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Messages - Steve_H

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I make my own guidelines in Word.

First, I set the size to 10pt lettering. I then hold down the underscore and get a line across the page. Then I copy/paste the line down the page. I highlight the page and set it to about 50% opacity. I type "10pt" at the top left corner. So now I have a page of horizontal guidelines evenly spaced.

I do this over again on different pages, increasing the size to 12pt, 14pt, and 18pt, noting each one in the upper corner. So the Word document has different pages for different height horizontal guidelines.

Then I open a different Word document and draw a vertical line from top to bottom. Color it light blue. Then rotate the line so you get the slant you want. Copy/paste it across the page. Save the document according to the slant. I have guidelines-5deg-slant.doc, guidelines-10deg-slant.doc, guidelines-52deg-slant.doc. Note the slant in the upper right corner so it doesn't overwrite the horizontal pages' notice in the upper left corner.

So now you print out the horizontal line page onto your favorite paper, like Rhodia, then reinsert the page and print out the slant page you need. Pretty simple.

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Guidelines / Spiral Guidelines to Share
« on: June 16, 2017, 12:30:16 AM »
If you are interested in guidelines, I have mine to share: http://www.stevehusting.com/calligraphy/2013/07/21/spiral-and-circular-spacing-guides/

These are spiral and circular guidelines. Enjoy!

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Coffee & Nib-bles / Re: What is an Artist?
« on: June 01, 2017, 04:53:25 PM »
The last couple weeks I've been asking myself a lot of questions... soul searching kind of ... But I think what Im really wanting to know is Am I An Artist?

So I guess what Im asking you is.... What is an Artist to you ?

I've come across answers from different sources over time. Here is a brief list. I am not saying that any of these are true or false; they are just different perspectives on the question. These are answers based on wondering if I am an artist, or singer, dancer, or writer, or whatever. On the other hand, you might be an artist with severely restricted ability to get it done and have to satisfy yourself with doodles.

1. If you can quit your art and move on to something else, then you are not an artist.
Comment: this makes sense if you think being an artist is based on what a person is and not what a person does. If you do a lot of art projects, then you might be an artist. If you don't do any art projects, then is that person an artist? Surely what we do matters, not what we think.

2. If you are very creative, then you can call yourself an artist.
Comment: this makes sense if you have a romantic notion of being an artist. In practice, though, an artist absorbs ideas from many sources and often adds his or her own small spin to the work. There's no such thing about being entirely original; it's all been done before, but given a different spin. Inspiration feeds on inspiration.

3. If you work for money, then you are not an artist.
Comment: this makes sense if you have romantic notions of being an artist. Nevertheless, it's perfectly acceptable to use your skills and get paid for it. Artistic merit does not depend on money flow. The amount of payment does not make one an artist, only a well-paid artist or not, but one is still an artist in either case.

4. If you have to work hard at your artistic pieces (if it doesn't come easily), then you are not an artist.
Comment: this comes from the idea that those who are "gifted" are true artists while the rest of us are wannabe's. My take on giftedness is quite simple. Some people have sharper auditory senses in music and can quickly mimic a tune on the keyboard, while many of us need lessons to read and play music. Others have greater abstract intellectual development which is great for philosophy, coding and math. Others are gifted physically so they can run or climb or swim faster. Some have the ability to memorize pages of chapters or numbers. Even so, some minds are tuned to graphic design patterns and can more quickly put things together in an eye-pleasing way while the rest of us need to learn the basics of design patterns over time. If both groups of people can produce eye-pleasing work, then why can't both be artists? One will be the "gifted artist" and the other will be the "artist." But both are artists.

5. If all you have to show are practice pieces, then you are not an artist.
Comment: An artist wants to create, but an artist also needs to learn. Practice and warmups are part of an artist's work. But I think an artist makes finished or nearly finished works, even if they are never shown to anyone. If all you have to show for years of effort is a pile of exercise sheets with practice letters and sentences, I'm sure of one thing: you'll be hard pressed to call yourself an artist with any conviction.

4
Stephen Brown has a short video showing how he makes his fountain pen review videos. There might be something useful there. And always entertaining anyway :-)
On the video:
Minus:
1. Don't use flourished caps several times in a row in your titles - they are unreadable.

Plus:
1. Use the camera to set the white balance.
2. Set the camera to shoot upside down if you position it in front of you.
3. He holds the paper down with something between his fingers and the page so as not to add hand oils to the page.
4. Based on the the other videos of his, it would be nice to have a blank background, but that's being picky.

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@Steve_H Okay, then let me rephrase: Is the instruction in the online videos good?

He did the lessons online as well as on the DVD. Based on the DVDs and on the fact that he is in demand as a teacher all over the world, I'm sure the online lessons are fantastic!

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Show & Tell / Re: Show us your best
« on: June 01, 2017, 11:34:44 AM »
Here is my latest piece.

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If you are right-handed, then film from the left so your hand is not in the way.

Put the main light source at the left as well so your hand does not cast a shadow over the work.

The camera should shoot from a similar angle as your view so we see the writing the way we would see it if we were to copy it. No crazy angles; don't shoot so the lettering is upside down.

Don't speed up the lettering; let us see what it looks like in real time.

At least once, let us see you dip the pen in the bottle or fill the nib with a brush.

Keep the camera zoomed close so we can see the lettering clearly. You don't want to show the whole page when the lettering will be only a fraction of an inch. This means, too, not to be zoomed so tight that you let the words go off the edge.

These are ideas off the top of my head.

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Introductions / Re: New to forum, not to calligraphy
« on: May 20, 2017, 12:17:45 AM »
Hi Steve,

Your work is simply stunning :D Wish to learn broad pen from you.

Anything in particular you need help with?

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Any more info on the DVD? I'd like to give Italic a better go but the previews look so esoteric. Is the instruction good?
The DVDs are discontinued in favor of the online instruction.

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Your Instagrams
« on: May 17, 2017, 12:06:14 PM »
My Instagram name is stevehusting

Not very original, ha ha.

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Get a Google Alert going
« on: May 17, 2017, 12:04:44 PM »
Here's a tip a lot of people do not know about. I signed up for Google Alerts. There, you fill out a box with a keyword, like "Calligraphy." Then Google sends an email to your inbox each day with links to recent sites having that keyword. So every day I receive links to pages talking about calligraphy all over the world. Try it! Enter your favorite aspect of calligraphy, if you want, like spencerian, uncial, fraktur, or whatever.

I set the delivery frequency as Digest, "at most once a day."

The service is free, but you have to have a Google account to use it.

https://www.google.com/alerts

Here's a recent sample email for "calligraphy":

    Google Alert
   calligraphy
Daily update -- May 17, 2017
   
   NEWS    
   
Chinese Muslim artists create Arabic calligraphy
Ahlul Bayt News Agency: Providing Shia News (press release)
The Arabic calligraphy art pieces on display depict verses from the Holy Quran and names of Allah the Almighty completed by a group of Chinese ...
   
   WEB    
   
Happy Mother's Day. Handmade calligraphy vector illustration.
Adobe Stock
Happy Mother's Day. Handmade calligraphy vector illustration. By Tapilipa. Happy Mother's Day. Handmade calligraphy vector illustration. Licensed.
   
   
Free Indian Calligraphy Handmade Font
Dribbble
Indian Calligraphy is the perfect handwritten font to create sleek and elegant headlines and logo designs. Indian pairs well with both script and ...
   
   
SHEAFFER Calligraphy set with 2 fountain pens
Craigslist Tucson
Yes it is still for sale, this posting will be promptly deleted once sold. Call me at - no texts please This is located in Tucson. 1985 VINTAGE SHEAFFER ...
   
   
Event Calendar
Youth.gov.hk
Organiser. Presented by Hong Kong Chinese Calligraphy and Art Association. Date. 15 June 2017 (Thu) 4:00pm-7:00pm 16-17 June 2017 ...
   
   
Calligraphy services
VarageSale
I work with water colour, dip inks, calligraphy nibs. Will do custom work on wedding invites, design cards, welcome to wedding signs. Please check out ...
   
   
CALLIGRAPHY & PRINTMAKING Speedball Elegant Writer
Trade Me
These permanent calligraphy markers appeal to both beginning and experienced calligraphers alike. Better porous-plastic nib design with sharper ...
   
   
Islamic Arabic Calligraphy
Trade Me
Islamic Arabic Calligraphy for sale on Trade Me, New Zealand's #1 auction and classifieds website.

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Introductions / Re: New to forum, not to calligraphy
« on: May 17, 2017, 11:55:10 AM »
Warm welcome Steve,
Glad to have you here. And you been doing calligraphy for the past 8 years which is quite a dedication.
Im so waiting to see your work. I hope you also have an IG account.

- Ashok

Oops! Yes Ashok, I have an Instagram account. I added it to my profile.

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Introductions / Re: New to forum, not to calligraphy
« on: May 16, 2017, 09:55:04 PM »
Welcome! Would love to see some of your work.
Check my profile. My web site is there and it shows my writeups on how I did my works.

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Introductions / Re: New to forum, not to calligraphy
« on: May 16, 2017, 09:54:19 PM »
Hello Steve and welcome to the forum.

I am learning Copperplate, but would be so interested in seeing your varied works. Is your avatar one of your works?

This is a great group of helpful and multi-talented folks. Glad to have you with us  :)

I made the avatar design, "SH" as a logo, as part of a workshop. I've done a little bit of copperplate, but few standalone, finished pieces outside of a classroom setting.

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Introductions / Re: New to forum, not to calligraphy
« on: May 16, 2017, 09:36:29 PM »
Thanks for the warm welcome!

AAAndrew, if you look at my profile, you'll see my website URL and my work is there.

I'm still learning how to use the forum, so I'm not sure if I can add images yet.


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