Chancery Italic Script instructions

[Ann Finley]

The chancery w, like the v, can be made in one stroke or two strokes. These two examples were both made in two strokes, with the final stroke on the right being a downstroke. As with the v, also, the 2nd example is one not seen as often.

http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/9923/chanceryw5sb.jpg

[Ann Finley]

The second, or cross stroke on the x can be made in either direction, though usually it is made as a down stroke. Above and below where the strokes cross, the white space should be about even.

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/9859/chanceryx2jj.jpg

[Ann Finley]

The chancery y can be made either way as shown below. The first example is done in one stroke--no pen lifting. This is the one I usually use. The second example is a two stoke letter and is frequently seen. I use this one if I need a shorter ascender--make that descender!

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/4834/chanceryycb7.jpg

Edited January 16, 2008 by Ann Finley

[Ann Finley]

The chancery z is made as one stroke, not lifting your pen. Although you'll see both z's as shown below, the hairline diagonal stroke, in this case, is not always favored. This means changing your pen angle for a slightly heavier diagonal stroke to "support" the two heavier horizontal strokes. Sometimes you will see a swash tail on the z, but this is more common with a majuscule (capital) z. Note that the bottom horizontal stroke is slightly longer than the top one.

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/8805/chanceryz4op.jpg

[Ann Finley]

CAPITALS (MAJUSCULES) FOR YOUR CHANCERY SCRIPT

 

There is a lot of latitude in capital letter forms that are acceptable to use with Chancery / Italic script. In addition to what you see below, plain, printed capitals such as you would use if you were doing "regular" printing are acceptable.

 

The examples below are a collection by various calligraphers. If I remembered who penned them, I would give credit. The alternative letters with explanations on the 2nd half of the 1st page are the only examples that are mine.

 

REMEMBER...Capital letters are not as tall as ascenders. The height should be between the top of the body height for minuscules (at the waist line on guideline sheets) and that of ascenders. On some guideline sheets the capital letter line will be indicated by a broken line. (See beginning explanations on page 1.)

 

Note some of the subtle differences. In some cases a letter will look the same in more than one alphabet example, but the ductus (order & direction of strokes) will be different, where shown.

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/1714/italiccaps150percet4fs.jpg

 

Page 2

 

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/8909/italiccaps250percent6kf.jpg

[Ann Finley]

For Lefties---How I Hold My Pen When Doing Chancery Italic

In the 1st photo, note that though I'm an "overwriter" (approach from above the base line), my hand does not hook over at the wrist. In this photo I am doing a pull stroke as I would to begin the minuscule letter "a".

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/8433/handposition2sm5zv.jpg

 

In this photo I have gone back and positioned the pen as it was held to render the push stroke that it is shown on. If the photo were to have been taken while I was actually making the stroke, my hand would have completely hidden the stroke!

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/416/handposition3sm3ow.jpg

The photos were taken from an angle so it's hard to tell that I am sitting with the paper straight in front of me. The nib is pointed in the direction of my right elbow.

 

Other lefties will position their paper and hold their pens differently. These photos are not intended to indicate how one "should" hold their pen, it is in response to questions about how I do it.

 

 

 

Slant Detection Guide

Feel free to print this. Instructions are on the sheet.

Slant Detection Guide

Edited April 27, 2010 by Ann Finley