Learning italic - progress

[flaviocu]

I'm impressed. Italic strikes me as very demanding.

I found it less demanding than copperplate:

• No need for akward hand position/paper rotation
• The letterforms are already familiar

And, after two weeks it really started to make fun, seeing the progress, working concentrated. If I can learn it, everyone should be able to

Kudos for the steady work and updates. You've been an inspiration as I wait for my book Write Now and my dip pen to be delivered!

Great, I'm looking forward to see your progress! Write now is a great book, especially as it keeps the regular handwriting in focus. I have sadly misplaced my copy on one of the last moves.... I'm also interested in your expiriences with dip-pens, I work only with fountain pens now, but I'm thinking about getting a dip pen as well, sharp italic seems to look better than the "stubs" one finds in fps (or getting a cursive/classic italic fountain pen).

[VertOlive]

I just received my book Write Now and dug in. Not too impressed with the cluttered layout, but the information is in there. Grabbed my trusty Pilot Plumix and some copier paper, laid it over the lines and letters and went at it.

It is really amazing how simply regulating the height of the letters' parts produces a much more legible hand right at the outset.

I can definitely see some of the differences between The Palmer Method I was taught in school and Italic--I wrote someone a letter right afterwards and noticed a few interesting [not to say artistic] changes to my handwriting already.

Fun!

[tandaina]

OK. That sells it. I'm buying that book. I've done a lot of self modifying of my horrid Palmer handwriting, but I think I need this italic book. Especially given my preference for italic nibs.

[shudaizi]

OK. That sells it. I'm buying that book. I've done a lot of self modifying of my horrid Palmer handwriting, but I think I need this italic book. Especially given my preference for italic nibs.

It was well worth it for me. Two months and it completely reworked my handwriting -- and I only did the first half (non-edged pens). Started out doing daily practice and then moved to every other day. Might get to the edged pen section but that will have to wait until summer. I also found the triangle drills in The Cursive Italic News ( http://66.147.242.192/~operinan/8/2/203.html ) to be useful for training the non-circular, elliptical motion that is the basis of so many italic letter forms. The two took my illegible scrawl (even I couldn't read it often!) to readable even for other people.

[flaviocu]

It's really amazing what progress one can make when staying at it regularly. Here's my latest calligraphy effort:

20140110_lesson41_opportunity.png

I'm still fighting with the letter slant and spacing especially in the beginning. Looking forward to see your examples as well

[AndyT]

That's very impressive indeed.

[shudaizi]

Looking great flaviocu!

[mboschm]

Very nice.

[caliken]

Great progress, flaviocu.

You may be interested in this different approach to Italic Handwriting. The main difference between this and Fred Eagar's Italic is in the greater spacing between letters.

[cwent2]

You wouldn't happen to have a complete letter guide on this that you could share?

[flaviocu]

Caliken, thank you very much. I already have two books by Tom Gourdie (Calligraphy for the beginner and Basic Calligraphic hands), but unfortunately his main book about handwriting seems to be out of print.

[caliken]

went2 & flaviocu

I just wrote out this small example as a little tribute to Tom Gourdie. I don't have the full alphabet written out for posting.

The two Italic handwriting books are "Italic Handwriting" and "Handwriting for Today". Both are out of print but can be obtained through eBay from time to time.

Ken

[caliken]

Attachment 8097
Here is an uncommon nib that is fun to use if you can find one. It's called a shadow nib. Sheaffer and Osmroid have made them for their pens in the past and I have seen a few old Esterbrook dip pens like this.

This five-points nib is normally used for lining up sheets of music manuscript paper, but it's also good for fun writing.

[VertOlive]

It's really amazing what progress one can make when staying at it regularly. Here's my latest calligraphy effort:

20140110_lesson41_opportunity.png

I'm still fighting with the letter slant and spacing especially in the beginning. Looking forward to see your examples as well

Flaviocu, this is very impressive progress! And what an interesting quote as well.

[flaviocu]

Flaviocu, this is very impressive progress! And what an interesting quote as well.

Thank you. However I didn't select the quote, it's like this in Fred Eagers book. How are you progressing with italic?

[VertOlive]

Given the fact of full time employment, one weekly class, 4 dogs, and a 7 yr old, I can't call my progress anything but snail's pace. But enjoying it greatly!

What pen did you use for this last page?

[flaviocu]

just keep at it. I used a Noodler Konrad with a Goulet #6 1.1mm Stub Italic and Pelikan brilliant black on elco dom prestige paper.

[everybodylovesbacon]

flaviocu, your progress has inspired me. Yesterday, I purchased a used copy of Italic Way to Beautiful Handwriting, Cursive and Calligraphic. I aspire to your writing one day. Please keep the pictures coming. You're doing great!

[coffeesnake]

Some time ago I happened to find an italic calligraphy course on iTunes U: Calligraphy Heritage of Reed College
(works on Windows too – requires iTunes however).

[caliken]

Flaviocu -

I admire your approach to learning. You are demonstrating an admirable awareness of areas to work on ( e.g. slope and spacing) and you are working through the book you have decided to study, at the perfect pace IMO. Too often frustration sets in, as realization of the necessary slow pace of learning becomes obvious, and the writer tries to move ahead, too quickly.

Your Italic handwriting is already very good indeed.

Here's my 'take' on a very personal approach to Italic Handwriting, which may be of interest.

Ken



By contrast, here's a piece of conventional Cursive Italic which I wrote out, a while ago.