5 in 5 | Calligraphy
I've just arrived back home from my long awaited calligraphy course and I actually remembered to take some photos ... all at the start of the day and roughly within a five minute period so I am using them to join in with Sandie's monthly 5 in 5.
This is the pack provided for each person on the course ... there were nine of us, all very friendly and keen to learn. The pencil and ruler were left in the classroom but the calligraphy pen and the paper were ours to bring home.
We were all given a sheet detailing the lower case alphabet so we could see what the letters should look like. This particular script, created by the course tutor, is based on the traditional italic script. Later in the day we were also given a sheet detailing the capital letters, punctuation and numbers. These crib sheets were brought home as well.
Neil, the course tutor, demonstrated how to hold the pens and produce the thick and thin strokes required to create an italic script. He then explained and demonstrated how to produce every letter.
And then it was our turn to try. My only grumble is the shadows from the overhead spotlights made it difficult to see your guidelines at times but that's the only grumble. This photo shows the angle of the pen nib.
And this is my first try at the lower case letters. I was taught to write the traditional italic script as a child but a combination of years of adapting the letters to create my own style and the addition of the flourishes in this modern script proved to be more challenging than I was expecting. Good fun but it will need a lot of practice!
They regularly run calligraphy courses so I will go back again but not yet. I now need to practice! We all improved during the day and before we left Neil helped us to identify our individual problem areas. Mine is achieving an identical slant for each letter so that's where I need to focus my efforts to see the biggest improvement.
We were kept well supplied with drinks and biscuits throughout the day, which we could just help ourselves to as and when we wanted. This course was organised by PostScript, an amazing stationery shop in Frome, so we were also given the opportunity to try out other makes of calligraphy pens. As you'd expect, the pen makes all the difference and whilst the freebie from the course will be useful for some initial practice, I did much better with one of the others, a Lamy with a 1.9 nib. Neil let us try his pens and my absolute favourite was a Pilot Parallel which is the one I will buy if calligraphy as a hobby clicks. Now I have to get down to some serious practice!
That looks interesting.I bought my OH a calligraphy set for Xmas.He hasn't used it much yet.I might have to take it over.I bought it in WH Smith,£15.00,and the girl on the till said I had made a good choice .She was a calligrapher.Good luck.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I've been looking online at calligraphy pens and am pleased to see they aren't as expensive as I thought they'd be. I'm holding off buying anything for now as I want to be sure that I do this often enough to justify the expense.
DeleteI didn't know there were courses for calligraphy. If I had known when I wasn't so housebound I would have enrolled on one as it is something I would like to have done. Keep practising Eileen.
ReplyDeleteThere are plenty of calligraphy for beginners videos on YouTube so maybe it's possible for you to learn that way. I will have another go tomorrow, too tired to try tonight.
DeleteI think you did very well and will soon find your style. Having such an attractive hand is great.
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I've had another go this morning. The letters aren't formed in one go as you would with normal handwriting so I'm practicing the individual strokes which combine to form the letters. I'm sure consistency will come with a little practice 😂😂
DeleteMy husband used to do calligraphy, and getting the consistent slant is a common problem. You are right that practice will help, and quickly :) especially since it looks to me like your handwriting already has a calligraphic "look". You'll be ready to go back for another session soon. Lamy and Pilot are names I'm familiar with. This sounds like fun!
ReplyDeleteI think it will be worth investing in a better quality pen so I will look into that next week. I'll probably get a Pilot Parallel!
DeleteSounds like the workshop was fun and I'm glad you enjoyed it. My mother used to do what she called "Old English" printing. I have "chicken scratch" handwriting so don't think I'd be able to do any type of calligraphy!
ReplyDeleteHe was a very good tutor and everyone received individual attention from him, so that helped tremendously. I prepared some guideline sheets yesterday to make my practice easier ...I can now just grab the pen and start writing without having to draw all the lines first, so I hope to feel more inclined to practice.
DeleteMy sister's handwriting looks like a spider crawled across the page and died!
I'm impressed with you writing Eileen. I did calligraphy years ago and remember using it to write all my wedding invitations and place settings. I did say it was years ago! LOL It looks like it was a well organised course and it's always good to have a tutor you like or is good at their job. Enjoy the practice!
ReplyDeleteIt was an excellent course and I am enjoying the challenge of the practice.
DeleteI'm impressed you did all your own wedding invitations and place settings.
I forgot to thank you for taking part in 5in5 and sharing your photos Eileen. It's always lovely to have your company x
ReplyDeleteThanks Sandie x
DeleteThat looks like lots of fun - and that's a lovely font. You will be glad to master that with more practice -- well begun is half done.
ReplyDeleteIt looks very like my own everyday handwriting which is one of the problems as, to do it properly, I have to correct a style I have been using for years. Good fun though!
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