Handwriting Of The Turkish President

[missclimpson]

I thought you might enjoy seeing this sample of the handwriting of Abdullah Gul, the Turkish President.

Edited November 2, 2011 by missclimpson

[PAKMAN]

That is entirely impressive!

[Ghost Plane]

Pretty. Anyone able to read what it says? <insatiably curious> :embarrassed_smile:

[missclimpson]

I only know that it's to commemorate something to do with Ataturk. I'm sure he also can write Arabic. His writing looks a bit like Arabic calligraphy to me. My husband, who is Turkish, said that this is the kind of handwriting people used to learn. I wonder what kind of pen he has.

[Ghost Plane]

Either a flex or something with a stub/italic cut to it. Check the lovely swirls

[andybiotic]

Now THAT is what I am talking! That is the kind of handwriting matching to the writer's status.

 

You can see that the writing is still going to be very pretty even if he didn't use a italic nib!

 

And I got into "trouble" the last time I "commented" on some important person's handwriting...

Edited November 3, 2011 by andybiotic

[andybiotic]

Either a flex or something with a stub/italic cut to it. Check the lovely swirls

 

I think it is an italic or an italic variant nib, don' think it is a flex.

[experiment626]

Goodness, that's LOVELY.

 

It's so sad that historians years from now won't be digging up more gems like this from our time. The wealth of data stored in electronic format makes up for the tendency of papers to get burned, rotted, or otherwise destroyed (provided pdfs and jpgs and the like are always readable by software in the future), but there's something so telling and beautifully individualized about handwriting.

[smk]

 

I think it is an italic or an italic variant nib, don' think it is a flex.

 

I agree. I suspect it might be a left oblique judging from the weight of the stroke being heavier at the 7 and 1 'o clock positions.

 

Nice expressive hand.

 

Salman

[Lothianjavert]

Wow, that is gorgeous!

[missclimpson]

My husband just told me that this is something that their president wrote in a memorial book at Ataturk's mausoleum last year on November 10, the anniversary of Ataturk's death.

[kazuo]

This is very inspiring!

 

Really looks like Arabic calligraphy but done on Latin script.

[Gobblecup]

What a beautiful letter! I'm glad to see there are cultures in parts of the world that seem to value things like beautiful handwriting still. Much nicer to see than that one awful letter posted from Buckingham recently. The italic script is really done a justice by The Turkish President's hand!

 

:clap1: (Bravo!)

[andybiotic]

Much nicer to see than that one awful letter posted from Buckingham recently.

 

:clap1: (Bravo!)

 

ooo... careful Gobblecup... you don't want to make the same mistake I did! :roflmho:

[Gobblecup]

Much nicer to see than that one awful letter posted from Buckingham recently.

 

:clap1: (Bravo!)

 

ooo... careful Gobblecup... you don't want to make the same mistake I did! :roflmho:

 

:embarrassed_smile:

[caliken]

What a beautiful letter! I'm glad to see there are cultures in parts of the world that seem to value things like beautiful handwriting still. Much nicer to see than that one awful letter posted from Buckingham recently. The italic script is really done a justice by The Turkish President's hand!

 

There's not much to choose between the two IMO.

 

In the Turkish one, the excessive flourishing is a bit 'over the top'. I suppose that it helps disguise (or at least divert attention from) the indifferent letter construction.

 

At least, both examples are legible.

 

The same can't be said for the awful example by Queen Victoria (see 'A Letter from the Queen' thread). If handwriting can't be read, what's the point of writing in the first place?

 

Ken

Edited November 5, 2011 by caliken

[Gobblecup]

What a beautiful letter! I'm glad to see there are cultures in parts of the world that seem to value things like beautiful handwriting still. Much nicer to see than that one awful letter posted from Buckingham recently. The italic script is really done a justice by The Turkish President's hand!

 

There's not much to choose between the two IMO.

 

In the Turkish one, the excessive flourishing is a bit 'over the top'. I suppose that it helps disguise (or at least divert attention from) the indifferent letter construction.

 

At least, both examples are legible.

 

The same can't be said for the awful example by Queen Victoria (see 'A Letter from the Queen' thread). If handwriting can't be read, what's the point of writing in the first place?

 

Ken

 

Well I said beautiful handwriting because in my opinion it is beautiful, I think it is both artistic and expressive. I used the word handwriting specifically because I meant handwriting, not because I meant calligraphy. If I had meant calligraphy, no, I would not have called the writing beautiful. But even for a skilled calligrapher, I believe there is a difference between everyday writing, and writing for the sake of perfecting form. So without picking apart shapes and forms, slants and circles and angles and things , I was just making the comment that for everyday handwriting, this one has some nice panache. In an era where Blackberries, iPhones, and chicken-scratch suffice for the majority, I think that something outside of that 'ordinary' deserves some praise.

 

I do agree that writing that can't be read is rather pointless indeed.

 

All the best!

[caliken]

Gobblecup,

 

I certainly wasn't thinking of this in calligraphic terms, purely as handwriting.

 

Whilst I agree that "even for a skilled calligrapher, there is a difference between everyday writing, and writing for the sake of perfecting form" the difference is that the calligrapher handwrites with the background of a thorough knowledge and understanding of fundamental lettering structure.

 

Although we don't agree, I can respect your opinion; whether or not something is seen as beautiful, is a subjective viewpoint.

 

To each his/her own!

 

Ken

Edited November 5, 2011 by caliken

[Ghost Plane]

Compared to the awkward and mismatched chicken scratch produced by the "keyboarding" generation, it's an absolute masterpiece!

[Gobblecup]

Gobblecup,

 

I certainly wasn't thinking of this in calligraphic terms, purely as handwriting.

 

Whilst I agree that "even for a skilled calligrapher, there is a difference between everyday writing, and writing for the sake of perfecting form" the difference is that the calligrapher handwrites with the background of a thorough knowledge and understanding of fundamental lettering structure.

 

Although we don't agree, I can respect your opinion; whether or not something is seen as beautiful, is a subjective viewpoint.

 

To each his/her own!

 

Ken

 

I can definitely agree to disagree here; I can understand your viewpoint, especially as one of the most accomplished calligraphers on these forums. I understand having the trained skill and knowledge you do, that what I may see as brilliant, even, may seem dull to a more experienced person. As always, I bow to your skill with writing, , but in this case I hold to my view of this handwriting.

Edited November 6, 2011 by Gobblecup