Category: Calligraphy

I taught myself calligraphy over the years. When I remember to take a picture, I share it here.

More Ovals

I spent a lot of time today on getting the ovals to resemble ovals – without resting the elbows on the desk. Years of habit obviously kick in immediately unless I’m conscious about the attempt to this does feel like hard work.

Weekend Calligraphy Recap

I spent some time today trying out a different pen to do the drills, and to get better at the shaded ovals. I feel a little more confident in the free-form ovals and shades, and know I still have a long way to go to get reasonably consistent.

A Beginner’s Mindset

I didn’t think there was any value in repetition. I remember as a 5 or 6 year old wondering what the point of it was, particularly when some adult insisted on doing some over and over again, like memorising and reciting poetry, or copy-writing.

I’d never considered how much I loathed repetition for certain things, and how ‘in the flow’ I felt when doing other things repetitively.  My conscious observation of what I found myself doing repeatedly may have been when I took up calligraphy again about 5 years ago, and the first task I did this time round was the oval drills. I found pdf versions of historical books on beautiful handwriting on the wonderful iampeth  site, & most of them insisted on the importance of the repetitive exercises.

Whether it has been learning to fingerpick the guitar or learn a new task, deliberate practice and repetition is the only thing that gives me the confidence that I can do it fluently. It isn’t easy, and it often isn’t fun while I struggle with it.

I’m a beginner yet again, this time learning Ornamental Penmanship, aka Spencerian. The beginner mindset is what I have to keep remembering to be in, not to judge my current foundational letterforms, to keep repeatedly doing them until the picture in my mind’s eye and the physical form that I am able to write resemble each other closely. And in the meanwhile, publish whatever I can produce here to keep myself on track.

Here’s some of today’s effort, ovals and a few shades.

 

Spencerian B

I wrote these and didn’t get round to post them here last night. So here goes.

Breaking up things into smaller things helps with alphabets that require subtle changes in pressure. The smaller-case letters were easier, the capitals, not quite as correct as I wanted.