Wednesday, July 31, 2013
179 Italic swash alternates
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
178 Stiffen
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This alphabet, like others this week, comes from my book, Calligraphy Alphabets Made Easy. |
It lends itself, among many tasks, to ambigrams [see July 12, #163] since so many of its letters turn into another letter if rotated 180°: b into q, d into p, n into u, r into j, m into w.
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Preview of tomorrow's alphabet. |
Monday, July 29, 2013
177 Swing
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Note a uniform slant of about 5°, and the way some strokes extend a little above or below the guidelines. Many verticals are slightly bowed. |
Swing is adapted from a typeface called TimeScript. It may seem impulsive and casual, but in fact it relies on strong family resemblances and precise construction of serifs and joins.
I will add Swing Caps shortly.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Five serif techniques
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This illustration comes from Learn Calligraphy |
As it says above, "calligraphy written with a pen usually has a serif." But what kind of serif? Here are five basic categories to choose from, each one illustrated in the text.
Note small differences; they are what the eye sees even when the brain doesn't notice. And try these serifs on other letters such as Bookhand. Just stick with the same serifs throughout a page.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Friday, July 26, 2013
Thursday, July 25, 2013
174 Mended
A cousin of Shattered (last week July 13), Mended is built on a zig zag line with only half a pen width of offset rather than one pen width. It's still a challenging style to control; take a good hard look at that diagram and work with plain Gothic letter underneath to trace if you need it to keep your letters together.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
173 Rustica
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From the Roman chapter of Learn Calligraphy. |
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
172 BirthdayZ
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This comes from my book, Capitals for Calligraphy, now out of print but easily available second-hand. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGj8lQd-BUV6MH0KykrSkf_ehizbSKfdm-XVEWHMb3cDd1_8kw_LeFY9yAqBRKw5cRxORNDLnWXuCtd0wMcOHh1ioW82NtCFd_9g2ATYyfRYmu8Z3OOjvuIwL35jLdmlyHuhVglkOih4X-/s200/Birthday+B.jpg)
...plus a B for anyone's Birthday.
Monday, July 22, 2013
171 Parasol
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPWdf0z3kkGva7-sl8oILqGQTbpWw5ANjaU6H-G1NZB0F1OVG8ZTsICn6MbLu-YGrN0BXA54kxtIXk912zYDBKEe02VcEhjSAk2Hsvafz1Jysg452IYneJHQsdwH_EtjYfmDS1BtOHRrP/s640/Parasol.jpg)
Parasol is a simple two-step alphabet lettered first with gray ink and then with black. Use a thick, monoline pen nib and remember to leave enough space between letters for those second lines to fit.
NB: let the gray ink dry completely before you add the black ink.
These letters differ from the series of shaded letters (Bright Idea Overhead April 26; Equinox March 21). Parasol is not a solid that casts a shadow on its imaginary side, but a flat letter that casts a shadow on the "ground" a little below the plane of writing. Just like an umbrella overhead at the beach or pool.
These letters differ from the series of shaded letters (Bright Idea Overhead April 26; Equinox March 21). Parasol is not a solid that casts a shadow on its imaginary side, but a flat letter that casts a shadow on the "ground" a little below the plane of writing. Just like an umbrella overhead at the beach or pool.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Your birthday
I have a birthday coming up soon. Like many summer kids, I never got to bring cupcakes to class for my friends. Now I can share this calligraphy cupcake instead.
This design arranges a short poem by E. E. Cummings to form a little birthday cupcake with candles and frosting.
Note that the poet did not spell his name without capitals. He was just very picky about what he chose to capitalize, which gave him an undeserved reputation for using all lower-case letters. His typography was deliberate, too; for instance, he often did not leave spaces after commas, parentheses, or periods.
I tried shaping the curve of the frosting freehand, but finally used an ellipse template. The sharp corners of Gothic seemed like the best letters for the green pleated cupcake paper. My resident physicist points out that the candle flames should actually point straight up...
This design arranges a short poem by E. E. Cummings to form a little birthday cupcake with candles and frosting.
Note that the poet did not spell his name without capitals. He was just very picky about what he chose to capitalize, which gave him an undeserved reputation for using all lower-case letters. His typography was deliberate, too; for instance, he often did not leave spaces after commas, parentheses, or periods.
I tried shaping the curve of the frosting freehand, but finally used an ellipse template. The sharp corners of Gothic seemed like the best letters for the green pleated cupcake paper. My resident physicist points out that the candle flames should actually point straight up...
Saturday, July 20, 2013
170 Swash Italic capitals with options
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These are from Learn Calligraphy, my basic survey of calligraphy technique, history, and design. |
These Swash Italic capitals offer you yet another set of choices to add drama to your text letters. Choose the swash configuration you like, and use them sparingly, just one or two stars in a supporting cast of plain letters.
Friday, July 19, 2013
169 Heavy serif Bookhand
If you can keep this one clean and uncluttered, you'll rule Bookhand.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
168 Italic Speedball D x 4
As you may have noticed, I'm a fan of the Speedball D nib, which is midway between no line contrast [monoline] and maximum line contrast [broad-edged pen].
In addition, I can feel sympathy for readers who may feel I've been giving them too many new alphabets recently, so here to relax with is Italic Speedball D x 4. This simply means a review of Italic, at a height of 4 pen widths, with medium-low line contrast.
In addition, I can feel sympathy for readers who may feel I've been giving them too many new alphabets recently, so here to relax with is Italic Speedball D x 4. This simply means a review of Italic, at a height of 4 pen widths, with medium-low line contrast.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
167 Miscellaneous Grab Bag
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHnG5ED7MS_pS9_eqg9ejxsgyffOOJ5b3Ih6sAsjUG9FhtKhC7yn9sAe4DwW_5CEFyy2DytheDfHmw3deR-qSEJOUDUstbdRfzJkYHYGERZg6RKRsaF8aKU_tyRdqPJY54vhWcdFiH42h/s640/Misc+Grab+Bag+.jpg)
Here from my files is a quicker brown fox, a better version of the wingding alphabet from July 15. The figures are clearer, their meanings are annotated, and I think the thick and thin line makes them more fun to decode. The original title from Calligraphy Alphabets Made Easy, Miscellaneous Grab Bag, is written in these wingdings.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
166 Gothic Edge
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Your eye seems to see the invisible edge. As R Crumb says, "It's just ink on paper, folks." |
Monday, July 15, 2013
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Labels
I have great ambitions to be organized, and once in a while I actually find time to do a project that moves me closer to my goal. Alphabetized spice jars ! That's the nirvana of kitchen cleanliness for me. Here are some labels--you can print them out on sticky paper, or modify them to make your own.
These illustrations come from Calligraphy Projects for Pleasure and Profit, now out of print. Note that the ornaments and borders are pen-sketches of the plants that the spices and herbs come from.
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Add caption |
My loved ones remind me to remind you to replace your spices and herbs once a year. It's easy to overlook.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Friday, July 12, 2013
163 Italic ambigram
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtqbLQM7awvt4EkoUngyBUjCz8s04Ha59A-UclIjIuHjTBbdkFO9JmymJgbSGyRy1sL6PCoAQJX7e_d58-7dWtLap8SuBUJn3HricOLo_4LTpVM4NvcGDskocnUgsG7A9BJOTcLETo-XZ/s640/Ambigram+Italic+5+pw.jpg)
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This comes from Calligraphy Alphabets Made Easy. That's why it tells you to "turn the book around..." |
There are four levels of transformation by rotation, from no-brainers to real challenges.
- Some letters virtually don't change: o, z, s, x. You could cross t in the middle, omit the dot over i.
- Many of the letters are simply transformed into other letters when rotated; d to p; b to q; n to u.
- Some are somewhat the same: h and y; f and j; m and w.
- A few stubborn characters just won't change into anyone but themselves, and you have to hope that the context will make them readable; v, k, c. These are indicated as outlined letters above.
Ambigrams were pioneered as "inversions" by Scott Kim.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
162 Angular Italic
While you may find Angular Italic too stark for eye appeal and too sharp-cornered for easy reading, it is a good review of Italic structure. A common mistake that beginners make is letting the "a" and "b" letters look too much like each other. They have to be clearly one or the other. Exaggerating their angularity will help you check the letters' architecture.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__5Fw2q4RJ8O5mA5qrkdapFgYcx9dHHO8UCe7anziiU2zwlNng7nfVzU6SEkoPiO5SENmD2aVXNA1Xm3SGqHaPNtyZ55eU_1SVr7HNBvjZUGCs_hyT8tpxjHAuXfAJHLbtLlC53JwNG_j/s200/a+b+Italic+from+lc.jpg)
The illustration at right is Step 13 out of 23 in the Italic chapter of my book Learn Calligraphy. Following its guided exercises will help you master Italic, or any of the seven other basic styles covered in its pages.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
160 Heraldry basic
Now that we've celebrated Independence Day in America, we can get back to the country's British roots. Today's Heraldry alphabet evokes the hereditary titles that no longer exist in the US, with letters in the shape of shields and an occasional banner for a swash. We will develop these into real emblems later in the year. Meanwhile, enjoy turning your family name into an aristocratic title.
Monday, July 8, 2013
159 Backhand [Italic]
The forward slant of almost any letters that aren't squarely upright is so familiar that we almost need to slant them backwards to add real emphasis. This alphabet, Backhand, only tilts about about -4° but it makes a big difference.
Somehow, these letters turned out very slender. I'll try them in the future, with wider proportions.
Somehow, these letters turned out very slender. I'll try them in the future, with wider proportions.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Seven American Kinds of Independence
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Varieties of American calligraphy: Documenta, Wild West, Declaration, Deco, Vernacular, Machine-readable, Graffiti. From Calligraphy ALphabets Made Easy. |
It's just too hot to do a calligraphy project today. So here's our favorite word, Independence, written in seven distinctive American letter styles, as a final toast to the recent holiday. We really do write differently here, with styles that now appear around the world.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Friday, July 5, 2013
Thursday, July 4, 2013
156 The people yes
This is not exactly a new daily alphabet, but an explosion of Friendly Roman and Basic Italic to honor America's Independence Day. Each string of letters radiates from the center, just like the sparkles from a fireworks rocket, changing color as they cool down and start to drift away. Note the smaller bang of exclamation points at left and just to right of center, and the dim outlines of "The people, yes" who sit together in the foreground to watch.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
155 Stars and Stripes
This alphabet, one day in advance of American Independence Day, is based on basic Roman with half a dozen of the letters dressed up in the Stars and Stripes of the national flag. You can probably come up with some more ways to add red stripes, gold stars, or blue strokes in general, if the words you want to letter don't add enough decoration to your design.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC2Fp_iI9MfubPumJk9JB_11TSfCmyAuEFP0u459eg_BUYLmbblKLpawL74mpvcTwLGVSPfeoDyeY458mRm9bU1Q7LnUcXrPZhHm4o6ClzaL2GRfihg0Zb2hotZr4TCsJ_ZiX5yBquL5d6/s180/Stars+and+stripes+pun.jpg)
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Preview of tomorrow's alphabet. |
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
154 Rough Draft
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It is even possible to imitate thick and thin strokes by flattening the end of your pen. But it's not necessary. A draft is a map, not a portrait. |
Rough Draft lets you approximate the space that a proposed piece of calligraphy will occupy, and experiment with the line breaks. Keep it loose and sketchy, so you haven't invested too much in each stage of the design's progress.
Monday, July 1, 2013
153 Stencil
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I made this alphabet for a project. (That's why some of the letters look "used.") Now I'm trying to remember what the word was. I'll send a calligraphy reward to the reader who can figure it out. |
They have a physical reality about them that forces you to separate them into strokes, so that the internal spaces stay connected to the external spaces. Don't isolate any pieces!
You can fill in the letters using spray paint, airbrush, a stiff brush, or, for these letters, a device from Crayola that transforms a marker into an airbrush.
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