Calligra-whatsit?

[ladynox25]

So I go back to HS this weekend for the first time since New Year's. And there was a couple of boxes in my bedroom. In said boxes were a number of wrapped gifts. From belle_canto, no less. Some of which were for my parents, and some of which were for me. Including a set of quills, tips, and ink, all begging to be put to use. Except I've never really done calligraphy. So.....

First off, thank you belle_canto!! *hugshugshugs*

Second, how do I do calligraphy? mauzybroadway? silmaril? Help? *grin*

Comments

[silmaril.livejournal.com]

Um. Believe it or not, I'm not really the person to ask how to learn calligraphy, because I learned what little I know by the extremely person-specific method of "jump in blindly, try everything, and do umpteen million sketches to get something right." Which means that whenever I have a new project in mind, I end up relearning a lot of stuff.

If your set is something like the Parker gift calligraphy set, it might include a calligraphy workbook. I have one, but I haven't opened it. Still, it's likely a good source.

There are also basics of calligraphy books. I've recently found a good one in my public library. Something that worked for me was to pick alphabets from that book, just the ones I liked the look of, and try to follow the strokes as closely as possible.

I bought an el cheapo college ruled notebook (whose paper isn't anywhere near ideal for holding calligraphy ink, but I didn't care for exercise) and wrote the same quote over and over with different alphabets. That way I got to get a steadier hand, and also learned about how my different pen tips handle ink flow, and about what common features characterize a single "hand" (the handwriting equivalent of font) and something about what makes letters beautiful.

Before I got that book, I would try my hand at designing alphabets myself. I had "developed" a few that have a sorta unified look. But again, instead of writing out alphabets per se, I was just writing quotes.

So I guess the one word answer is "write." Get a sketchbook, don't worry about lining a good-quality drawing paper or whatever to start with, and copy down stuff you like. It's very peaceful. Later, focusing on a single project accelerates your learning.

[texas-tiger.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[culfinriel.livejournal.com]

If there's a good arts college nearby you might be able to take a class but I learned the same way silmaril did. I read a lot of good books and just started doing stuff. I even like the way some of it turned out! ;)

[culfinriel.livejournal.com]

oh, i just thought of this - any local SCA around you? there'd be scribes to ask about this...

[texas-tiger.livejournal.com]

Not sure, but thank you for the suggestion!

[belle-canto.livejournal.com]

Most welcome! Working at the Folger has it's advantages.

[mauzybroadway.livejournal.com]

No, I did not see this.

The Quills: I'm assuming that they came with slits cut into the writing ends of them, maybe also with a slight chisel edge. If this is the case, then you're good to go; you won't need to heat them up in a bucket of hot sand to filter and clean them...you won't need to use a knife to cut your own slits and reservoirs. Just dip into the ink, tap out the excess at the inside of the bottle and commence writing. DO NOT USE A LOT OF PRESSURE. Let the quill skim over the surface of the paper without digging in or scratching it. You don't want the quill to surrender its whole load of ink into a blotch onto your paper.

The Tips: Is this something like a Shaeffer or Speedball set of pens? Shaeffer is a brand of pens that uses little cartridges, usually pre-filled with coloured ink. Speedball is a brand that includes a plastic writing holder into which you insert different metal tips, a.k.a., nibs. The nibs are labeled things like B-1....C-5...and so on. I think the 'A' ones cause very square, blocky looking letters; the 'B' ones result in evenly round letters; and the 'C' ones are the normal, chisel-edge nibs that you'll probably enjoy using the most and would use more for calligraphy rather than sign painting or showcard/poster stuff. If what you've received doesn't sound like what I've described, then I'll need to go to the next level of discussion and introduce you to the concept of separate-reservoir nibs (like the British Mitchell nibs or Esterbrooks or the German Brause nibs).

Ink: Chances are this is one of four brands of ink. The first three are types of shellac inks that come in glass bottles (some with eye-dropper caps): Higgins, Pelikan, or Winsor-Newton. If you end up using your quills or any kind of metal nib (let's say Speedball), keep in mind that shellac inks can clog and rust out the metal nibs if they are not cleaned thoroughly after each use. Keep an old, soft toothbrush on hand...really gets into the nooks and crannies. Use slightly tepid to cool running water when you clean, and dry off with a soft towel or cloth. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PENS OR QUILLS SITTING IN EITHER THE INK OR WATER FOR ANY LONG PERIOD OF TIME! You do not want warping to occur. And under no circumstances should you ever use these shellac inks in any cartridge or fountain pen. These inks are thicker and will most certainly clog and ruin these pens.

The fourth kind of ink is Sumi Ink. There are two types: The black plastic bottle is an India ink that is thinner and permanent (use more with metal nibs and not your quills). The green plastic bottle is a shellac-based (carbon) ink; this can be used with both quills and metal nibs with proper care. When dry, this ink leaves a slight sheen to the lettering, whereas the india ink dries to a matte finish.

Fountain-pen bottle inks and cartridges are usually safe bets. They are sometimes water-based (not shellac), come in many prettier colors, are thinner, and are more watercolor-like and translucent in nature.

Now, as for learning styles and hands of lettering, the best beginner's book is the Speedball Textbook (I believe it's up to the 23rd edition now). This is a small, portable paperback book that covers the basic italic to old english styles to uncial and brush lettering. It's very comprehensive about writing implements and inks, as well. It's ISBN is: 0-9631532-0-X. This book can be commonly in any Michael's, Total Crafts, Ben Franklin, or whatever craft store you have in Texas. I strongly urge you to get this book. And practice until what you are producing looks similar to the examples. Oh, you're lefthanded aren't you? Not to worry, this book has an extensive section on this as well. BTW: Speedball and Mitchell nibs specifically are manufactured as left-handed nibs as well. These are usually found in higher-end artstores like Utrecht, Pearl Art and Craft, and Plaza Art. They can be ordered on-line from Paper and Ink Arts (http://www.paperinkarts.com/).

[mauzybroadway.livejournal.com]

Failing all of this, Jenny, won't you please join a guild? There's a lovely one in Dallas. Hell, they're even sponsoring and holding the International Conference of Calligraphy and Lettering Arts this summer. My own guild here in D.C. is hosting this same conference in 2006.

Hope this helps; let me know if you have further questions. Send Email to: tms@gracestone.com.

[mauzybroadway.livejournal.com]

Btw: Check out calligraphy books from the library and xerox the examples. Then, don't be above to trace over the letterforms. This is probably the fastest method of picking up a hand more correctly without having to take instruction. This is how I picked up Blackletter and Copperplate.

If you need books, I'll be glad to send whatever duplicates I have to you, just say the word (that would be 'please').

[texas-tiger.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow, *thank* you....this was just the info I needed!