Author Topic: Drills, what of it?  (Read 7228 times)

Offline InkyFingers

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Drills, what of it?
« on: July 28, 2017, 06:34:37 PM »

Offline Rednaxela

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Re: Drills, what of it?
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2017, 02:10:11 AM »
The ones that can only be done by moving your entire hand.
-- Alexander --

Offline AnasaziWrites

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Re: Drills, what of it?
« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2017, 10:22:21 AM »
@InkyFingers
There is a story that in times long past, a Chinese emperor called together all the artists of his realm to a competition, the winner of which would become the court artist and enjoy the support of the emperor. They came from far and wide, demonstrating great skill in all the arts for the emperor to see. One came, though, with only a single large sheet of paper. Upon this sheet he drew a single, perfect circle. This artist won the competition and became the court artist.

Spencerian is based on ovals at a particular slant. They are the sine qua non of Spencerian. Perfect these, and you are on your way to mastering Spencerian.

Offline AndyT

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Re: Drills, what of it?
« Reply #3 on: July 29, 2017, 10:33:33 AM »
That's a new variant on Giotto's "O", Mike.

To my mind the push-pull takes precedence over the oval, because the movement is fundamental to the lower case.  At least 95% of the jobbing penperson's time is taken up with churning out the minuscules (all right, maybe not if you're an envelope addresser), rather than making flashy capitals.

Offline Rednaxela

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Re: Drills, what of it?
« Reply #4 on: July 29, 2017, 11:09:34 AM »
Here's a superb drill for incorporating the push pull into your actual writing. Especially the topmost lines.

https://instagram.com/p/BWpqR0Rl3AZ/

You can use it for any letter that has one or more downstrokes. I find myself returning to this a lot.
-- Alexander --

Offline AnasaziWrites

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Re: Drills, what of it?
« Reply #5 on: July 29, 2017, 05:11:11 PM »
That's a new variant on Giotto's "O", Mike.
Very interesting. I had never heard that story (had to Google it to see to what you were referring).
Quote
To my mind the push-pull takes precedence over the oval, because the movement is fundamental to the lower case.  At least 95% of the jobbing penperson's time is taken up with churning out the minuscules (all right, maybe not if you're an envelope addresser), rather than making flashy capitals.
Well, I can't argue with that logic.

Offline Katie Leavens

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Re: Drills, what of it?
« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2017, 09:33:39 PM »
I've really found these few from the New Spencerian Compendium have really helped me get the right shape to my under-turns and overturns. I think partly because they are less intimidating than cross-drills.

Offline Rednaxela

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Re: Drills, what of it?
« Reply #7 on: August 02, 2017, 01:14:52 PM »
If you get the chance, check out the live practice sessions of this man on Instagram. He has attended the IAMPETH 2017 BP workshop by the amazing Marcus Carlini, and it definitely shows!

http://instagram.com/perfectbiscuits
-- Alexander --

Offline InkyFingers

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Re: Drills, what of it?
« Reply #8 on: August 02, 2017, 02:54:08 PM »
@Katie Leavens.  I find this exercise you showed helped me to connect the basic strokes.  Thanks.

@AnasaziWrites. Still practicing ovals.  Currently, my ovals looks like an egg shape, sometimes a broken egg...kinda like after Humpty Dumpty had a fall...

Offline InkyFingers

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Re: Drills, what of it?
« Reply #9 on: August 21, 2017, 06:10:17 PM »

Offline InkyFingers

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Re: Drills, what of it?
« Reply #10 on: August 28, 2017, 10:45:25 AM »
So here it is after the initial post...

@AnasaziWrites

Ovals really helped me to like Spencerian again.  It hits the spot to refinement.  What's more the whole-arm theory really worked as stated in FBCourtney's Dashy Writing.

@Rednaxela

Next stop, push and pulls & glides for the complete whole-arm movements.  I think this is key to getting it right, as my penmanship is to be fluent.

And after that....shading ... (I think this comes naturally if the above basics is natural to the hand.)


Offline Rednaxela

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Re: Drills, what of it?
« Reply #11 on: August 28, 2017, 10:48:17 AM »
Excellent Inky, really impressive progress!
-- Alexander --

Offline AnasaziWrites

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Re: Drills, what of it?
« Reply #12 on: August 28, 2017, 04:45:06 PM »
@InkyFingers
Agree with Alexander, very good progress.

Offline InkyFingers

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Re: Drills, what of it?
« Reply #13 on: August 30, 2017, 12:06:21 AM »
Thank you @AnasaziWrites  and @Rednaxela .

These push pulls are challenging at times.  A good rhythm solves it.  Anyone taken a different turn on the w and u?

I often caught myself writing the u with starting principal 3 and the w with an English Round variation.
Keepers or chuck it and stick with the Spencers'.

Thanks... I put off shading for too long... and with all the nibs unused... kinda shameful letting it just staring at me.


Offline InkyFingers

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Re: Drills, what of it?
« Reply #14 on: September 07, 2017, 02:42:51 AM »