Topics

1

Flourishing / Birds

« on: November 12, 2023, 03:57:01 PM »

I made an accordion book of some small bird flourishes. I used walnut ink on 2”x2” Canson Mi Teintes and used Arches for the structure. I still struggle with the tails not looking stupid.

2

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Auction piece

« on: April 10, 2023, 12:21:14 PM »

I thought I'd share this script piece from Mapes Auctioneers online auction. Current high bid is $300. I love that C. Seaman is all the things! Ventriloquist, sign painter, stenographer, medical electrician... Isn't it a charming piece of folk art?

3

Spencerian Script / Antiques Roadshow Spencerian

« on: March 15, 2023, 09:56:38 AM »

The latest episode of Antiques Roadshow showed a beautiful full color Spencerian Drawing. What a treasure!
https://www.pbs.org/video/appraisal-1884-grover-cleveland-campaign-spencerian-drawing/

I’m not sure if my link will work but if not, just google Antiques Roadshow Spencerian and it comes right up.

4

Calligraphy Book Reviews / Marcel's Letters by Carolyn Porter (2017)

« on: September 05, 2018, 01:30:33 PM »

 I haven't finished this book yet, but it is so good, that I thought I'd mention it before I forget. Carolyn Porter is a graphic designer who bought some old letters at an antique shop because she loved the handwriting. She begins designing a font based on the handwriting. The letters are written in French and she decides to have them translated and quickly becomes obsessed with researching the story/fate of Marcel, who sent the letters from Berlin during WWII. Her font, P22 Marcel Script, won awards and her obsession with Marcel became this fascinating book. I'm really enjoying the glimpse into her life, the design process and the twists and turns of her determined research.

5

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Autograph book 1878

« on: June 17, 2018, 10:42:57 AM »

I picked up a sweet autograph book last year with 40 pages of handwriting. I didn’t realize until I got it home that there’s even a small hair wreath on one of the pages. Here is a lovely page.

6

Open Flourish | General Discussion / NPR story re handwriting vs printing

« on: June 01, 2018, 09:18:25 AM »

Oh look! Yet another story on NPR yammering about why teaching handwriting is pointless and obsolete.
https://www.npr.org/2018/05/31/612197167/so-longhand-has-cursive-reached-the-end-of-the-line

I found this statement particularly infuriating: Some people still talk about cursive instruction as instilling self-discipline. But the only jobs that require fastidious penmanship these days are tattoo artist or addressing wedding invitations.

Note the writer says "fastidious penmanship" not beautiful or elegant.  More to the point, I don't think everything we teach in schools needs to equate to a job skill. If that was the case, most of us wouldn't have taken trigonometry.

7

Introductions / Hello all

« on: September 26, 2015, 11:23:22 PM »

Hi there. In 2nd grade I won a rosary for having the best handwriting in the class, according to Sister Paula Marie. I guess I took the honor to heart because I've been into writing ever since. I used to copy people's handwriting that I admired. In college in the early 80's I taught myself italic writing. I've dabbled off and on over the years picking up what I could from books. A few years ago I started learning copperplate but then I got involved in another handicraft I practice (pysanky - Ukrainian batik eggs) and gave up so I could focus on the pysanky. I'm taking another stab at copperplate and it's going pretty well. I'm amazed at the interest in calligraphy now! When I first went online in the 90's there didn't seem to be very much information out there. I seem to remember a forum called Cyniscribe? I work full time as a probate paralegal. I have 2 adult children who I raised pretty much on my own after my divorce. I have 2 cats. I'm a Jane Austen fanatic. I love to read and bake. I'm eager to start exploring all the information on this forum.