Please explain the different styles

[ToasterPastry]

I've been trying to understand, as best as I can, the various styles and methods of handwriting. I'm aware there are dozens of pen-men (calligraphers). I'm aware that Zaner, Bloser, Palmer, and Spencer all had methods of teaching cursive handwriting. But I can't understand what makes one type of handwriting a certain style versus another style. I guess I assume that each style is a font. Therefore you will have distinctive Qs or Zs with Zaner-Bloser vs. Palmer. However, I've seen samples performed by these calligraphers, and they don't always hold true. Can someone explain how you can tell Copperplate vs. Spencer, Zaner-Bloser vs. Palmer, etc.? Sorry for the newbie question. You would think that this is eloquently answered somewhere on the internet, but it's not. I literally practice my handwriting daily, taking a letter 'T' and trying to emulate it and reproduce it quickly. But I'm not certain who's style I'm using.

[donwinn]

I've been trying to understand, as best as I can, the various styles and methods of handwriting. I'm aware there are dozens of pen-men (calligraphers). I'm aware that Zaner, Bloser, Palmer, and Spencer all had methods of teaching cursive handwriting. But I can't understand what makes one type of handwriting a certain style versus another style. I guess I assume that each style is a font. Therefore you will have distinctive Qs or Zs with Zaner-Bloser vs. Palmer. However, I've seen samples performed by these calligraphers, and they don't always hold true. Can someone explain how you can tell Copperplate vs. Spencer, Zaner-Bloser vs. Palmer, etc.? Sorry for the newbie question. You would think that this is eloquently answered somewhere on the internet, but it's not. I literally practice my handwriting daily, taking a letter 'T' and trying to emulate it and reproduce it quickly. But I'm not certain who's style I'm using.

 

If you go to Iampeth they have lessons on Spencerian and Copperplate, with samples of each alphabet. If you go to this site you will find a chart of the Zaner Bloser alphabet, which is basically a simplified version of Palmer Method.

 

Donnie

[RLTodd]

I thought Copperplate was an ornamental not intended for day to day writing.

 

I also thought, more or less, Spencer to Palmer to Zaner-Blosser to D'Nealian to Getty-Dubay (Cursive Italic) was a progression in making business script and day to day common writing more efficient. It gets simpler, it evolves, as you go down the line.

 

YMMV

[caliken]

Can someone explain how you can tell Copperplate vs. Spencer,

 

I posted this example some time ago, in which I've used the same wording at the same letter height, to illustrate as clearly as possible, the differences between the two styles. Spencerian is first and then Copperplate.

 

As donwinn says, if you go to the IAMPETH site, you will find clear and detailed descriptions.

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/SpencerianCopperplate1.jpg

Edited August 7, 2009 by caliken

[jimk]

Spencer to Palmer to Zaner-Blosser to D'Nealian to Getty-Dubay (Cursive Italic)

 

The tree has been branching for millennia! Italic is a renaissance script derived from Carolingian, the script developed at the time of Charlemagne, i.e. a really long time ago. Palmer is derived from copperplate, which is still mostly 18th century or thereabouts.

[MsLoathsome]

I had the same questions myself a few months back about Copperplate and Spencerian. Yes, the IAMPETH website is very helpful, specifically this "Demistifying" essay that you can find about halfway down the list in the "Getting Started" section: http://www.iampeth.com/lessons/getting_sta...ying_enigma.pdf

 

If you read down to the bottom of the third page, the author recommended focusing on the lower case letters. The Spencerian hand will show less/more delicate shading and more closely resemble handwriting.

 

I don't have a good answer for the Zane/Palmer question you posed. Probably elsewhere on IAMPETH.

[donwinn]

Spencer to Palmer to Zaner-Blosser to D'Nealian to Getty-Dubay (Cursive Italic)

 

The tree has been branching for millennia! Italic is a renaissance script derived from Carolingian, the script developed at the time of Charlemagne, i.e. a really long time ago. Palmer is derived from copperplate, which is still mostly 18th century or thereabouts.

 

I seem to remember a past thread regarding penmanship, where my wrist was gently slapped for positing the above information, as I was gently informed that modern Italic is very different from medieval Italic, and came AFTER Spencerian and Palmer. I think Kate Gladstone is the resident expert on the subject, and I heard a rumor that she will be at the Dallas Pen Show in October. I will be glad to meet her in person, as I have admired her work from afar. But then, I am the stick in the mud who thinks it is a good idea to teach children to write cursive first, preferably Palmer Method.

 

Donnie

[jimk]

modern Italic is very different from medieval Italic, and came AFTER Spencerian and Palmer.

 

Certainly everything evolves! But I took some calligraphy classes at Oregon College of Art and Craft, where Inga Dubay had taught before I was there, and we would use books like Atkins Masters of the Italic Letter to get our letters to look like renaissance exemplars.

 

Another fun game is to trace the history of the "Italic Revival". Edward Johnston was clearly key, and I think William Morris before him. I am trying to learn more about Alberto Sangorski. Anyway, the Italic Revival seems to have started in England and only come to the USA... maybe only in the 1940s. Anyway, the history of italic does seem to have a gap in the 18th century.

[jimk]

the Italic Revival seems to have started in England and only come to the USA... maybe only in the 1940s.

 

Raymond F. DaBoll seems to have had a preference for Italic. His famous broadsheet came out in 1948. What got him going with italic? He certainly had a wide range of abilities. Probably anyone at his level knew the history and range of calligraphy and could just pick and choose as the occasion demanded. Did he advocate italic for more widespread handwriting usage? Fun history to try to excavate.

[jimk]

Fun history to try to excavate.

 

This is a nice article:

 

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/...-20th-centuries

[Banded Krait]

http://www.cep.pdx.edu/samples/compare.pdf

 

This is a nice document which compares five handwriting styles side-by-side.

[singer]

Thought I would just ask here than make a new thread.. Is there a name for this category of calligraphy, using the pointed nib? I see the other, with the straight-edged nib is often called italic

I'm hoping to find more scripts to try out