12 AM »

@Bianca M & @KristinT  - Thank you both for your input. I do apologies, I forgot to mention that I did use a separate container and added a small amount of water. I did get better results, but the result were very sporadic at best. I did get to a nice consistency with the FW ink as I added water, but by that point the ink was so think it would run out after one down stroke and the hairlines still struggled.

I had forgotten about the Saliva trick thank you. I used to do this before I moved to Windex to clean. I will give that a try and see how it goes! 

2

Tools & Supplies / Colored Inks - What am I doing Wrong?

« on: June 17, 2019, 11:17:43 AM »

Hi Team, What am I doing wrong?

Inks in Question:

• Dr. Martins Iridescent Copper Plate Gold & White
• FW Gold & White

Nib in Question:

• Nikko G

I have had some issues using the above colored ink and need some help from the community. I have searched the site, but only find experiences where people have had great success (though I did only search a few pages  )

Over the past week I have been attempting to use Colored Ink to create a gift, however I am not having the greatest of luck. I correctly prepare the nib, cleaning it before each use (I use windex before using and a small drop of toothpaste to clean afterwards)

The ink blotches up and/or runs out super quick and the hairlines are non-existence, also a lot of the time, the ink just refuses to transfer to the paper! A Serious Test of my patience! I am sure the ink is just laughing at me as we speak! 

I have used 65lbs & 85lbs black cardstock from Michaels and my normal 27lbs Rhodia practice pad, but still no luck!

Any help will be greatly appreciated! A little at my whits end with this one!

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Help w hairlines

« on: May 02, 2019, 11:13:11 AM »

@Erica McPhee - This is awesome thanks! An answer to the many issues I logged on for today!

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Kind Critique / Re: Have At It! First Attempt!

« on: February 18, 2019, 10:39:17 AM »

@RD5 - Hi RD5, thank you for taking the time to write out the below I do appreciate it. I apologies if my original request wasn't clear, the format and content of the piece aren't nearly as important as the flow and development of the strokes etc. That is where I am hoping to be critiqued by those that can, so thank you.

What's written is a line of the song my wife and I danced to at our wedding, and she just wanted one of the chorus' from the song. She provided the material and I copied it as it was, the words and formatting that is

I agree with everything you have said though. you're critique in point 2, after reading this forum, I have come to understand this to be "Calligraphy Brain"

Thanks again, I will repost and hope to see further critiques

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Kind Critique / Re: Have At It! First Attempt!

« on: February 17, 2019, 10:16:19 PM »

@matteherr - What you say is correct. I learn from repetition so I am confident I can learn, but I often feel my want to be this incredible Peman outweighs my desire to practice because I Am just not there... that's called impatience haha  But you bring up a good point, it does depend on how much we want it. The History of calligraphy seems to be a very interesting thing though I haven't overly looked into it too much. Maybe one day when I want to use a quill  Thanks for your replies, very informative.

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Kind Critique / Re: Have At It! First Attempt!

« on: February 17, 2019, 10:10:32 PM »

@Erica McPhee - Thank you so much for the critiques, I Will most definitely work on these. And thank you for the Exemplars, they look incredible. I am going to relearn both sets of minuscules and majuscules from the example you have attached. Salman's tutorials look brilliant too.... thank you again! I Will get to practicing

Thank you to everyone that has critiqued so far, you've been great.

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Kind Critique / Re: Have At It! First Attempt!

« on: February 14, 2019, 08:49:35 PM »

I have always learnt by visual, so I watched LoveLeigh Loops series on YT about calligraphy fundamentals, upper and lower case letters and how to join them all, and went from there. I am aiming for approx. 1 hour of practicing a day, which has been a little hit and miss so far, but I will get there. I have tried a couple of the nibs that came with the Manuscript that I have, and so far one gives a much larger shade over the other. Maybe I should be using the one that gives a smaller shade regardless of how hard I press? But I would like to learn to control the pressure etc.

3 years sounds like a good amount of time. Was there a moment when you realised "I can actually do this"?

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Kind Critique / Re: Have At It! First Attempt!

« on: February 14, 2019, 05:31:31 PM »

@matteherr - that's a great idea thank you. I will do just that. I do struggle writing smaller for some reason. I don't know if it's the size of my hands or what, but I have a hard time writing with a 6mm X height. I think it may be because, even though I think I am pressing ever so softly, my shades are quite thick, so I must still be pressing too hard.

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Kind Critique / Re: Have At It! First Attempt!

« on: February 14, 2019, 01:14:28 PM »

@Linda Y. - I have no idea if you are still on this Forum, however you're instructions for uploading images from Flickr helped me a lot. So thank you. Never used the site before.

I have re-uploaded the pictures in the correct format

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Kind Critique / Have At It! First Attempt!

« on: February 14, 2019, 12:09:55 PM »

I like the idea of this thread.

Looking at other peoples "tries" is intimidating and makes me not want to submit, but you can't learn without constructive critique-ness am-a-rite?

This is my first "Piece" that I wrote for my wife for our "first-time-we-met-versary". I want to redo it, but this time on A3 sized paper, as you can clearly see mu awful attempt at connecting the T's, there's plenty of mistakes and I had to squash in a couple of rows.

This is only after 3-4 weeks practice so don't be too harsh, but please be kind-a-harsh and Critique away.

Am eager to learn how to get this Copperplate Calligraphy thing down!

Have a great day all

#3 by Andy GS, on Flickr

#2 by Andy GS, on Flickr

#1 by Andy GS, on Flickr
 

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Coffee & Nib-bles / Re: Where in the World?

« on: February 13, 2019, 05:26:29 PM »

Born and Grew Up: Luton, England
Currently Living: Mesa, Arizona

Nothing like two ends of the weather spectrum! I am one of those plonkers that'll take 120 degree heat over 50 degree, spitting overcast, any day of the week! Love it! 

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Introductions / Re: Englishman living in good old Arizona

« on: February 12, 2019, 01:01:07 PM »

Would love to know your ancestor's name - was he a famous penman? Any samples?

Hi Erica, thanks for the message. His name is Joseph Richard Humphreys and he emigrated to the states in 1860 from South Africa, born in the Mother Land I will need to find the documentation I read from, as at the time, it was just a passing glance, and didnt click until I started writing myself. But it would be incredible to see what his writing was like. Thanks for the idea.

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Why did you start calligraphy?

« on: February 08, 2019, 02:22:18 PM »

Some great beginnings into Calligraphy. I am not artistically inclined whatsoever. Wouldn't even know where to start. However, for me personally, my interest just kind of happened by accident. As said in my introduction, I picked up my wife's unused calligraphy set watched a couple of videos on Youtube, sorry to the purists, I learn by visuals, and got hooked. Being someone that would make a complete mess being left to their own "Artistic Devises", I really enjoy the structure of Copperplate. How the simple Fundamentals create all other letters in the alphabet. Even if i go wrong it still looks great!

Only 4 weeks in, but still thoroughly enjoying it! And surprisingly no cramped hands! But a lot of stained fingers!

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Introductions / Englishman living in good old Arizona

« on: February 07, 2019, 03:34:59 PM »

Hi people, my name is Andy, and I am new to calligraphy.

I haven't ever really been interested or even ever thought of penmanship as a hobby until I recently found out that one of my ancestors was known for his penmanship in 1800's America, and this obviously triggered my interest. Funnily enough, from a youngster, I always wrote on things and would pretend to write with my finger on anything when I didn't have a pen. I have always enjoyed cursive and see calligraphy as the natural step up.

My wife has a calligraphy set that she bought once and never used, so I decided to pick it up and give it a go, and would you believe it  now I cant put it down. I have been practicing fundamentals for the past 3-4 weeks, and every now and again I like to pretend like I am one of the calligraphers on YouTube who look like they have been flourishing from their mothers womb! It doesnt go well, but i like to pretend.

Anyway, thanks for letting me join this great online forum!