Topics

1

Coffee & Nib-bles / US Postal rates decreasing!

« on: April 10, 2016, 06:56:16 PM »

Who would have thunk?  Now 47 cents for first class.  No so good for people the large collections of forever stamps.

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Calligraphy Book Reviews / Calligraphy and Illumination, by Patricia Lovett, 2000

« on: March 13, 2016, 02:46:00 PM »

Calligraphy and Illumination, by Patricia Lovett,  2000

Very nice book.  Particularly nice is the historical information.  Introduction thd calligraphy and "historical alphabets" are booth good, but similar intros can be found elsewhere.  Where this book excels are the 20+ pages devoted to gilding and the 90 pages devoted to the history of heraldry.    There are also nice sections on curing and cutting quills and "working to comission."  A lot to read here.
 

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Ultra Fine Motor Skills

« on: January 30, 2016, 09:03:35 AM »

I've taken a break from calligraphy to move, and I am now taking stock of my skills for a new plan of attack.  I am not an artist and I recognize that I have not developed the ultra fine motor skills that many here have.  Making symmetrical swirls and loops is difficult.  Yes, I can practice making swirls and loops but it is so boring.  I salute those of you who can discipline yourselves to do that.  Aren't there more interesting ways of practicing?  There are apps for kids to learn fine motor skills, but what about some for ultra fine motor skills?   

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Coffee & Nib-bles / Snowpocalypse 2016

« on: January 22, 2016, 02:20:56 PM »

Share the experience!  Enjoy the schadenfreude!

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / New Speedball Textbook

« on: December 29, 2015, 09:30:20 PM »

So the new edition of the Speedball Textbook is available.  Has anyone checked it out?  What is new?  Worth buying?

6

The Library / Les Oeuvres de Lucas Materot 1608

« on: December 19, 2015, 02:35:57 PM »

Les Oeuvres de Lucas Materot
1608

 
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b86220474/f1.planchecontact.r=Lucas%20Materot

This was posted at cyberscribes.com.  Can anyone tell what the book is about?  I am just admiring the plates!

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Black Friday Sale at Scribblers

« on: November 26, 2015, 07:46:59 PM »

Put down that drumstick!  15% off everything at Scribblers on Black Friday!  Does that mean our British friends celebrate Thanksgiving?

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Holiday Craft Fairs

« on: November 17, 2015, 07:31:19 AM »

So is anyone setting up a booth at a holiday craft fair (faire)?  Just curious about what you will be selling!

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Pencilling it in

« on: November 12, 2015, 06:38:11 PM »

I am curious, how many people pencil in the letters and then go over them in ink?  Under what circumstances?

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Coffee & Nib-bles / Mail Chutes

« on: November 06, 2015, 07:48:30 PM »

Heres an interesting article on old mail chutes from back in the day when mail was really important!

http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/new-york-citys-mail-chutes-are-lovely-ingenious-and-almost-entirely-ignored

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Copperplate, Engrosser's Script, Roundhand Calligraphy / Flourishing Hand Position

« on: October 10, 2015, 08:47:16 AM »

In another thread, people are talking about a "flouishing hand position" where you write shades on upstrokes.  I have never heard of this.  What is it?  Holding the nib upside-down?

12

Digital Design / INKredible --Android calligraphy app

« on: September 13, 2015, 03:48:05 PM »

I have been looking for an Android calligraphy app for quite a while. Today, I downloaded the two Autodesk Sketchbook apps as well as the INKredible handwriting app.  The Sketchbook app has a broadedge tool, but the edge is not very sharp, so the thin angle is not good.  So I moved onto the INKredible app from an minor developer, not expecting much.  The basic app is free with the calligraphy tool for $0.99 extra.  Below is the image of what I could do with a fat stylus.

The fountain pen tool could work for pointed pen hands.  The downstrokes are thicker than the upstrokes, with the difference set by the "wetness" scale. I think this has possibilities!

I bought the calligraphy tool, which is a broadedge.  The angle of the edge is adjustable as is the wideness.  The thick to thin is good!

There is also a brush pen tool to buy for $0.99.  I will let someone who knows about brush pens review that.  There are also guideline papers to buy for $0.99. 

Finally, your final products can be saved as images or as .pdf.

All in all, a nice little app for a reasonable price.  I would love to see what other people can produce.

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Coffee & Nib-bles / Oldest Multi-color Printed Book

« on: September 09, 2015, 07:53:12 PM »

Check this out--  the oldest known printed  multi-color book!  Wouldn't you know it is about painting and calligraphy?  Such delicate images and beautiful colors.  I find it hard to believe it is made with woodblocks. 

http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/08/luxury/oldest-multi-color-printed-book/

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Coffee & Nib-bles / How well can you form mental images?

« on: August 27, 2015, 08:01:07 PM »

I found this interesting article on aphantasia, where people are unable to form visual images in their mind.  There is a whole spectrum of variation of this ability, from those with aphantasia to those with very vivid imaginations.  I wonder how the ability to form mental images coorelates with artistic ability.  I have never been able to draw well and I wonder if it is because I cant hold a clear image of something in my mind.  Take the quiz at the end of the article and see how you do. 

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-34039054

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Tools & Supplies / Sale at Dover Publications

« on: July 29, 2015, 10:28:07 PM »

Dover Pubs is have a 30% off sale July 29-30.

http://www.doverpublications.com/mp/pbk3

Dover publishes many popular calligraphy books, including the books by Eleanor Winters and George Bickham!

http://search.doverpublications.com/search?keywords=calligraphy