@K-2 Yes, I think I’d seen somewhere that your expertise lies more with Medieval or Renaissance periods … or rather I’ve come to the conclusion that your are the consummate “Renaissance Man” from having read so many of your informative posts! In any case, thank you for the interesting essay. I’d not considered the “ideological impetus” perhaps lying behind a particular script.
Oh, and I think I got some plows for a nib!
@Erica McPhee I, too, am enjoying this, and any other civil and chatty exchanges of ideas, many on this very forum! And I’ve never met a letter of credit I didn’t like – especially when endorsed to yours truly as bearer.
@Jean Wilson @AnasaziWrites Well this is interesting! I’d encountered the “Ladies Hand …” before but hadn’t pored over them very closely. This also goes to my (perhaps infelicitous) comment about whether one style or other has a particular sense of gender. To me, what I called the “rounded” less angular style capitals had seemed more feminine. But with these new examples, I can see that it’s not just the form or letter shapes, but compression, proportions, fineness of lines, etc. that speaks about the writer.
So much for the “angular” vs “rounded” style question. As for my other questions, now having looked at more examples, I think it was off base to think that one letter form over the other could communicate any particular clues to the personality or person writing them. There are just too many variations and alternatives and flexibility to even one of the forms to draw any conclusions based upon that.
Even so, I did promise to answer my own survey later:
++ For those who write Spencerian, which general style have you adopted? Why?I’ve only recently learned the majuscules, and I began with the Mott Media materials for this, which was primarily the “angular style,” with some interesting changes in one of the copy books. I have to start somewhere, and might take up the other later after making more progress.
++Does one or the other seem more Spencery to you?I have no idea what this means!
++ Which style do you prefer aesthetically? Love or hate anything about either? Why?Honestly, I prefer the “angular style.” I became acquainted much later with the “rounded style” mainly through Michael Sull’s book. It’s possible I was prejudiced because of the timing of seeing them. But then, in terms of artistic, decorating and fashion designs, I’ve always enjoyed geometrics, so maybe that’s it.
++ Does one or the other communicate any particular personality characteristics to you? What is the first thing that comes to your mind – gut reaction? Answered above … it’s more about the specific writer’s style, proportions, shading choices, fineness of lines, compression, purpose (business? Ornamental?) etc. Can’t pin it down to the capitals alone.
++ What other characteristics come to mind if you more logically consider the writing?
On a quick glance, the angular style seems more rigid, controlled, serious … That tends to describe me at times which may also explain why I prefer it.