Roman Capitals – Serifs
Serifs are small strokes added to letters to ‘finish’ the letter. They can enhance the letters, but if produced badly will spoil the letter rather than ‘finishing it’. You need to be careful when...
View ArticleNumbers
Numbers follow the characteristics of the main script. So, they should be sloped and based on an oval shape when written with Italics and round in shape and upright when written with Roman Capitals....
View ArticleFoundational Hand – Proportions
After studying Roman Capitals, next on the list is the Foundational Hand, sometimes called Roman Minuscules. The Foundational Hand are the lower-case letters written beside Roman Capitals. As with the...
View ArticleFoundational Hand – Order and Direction
After studying the proportions of the Foundational Hand letters, the next step is to start writing the letters. Each letter is constructed rather than written. The letters are made up of a combination...
View ArticleCopperplate – Ruling Up
Unlike broad-edged calligraphy, the x-height is not measured in terms of nib widths. Typical x-heights are 4, 5 or 6mm. The ‘normal’ ratio of ascender – x-height – descender is 3:2:3. Therefore if you...
View ArticleCopperplate Minuscules – The Basic Strokes
Letter Proportion The proportions of the minuscule letters and the angle of slope are the two essential visual components of Copperplate minuscule. Copperplate has a standard relationship between the...
View ArticleCopperplate Minuscules – Basic Stroke Tips
When writing Copperplate, there is a lot to think about! Copperplate requires the additional skill of applying and releasing pressure on the nib whilst producing the correct shapes and proportions....
View ArticleCopperplate Minuscule Letters (part 1)
The majority of Copperplate minuscules are constructed from a combination of one or more basic strokes. After studying and practising the eight basic strokes, we are ready to start learning the...
View ArticleCopperplate Minuscule Letters (part 2)
Before continuing with the Copperplate Minuscules you need to know how to produce a filled-in dot. This filled-in dot or loop shape appears in several letters. The nib is moved in an anti-clockwise...
View ArticleCopperplate Minuscule Letters (part 3)
So far, all the Copperplate minuscules we have studied were based on a combination of the 8 basic strokes although in most cases these strokes had to be modified. There are only seven letters left to...
View ArticleHow to Rule-Up
Does anybody like ruling-up? Not many people do, but these tips will help make light work of this important activity. Accuracy is most important Time taken to accurately rule up will save a great deal...
View ArticleAre you sitting comfortably?
Professional calligrapher Janet Smith shares some of her favourite tips from sitting comfortably to having a break from your calligraphy! If you’re of a certain age, you may recognise that phrase, from...
View ArticleI still see spacing flaws in a “finished piece”
Even after many years of practice, I still look at a “finished” piece and see flaws particularly in spacing between letters. Do you have any tips for correcting this? There are two issues here. The...
View ArticlePractising
Learning calligraphy is a bit like learning to play an instrument. You will only achieve results through practice. What is the best way to practice? Well, everybody has their preferred method. It’s a...
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