Which Calligraphy Book?

[GabeRuaro]

Hi everyone.

 

I was shopping around for my first calligraphy instructional book, but I was overwhelmed by the number of choices I found.

 

I intend to learn as many hands as possible, but aside from a couple of lessons, I'm pretty much starting from scratch.

 

Basically, I'd like to ask:

 

if you could only have ONE calligraphy instructional book, which one would you pick?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Gabe

[Elaine]

Hi everyone.

 

I was shopping around for my first calligraphy instructional book, but I was overwhelmed by the number of choices I found.

 

I intend to learn as many hands as possible, but aside from a couple of lessons, I'm pretty much starting from scratch.

 

Basically, I'd like to ask:

 

if you could only have ONE calligraphy instructional book, which one would you pick?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Gabe

 

Calligraphy in the Copperplate Style by Herb Kaufman and Geri Homelsky

 

I don't know if it would be the only one I would want (I have a few more now , but at $3.95 from Amazon it's quite inexpensive. I found it to be the easiest for a beginner. In the beginning I was a bit overwhelmed by other books. This one breaks it down very well. After that I would recommend Mastering Copperplate Calligraphyl by Eleanor Winters.

 

For Chancery Italic, I like Calligraphy in Ten Easy Lessons by Elanor Winters & Leaurie E. Lico. Again, very well done for beginners.

 

[caliken]

For Copperplate, my favourite instruction book is "Copperplate Calligraphy" by the late American calligrapher & teacher, Dick Jackson.

 

For broad-edged lettering I like "Calligraphy, the art of lettering with the broad pen" by Byron J Macdonald and "Creative Calligraphy" by Hermann Zapf.

 

If you are interested in italic handwiting, the instruction books by Tom Gourdie are probably the best.

 

caliken

Edited April 21, 2007 by caliken

[Elaine]

I just want to point out that my recommendations are coming from a beginner. Caliken is the real deal expert.

Edited April 19, 2007 by Elaine
cant spel

[BillTheEditor]

There is, in my opinion, no reason to only have ONE book on calligraphic technique. That is like trying to have only ONE fountain pen!

 

My recommendations are in https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=22931 which is a book suggestions thread pinned at the top of this Penmanship area. My advice would be NOT to start with copperplate! Please do yourself a big favor and start off with a stub or italic nib and learn italic calligraphy first. If you decide you like calligraphic work, THEN take up copperplate. You can get pretty good with italic in a few weeks of steady practice.

 

Copperplate, unless you are one of the blessed few with the right combination of talent, fine motor control, and patience, will take months of work. To get results like caliken's can take years. It also helps to have a teacher to guide you in copperplate.

 

Note caliken's comments in another thread about his first attempt to do copperplate with a fountain pen -- copperplate is actually best done with a dip pen and an oblique holder until you know what you are doing. Caliken's results are wonderful, but he is a master with a lot of hours logged over a board with dip pen and oblique holder. If you overflex a dip pen nib, you are out a couple of dollars for a replacement. Overflex a vintage flexi fountain pen nib, and you will pay a lot more to get it replaced (if you can find a replacement).

Edited April 20, 2007 by BillTheEditor

[lefty928]

I hesitated to reply to this, first, because there are so many more experienced calligraphers here (see the pinned thread for some other good book recommendations) and second, because I think it all depends. My suggestion is that you find a manual whose instructional style and tone appeal to you, one that doesn't try to cover more than one-three hands at first. I'd recommend starting with Foundational or Italic.

 

My own calligraphy teacher swears by Ann Camp's Pen Lettering although I happened to have had it for years and it never inspired me. She, however, still refers to it and she's been practicing calligraphy for more than 20 years. Gaynor Goffe's Calligraphy School is a good step-by-step primer with some nice exemplars and clear photographs. I checked it out of the library last year and ended up buying a copy of my own. But that's me; you might not react the same way. I have far too many manuals (I bought a plethora of calligraphy books and supplies before I moved on to purchasing fountain pens and inks ) and they are each good for different things, yet I actually rely more on continuing to take classes.

 

Great question, though, and I hope you get less equivocal replies than mine. Certainly I took notes on Elaine's and Calliken's recommendations (thanks to you both)!

 

[GabeRuaro]

Thanks everyone for the quick replies and recommendations.

 

Yes, I know that it's hard to have just one book, but as a poor little student, I don't think I'd really want to live off crackers, fishballs and ramen noodles (cheap Filipino food) again to buy a few books.

 

That being said, I just found that for the price of just one of the books recommended by everyone (which, I promise myself, I WILL get someday), inclusive of shipping and customs fees, I could get a couple of books in the local bookstores.

 

Now, after having scoured the bookshelves in Manila, are any of the ff. any good, and if so, which one(s) should I get?:

 

An Italic Calligraphy Handbook by Carolyn Knudsen

 

The Art of Calligraphy by David Harris

 

Learn Calligraphy by Margaret Shepherd

 

Calligraphy a Guide to Hand Lettering by Margaret Morgan

 

The Encyclopedia of Calligraphy Techniques by by Mary Noble and Janet Mehigan

 

The Bible of Illuminated Letters: A Treasury of Decorative Calligraphy (Quarto Book) by Margaret Morgan and Rosemary Buczek

 

 

The Encyclopedia of Colour Calligraphy by Mary Noble and Adrian Waddington

 

and

The Practical Encyclopedia of Calligraphy: Everything you need to know about materials, techniques and equipment, plus over 50 beautiful step-by-step lettering ... shown in 800 colour photographs and artworks by Jan Mehigan

 

When funds are more readily available, I'll move up to the books recommended

 

Regards,

Gabe

 

[WillAdams]

Knudsen's book _An Italic Calligraphy Handbook_ is one of my favourites, and of the ones you list has IMO the best exemplars, not just Knudsen's, but from a number of other talented calligraphers.

 

It's also a good workbook since it has guidesheets for various size nibs in it (use a thin sheet of paper over them or photocopy them).

 

I list some books on calligraphy here:

 

http://members.aol.com/willadams/books-calligraphy.html

 

w/ some brief commentary.

 

In addition I've a link to Gunnlaugur SE Briem's translation of Ludovico Degli Arrighi's _La Operina_ ``The First Writing Book'':

 

http://briem.ismennt.is/4/4.4.1a/4.4.1.01.operina.htm

 

William

 

[Ged]

Have you had a look at your local library? They can sometimes suprise you with a few little gems, and a place to start from, at no cost! Free being the best price My other suggestion would be try local second hand book stores, I picked up an *excellent* book on layout for peanuts.

[artaddict]

Have you had a look at your local library? They can sometimes suprise you with a few little gems, and a place to start from, at no cost! Free being the best price

 

I don't think Public Libraries are supported by the Philippine government. Correct me if I'm wrong

 

[artaddict]

Thanks everyone for the quick replies and recommendations.

 

Yes, I know that it's hard to have just one book, but as a poor little student, I don't think I'd really want to live off crackers, fishballs and ramen noodles (cheap Filipino food) again to buy a few books.

 

That being said, I just found that for the price of just one of the books recommended by everyone (which, I promise myself, I WILL get someday), inclusive of shipping and customs fees, I could get a couple of books in the local bookstores.

 

Now, after having scoured the bookshelves in Manila, are any of the ff. any good, and if so, which one(s) should I get?:

 

 

Learn Calligraphy by Margaret Shepherd

 

Hi Gabe,

I've looked through the Margaret Shepherd book and I didn't find it that helpful.

Just my 2 centimo.

And that's a very nice reply about food. I certainly enjoy Lucky Me, unhealthy though it is.

Edited April 20, 2007 by artaddict

[GabeRuaro]

Nope, no public libraries in the Philippines. There IS the Rizal Library in Ateneo, but I can't go in there 'til June.

 

I certainly enjoy Lucky Me, unhealthy though it is.

 

Prefer Nissin's Ramen myself.

 

Guess I'll go pick up the Knudsen book sometime, and then save up for more advanced material.

 

Thanks all!

[Ged]

Doh! sorry, I used to live in a country with no public libraries... but here is Aus... whee! I've used and found helpful books by Geoff Gaynor and Annie Moring. I have two books by Diana Hardy Wilson, but I didn't find them as useful from a beginner's perspective.

 

And for the record, Nissin's Laksa Cup Noodles = win.

[lefty928]

Now, after having scoured the bookshelves in Manila, are any of the ff. any good, and if so, which one(s) should I get?:

An Italic Calligraphy Handbook by Carolyn Knudsen

The Art of Calligraphy by David Harris

Learn Calligraphy by Margaret Shepherd

Calligraphy a Guide to Hand Lettering by Margaret Morgan

The Encyclopedia of Calligraphy Techniques by by Mary Noble and Janet Mehigan

The Bible of Illuminated Letters: A Treasury of Decorative Calligraphy (Quarto Book) by Margaret Morgan and Rosemary Buczek

The Encyclopedia of Colour Calligraphy by Mary Noble and Adrian Waddington

and

The Practical Encyclopedia of Calligraphy, by Jan Mehigan

I think it's a great idea to focus on one book and one hand. I'm not familiar with the Knudsen book, but italic is such a pretty and useful hand, and pre-ruled guidesheets sound very convenient. Please let us know how you like it!

 

Of the other books you mentioned, they do seem better to reserve for later. But just for future info, from a relative novice:

I've always really liked the Noble and Mehigan Encyclopedia of Calligraphy Techniques when I've riffled through it in bookstores; more than the Diana Hardy book with the same title.

The Bible of Illuminated Letters is more specialized. It's not a beginner's instruction manual, although it has some exemplars and it's on my list for later purchase.

I have another Mehigan book, bought on sale, called Mastering the Art of Calligraphy, which has very nice projects in it and I like its exemplars, also, so guess I have a preference for her works.

I would agree with artaddict about Margaret Shepherd's many books, but again, it's what works for you.

David Harris has nice, large color plates illustrating the history of various hands and his exemplars are much larger here than in his Calligrapher's Bible, but I do think that it might be better for after you have been practicing your first couple hands for awhile and are looking for some variety.

 

The color calligraphy book has been mentioned in at least one of these online catalogs -- the blurbs are sometimes useful for getting a feel for a book, because sometimes Amazon won't have a listing (and you'll see that some books are more heavily recommended for beginners than others): John Neal Bookseller and Paper & Ink Arts.

[Ann Finley]

Hi Gabe,

 

I especially like a couple of the books mentioned in the list above, namely, The Art of Calligraphy by David Harris and The Art of Color Calligraphy by Noble & Waddington. The first of the two shows the ductus in different colors for the various strokes, which can be helpful for a beginner. The other book is nice for inspiration and some advanced techniques, but is not a beginners book.

 

You'll likely find yourself wanting a number of calligraphy books! Do check out the retailers that lefty928 mentions. Both have been around a long time and specialize in items for calligraphers.

 

Best, Ann

[artaddict]

Hi Gabe,

 

 

You'll likely find yourself wanting a number of calligraphy books!

Best, Ann

 

Hello Ann,

 

What do you think of the book "Italic Letters?" (the Write Now series, I think)

I'm trying to decide what to get from Amazon, specifically about italic writing.

I'm a total beginner, any advice would be appreciated!

Edited April 21, 2007 by artaddict

[GabeRuaro]

Got the book today.

 

Couldn't help but try it out--got too lazy to rule up though--and the writing, how she suffered. Here's my first try at it:

 

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d5/hunggabriel/scan-1.jpg

 

Looks like there's LOADS of practice in store for me.

 

Regards,

 

Gabe

[artaddict]

Got the book today.

 

Couldn't help but try it out--got too lazy to rule up though--and the writing, how she suffered. Here's my first try at it:

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Gabe

 

 

Looks great to me! Maganda!

[WillAdams]

Gabe,

 

Wonderful beginning! Glad you're satisfied w/ Knudsen's book.

 

William