Lesser Know Pointed Pen Hands

[Tortoiseshell]

I recently bought a flex pen and I'm not so keen on the standard scripts (spencerian, copperplated, cursive, unical, etc). What are some alternatives?

[Lively]

The only other one I know of is:

 

http://i.imgur.com/F6E2x.jpg

 

You could experiment with any writing style and flex on the down strokes. Also a Google image search for flex pen calligraphy, flex pen writing, or flex pen font may help you find something you like.

[Tortoiseshell]

I have, with little luck. I was hoping you guys might know.

[jasonchickerson]

Something must have driven you to purchase a flex pen. Is it that you've seen pointed pen calligraphy styles you like but don't know their proper names? I believe there are any number of "modern" alphabets out there, but most seem to derive from copperplate or Spencerian.

 

Edit to add: if you are planning to learn a more modern hand, starting with copperplate or Spencerian may still be wise as there are many good resources to help you learn the basics of using the pen. It is doubtful you will find any help in learning very new forms.

Edited March 19, 2015 by jasonchickerson

[janiegirl]

I found some here https://thepostmansknock.com/product-category/learn-calligraphy/

 

I think most of these use a flex pen. They seem like they're based on Copperplate and/or Ornamental styles, but maybe something there will be to your liking. (I haven't purchased any of these yet, just bookmarked the site.)

[jasonchickerson]

I found some here https://thepostmansknock.com/product-category/learn-calligraphy/

 

I think most of these use a flex pen. They seem like they're based on Copperplate and/or Ornamental styles, but maybe something there will be to your liking. (I haven't purchased any of these yet, just bookmarked the site.)

That 'Beth' style with its wonky ascenders look terrible to me. Yes, they look like copperplate with various flourished forms.

[janiegirl]

That 'Beth' style with its wonky ascenders look terrible to me. Yes, they look like copperplate with various flourished forms.

I think the "Kaitlin" style is really hard to read. But I sort of like the "Janet" style, and I'm curious about the "faux" calligraphy. I think it's using a regular nib and drawing/coloring in the shades. For only $5, it might be fun to give it a try.

[Tortoiseshell]

Something must have driven you to purchase a flex pen.

 

 

Probably a combination of this video and curiosity. My cursive hand is a bit too feminine for my tastes.

[Intellidepth]

I found learning Spencerian has helped make me aware of the core elements of what leads to good letter and font (whole character set) formation.

 

Perhaps consider learning a classic then putting a twist on it, or else analysing those character sets and modifying your own by changing the elements you choose. This may be anything from x-height/ascender/descender ratio, to vertical angle consistency, to the angle of the entry and exit strokes, to the shape and width of invisible ovals that the character set may be based on, to a concentration on adding or reducing particular components of a single letter. General strokes may be either quite rounded, or rather angular.

[kbrede]

Not a complete hand but this is something different.

 

http://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=2617.0

 

Kent

[Intellidepth]

Re my earlier post about adapting a hand, here is some messing around from today. All based on Spencerian miniscules which are shown on the top line, more or less . Not exemplars, just rough and ready ideas.

 

 

 

Tortoiseshell, are you interested in printing or cursive?

Edited March 23, 2015 by Intellidepth

[Tortoiseshell]

Cursive. And you have some interesting letters in that writing sample.

[dlsego02]

The only other one I know of is:

 

http://i.imgur.com/F6E2x.jpg

 

You could experiment with any writing style and flex on the down strokes. Also a Google image search for flex pen calligraphy, flex pen writing, or flex pen font may help you find something you like.

Where can you find paper like this? I'm looking for a parchment like paper, basically just like the paper in the Namiki Falcon Flex video that was posted in this thread.

 

Thanks!

[bobje]

You could try chancery italic with a pointed nib. Italic usually written with a broad edge pen, but interesting in this style with a pointed nib.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/249653-late-16th-century-chancery-cursive/

[AAAndrew]

Look up French roundhand, and I think there was an Italian version as well. These are more upright with some quirks of their own. There are also the various "rapid business writing" kind of hands. These minimize the line variation as they were intended to be written rapidly. Palmer was one version that became quite popular. There were others, like Vertical Writing and Natural Slant that did incorporate some line variation.

 

Or do what I did, I learned the basics of copperplate, which helped me understand better how to hold my pen, the limitations and possibilities of a flexible nib. I then looked at a bunch of different hands from different sources, and started to develop my own hand out of what I liked from the different ones I saw. Look at old letters, especially from 1850-1910, old ledgers and other records (census, shipping records, whatever you can find) and you'll see all variations of pointed pen hands. It's actually quite fun.

 

And then, as pointed out above, there's "modern calligraphy" for which Postman's Knock is a great resource.

[sidthecat]

The italic styles of the 17th and 18th centuries have more character to my eye. Less refined, arguably less evolved, but that’s rather what I like about them.