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Technical Support & Feedback / Please help! Dr Martin's isn't drying..

« on: September 23, 2017, 08:26:15 AM »

I have been working on pieces writing epitaphs on cabinet cards, and am using dr Martins bleed proof white for the first time. I Love it. The only problem is that it isn't drying. Days later I can wipe the ink right off. Any advice on how to prevent this? I realize the surface of the cards are glossier, but my walnut ink sets well on them.

Any advice would be most appreciated!

Kindly,
flo

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Show & Tell / Re: Art Nouveau hand & YB Yeats Poem

« on: August 20, 2016, 10:29:02 AM »

This is so gorgeous! What type of pen do you use? Guide sheets?

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Kind Critique / Re: first attempt

« on: June 17, 2016, 02:57:49 PM »

I don't know how I didn't write Unicorn once today. 

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Kind Critique / Re: first attempt

« on: June 17, 2016, 02:56:10 PM »

Thank you, Ashok!

I took your advice into account during practice today, Jean!

And the list of words is comprehensive to say the least, Krzysiek! Thank you so much for that!

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Kind Critique / Re: first attempt

« on: June 16, 2016, 05:16:37 PM »

There is so much to process here, and I'm really excited about that!

Your 'calligraphic tourette's' comment made me laugh. Calligraphers are nothing if not passionate! That's good to know, though, I'll look to Spencer for capitals. Loser's breakdown of the lowercase is so excellent. I'll be looking to those for guidance!

Onto the 'f'. I happily abandoned engrosser's script in order to leave behind 'strict'. I prefer the upstroke to touch the baseline, I like the shape it makes reaching for the next letter. It's very graceful. Not when I'm writing it, but, you know, in general.

I've wondered about the leather blotters people use and now I understand. I write on a pad of paper, but something softer would certainly help. I'll look into that this weekend.

I'll get back to guidelines as well. The one's I'd settled on are rather dark, and it makes it difficult to see if I'm doing things properly. But I can use them under good copy paper.

I can't say thank you enough for the time you've spent giving me excellent advice. Cheers!

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Kind Critique / Re: first attempt

« on: June 16, 2016, 11:01:21 AM »

Thank you so much for your observations, Andy! I should be using guidelines, which would help me get those structural elements down. Some of the shading here is unintentional  All of the descenders for instance! I can't seem to go light with the dip pen..yet! I'm not quite getting what you're saying about the 'f'? Can you clarify for me? Is it the the shade extends the entire length of the descending loop and should be a pressure and release?

So much excellent help, thank you!!

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Spencerian Script / Re: New to Spencerian and full of questions

« on: June 16, 2016, 09:49:58 AM »

Thanks so much for asking himasf! I just posted a few pics in Kind Critique. It's going pretty well. I was away from home for a week, but still managed to practice a little every day. Mostly I just looked at lovely spencerian on Instagram, though. Just tried words with a dip pen for the first time!

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Kind Critique / Re: first attempt

« on: June 16, 2016, 09:38:17 AM »

Here is today. I've been learning letter forms with pencil, and tried my dip pen for the first time yesterday! I'm pretty excited, and think I've lost most of my engrosser's habits? This is shaky, and there are consistency issues for sure. I've gone back to using my usual old pen grip, while trying to lighten it up considerably. I'm just learning about shading as of yesterday afternoon, and as a rule follower by nature, I am adjusting to the idea that in some cases it's up to me.
I'm sure there is so much I'm missing, as I've realized I'm not very good at critiquing objectively.

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Kind Critique / Re: first attempt

« on: May 26, 2016, 10:32:37 AM »

Thank you for the advice on drills. I can see that they would be most beneficial with capitals. I've just been working on lowercase letters in groups, and quite enjoying the process!

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Kind Critique / Re: first attempt

« on: May 18, 2016, 12:50:17 PM »

So much helpful advice!! Thank you all for that! InkyFingers, I've been doing both cross drills and circle/oval drills. I enjoy them quite a bit, knowing that they are helping my grip and control as well as being relaxing and meditative.

Amy, I do love my dip pen. Its a little hard to put it aside, but I have. I don't love how pencil feels. My mechanical pencil's lead is either sharp and catches, or dull. I have a number 2 triconderoga that is better, but still gets dull quickly.

I'm still working on my grip (photo attached). Andy, you've talked about this with me a little in the past. I want to use my comfortable old grip, but I'm pursuing it because of my habit of gripping the pen far too tightly, which gave me a massive and painful writers bump (also attached). That's nearly gone, thankfully!

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Kind Critique / Re: first attempt

« on: May 17, 2016, 03:06:29 PM »

Today I warmed up, then spent time on letterforms with pencil. I then spent time with the oblique holder, and it is feeling pretty good! I'm a rule follower, so while I love the writing, and the learning, I really have to work at not getting caught up in the quest for the 'right' way to learn and practice. Your words are very encouraging, Jean. Thank you! I'm not too worried about nibs right now. I know from the time I spent on engrossers that different nibs feel different at certain stages of learning. I'm sticking with my Nikko G's for now. I have a lot of them and I'm just learning to relax my grip and lighten up.

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Kind Critique / Re: first attempt

« on: May 17, 2016, 08:59:27 AM »

Hi Tiffany!
I've been looking at the Spencerian Medium Hand exemplar, from the New Spencerian Compendium.

When you say monoline, you mean writing without pressure? It's so hard to do after 3 months of learning engrossers, but I'm working on it! I'm also working on hand position and pen hold. I keep forming a pretty huge writers bump from gripping too tightly, so I'm unlearning that pen hold. I'm going to start using the spencerian theory book and workbooks as soon as they arrive!

A question...when you use your dip pen, do you use a straight holder, or an oblique? For engrossers I preferred a straight holder (I'm right handed), but I think that using an oblique holder helps me to have a more relaxed grip. I wonder about practicing in pencil, then using an oblique holder, and whether that will set me back? How long have you been learning?

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Kind Critique / Re: first attempt

« on: May 15, 2016, 01:59:19 PM »

The guide I used for my 'first attempt' is the guide sheet #2 from IAMPETH. I've just printed out some the 52 degree sheets. They're small! I kind of love that. I did my first sheet of cross drills this morning, and they were fun! I always enjoy keeping the first attempt at anything for later comparison.

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Kind Critique / Re: first attempt

« on: May 15, 2016, 08:40:10 AM »

Thank you, Jean..I have some cross drill sheets, and will look into how to use them! I'll be sure to post as I go. Thank you so much for your help! I appreciate it!!

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Kind Critique / Re: first attempt

« on: May 15, 2016, 08:38:39 AM »

Hello Andy!
Is this guide better?
Slant is such a challenge for me. My natural writing has no slant whatsoever. I also prefer a straight pen, as I will practice with pencil and hope to shift my everyday penmanship through this practice. I will be sure to position my paper accordingly.
Gentle curves and hairpin turns! Perfect. That is very helpful.
I love this old timey 'c'. I can see how it could look like an 'e', but I'm sticking with it for now. The 'q' I'm happy to adjust!

Thank you so much for your guidance and time! I'll post again as I go!