You may ask why I'm so adamant about this classical training?
Times Roman and other classical fonts have their origins in Carolingian, Foundational Hand or Bookhand as it is also called.
This is a good moment to chat about other historical scripts.
Mostly, they are frozen in a time warp, so Gothic may be used for a Bierfest or
Ye Olde Inn or anything with badde spellinye. Of course it also has fabulous
potential if you think of its design qualities of Rudolf Koch's
blackletter. Uncials is cute and fat and
too spaced out to be very useful – name tags would be loooong! But then it is
breathtaking in its Book of Kells context and I really love Greek Uncials. (And I'm using the understanding of it a lot in my graphite cartouches)
But Uncials and Gothic are excellent starting points
and can be revisited and refined. Other styles can also be useful and fun. But,
for the moment, get one classical style "under the belt".
Capitals
and minuscules:
Weekly, 3-4 hours for 6 months – 1 year
My Ideal Foundational
Course – Minuscules
Tutor to supply an excellent exemplar or Pen Lettering by Ann Camp
i) family groups
ii) n-necklace –
anbncndnen etc. Short alphabetical word-list: ant, bat, cat etc.
iii) long-word alphabetical list: anthurium, buttercup,
calendular, dandelion etc.
iv) moving down nib sizes
v) begin using gouache or good quality stick ink and good quality paper (variety)
v) begin using gouache or good quality stick ink and good quality paper (variety)
vi) layout of a block of prose
vii) as a historical base students would analyse the Ramsey Psalter, Harley M/S 2904.*
viii) to get rhythm: Scriptorium or Continuous writing – lay
out a pamphlet book of 3 folios of A3 to make an A4 pamphlet with classical
margins. Write form left to right filling wach line and breaking words at the
end of the line even if its not logical.
ix) for inspiration: Edward Johnston*
viii) for artwork an introduction to fine detail painting –
perhaps an illuminated capitals copied from a manuscript, including flat
transfer gold on gum ammoniac. (This would need a generous time allowance)
x) various small projects, including some backgrounds
* Knight, Stan Historical Scripts, Oak Knoll Press 1998
My Ideal
Foundational Course - Capitals
* Knight, Stan Historical Scripts, Oak Knoll Press 1998
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| Copying a miniature from the Ashmole Bestiary (a postcard of it) Everyone's art experience is at a different level, but there is so much to choose from. Anyway, it was traced to start with! |
i) refresher course on monoline Trajan capitals
ii) refresher course on spacing
iii) edged pen alphabet in width groups.
iv) sentences in capital letters. (Not too much at this stage
as it could be disheartening)
v) alphabet lists: Alberti, Beethoven, Chopin
vi) Scriptorium or continuous writing – lay out a pamphlet
book of three folios of A3 paper. this time observe paragraph breaks and don't
break words illogically, but still try for solid prose to get text blocks for
rhythm.
vii) for artwork a modern stylised design such a lino
printing
viii) Piece of work using at least three nib sizes.
