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Italic/stub Pen Users - Do You Actually Write In Italic Handwriting?


Garageboy

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Thanks guys!

To me, it was weird seeing italic nibs used for Spencerian script, as Spencerian emphasizes speed, for which it is counter intuitive to be using an italic nib for.

 

Results are pretty, though

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Italic nib, italic handwriting.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8292/7646376728_3d89bb324d_z.jpg

 

Doug

 

Beautiful writing, ad always, Doug. I'm green with envy.

 

Hetty

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just finished reading The Missing Inkby Philip Hensher and read through the evolution of handwriting styles over the years.

 

Noticed that here on FPN, everyone goes nuts over stubs and italic nibs, but in my experience, italic handwriting is not exactly a popular one.

 

So what type of handwriting are you guys using your italic/stub nibs for?

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I write and teach an italic method, but not with the italic/stub pen. The exact same letter formations are made with a pencil or any ordinary pen, and for me it is faster and legible. Some say attractive, but for me efficiency counts.

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I used to be a rather messy writer until my first fountain pen purchase around a year ago. I wanted to try some line variation so I bought a Lamy Joy with a 1.1mm italic stub. I have since acquired a few more pens, a fwe more inks, and have pretty much switched to italics full time. I'm nowhere near printer-level consistency, but it has helped slow down my scribbling and given me some structure to base my writing on.

 

Left is a KawecoSport 1.1mm italic nib with Asa-gao, right sample is a Vac 700 EF nib with Edelstein Aventurine.

 

http://i.imgur.com/Vh9tYDA.jpg

Inquisitive Quill on Instagram and YouTube 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 years later...

Haha! The photo is through an Instagram filter of some kind (I forget which) that accentuates textures. Makes the charcoal Safari look like charcoal and the paper like... concrete. In reality it's a Kunst & Papier journal which is acceptably smooth (but not super smooth).

 

Thanks for the compliment on my handwriting. It was a real mess 7 years ago which is when I found FPN!

 

Doug

 

I am having a difficult time envisioning what Doug means by "a real mess" since this example is soooo incredibly beautiful!

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I write in both italic and cursive.

It gives cursive nice line variation, without the extra work of a flex nib.

San Francisco Pen Show - August 28-30, 2020 - Redwood City, California

www.SFPenShow.com

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I just collect them.

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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  • 1 year later...

I journal in cursive italic when I am using my Esterbrook 9314-M nib, and I really enjoy it. However, the remainder of my pens are regular extra fine though broad nibs (mostly medium).

 

 

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I got a lot of German vintage stub semi-flex and a CI...M-B, I mostly just scribble.

 

When I take a hammer and chisel to my dust rusted shut Italic calligraphy, I use my 1.5 Joy, in I can see my mistakes easier.

Got to learn to draw the letters.....sloth is a sin. :blush:

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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When I have one in my hands, I'll write in italic.

 

fpn_1540093076__image.jpeg

Thanks for posting this! When I lived in Athens my Greek teacher had me memorize it. (Her real plan was for me to sing it, but as I can't carry a tune, she had to settle for recitation. I still love it!)

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I typically keep at least one edged nib pen (italic/stub/ci) inked all the time. Right now it is two - my TWSBI Eco has a factory 1.1 stub and my 580 began life as B and has had a custom grind. (stub) The latter is the one that is inked most of the time. If I am in the mood I will goof around trying an italic hand, but primarily just my normal hand. It is mostly cursive with some print elements.

Brad

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind" - Rudyard Kipling
"None of us can have as many virtues as the fountain-pen, or half its cussedness; but we can try." - Mark Twain

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I've learned that my handwriting and stubs just don't work. I don't like to print and I hold my hand at an angle that obliques, flex, and superfine nibs play best with.

Selling a boatload of restored, fairly rare, vintage Japanese gold nib pens, click here to see (more added as I finish restoring them)

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Thanks for posting this! When I lived in Athens my Greek teacher had me memorize it. (Her real plan was for me to sing it, but as I can't carry a tune, she had to settle for recitation. I still love it!)

 

I'm happy this brought back fond memories to you. The song ignores a semicolon, which effectively changes the meaning!

 

For all curious: I've uploaded it with a translation somewhere in "the write stuff". Here is the translation. The original rhymes, btw. It's basically a love poem, but can and has been interpreted to refer to a generation's aspirations and the like. The author is G. Seferis.

 

DENIAL

 

On the secret seashore

white like a pigeon

we thirsted at noon;

but the water was brackish.

 

On the golden sand

we wrote her name;

but the sea-breeze blew

and the writing vanished.

 

With what spirit, what heart,

what desire and passion

we lived our life; a mistake!

So we changed our life.

—English translation by

Edmund Keely and Phillip Sherrard

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  • 5 months later...

I mostly write in spencerian cursive, I have one fountain pen with an Italic nib but I don't use it this much.

Pens are like watches , once you start a collection, you can hardly go back. And pens like all fine luxury items do improve with time

 

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Is there any difference? As an example: the european hands evolved from italic to become proggressively more similar to English roundhand. If one looks into copy books from late XIX, early XX Centuries, from Italy, France or Spain, one will see the evolution of italic to something that resembles "cursive" to be written with an italic nib.

 

What I want to say is that "modern italic" (the evolution of old italic) and "cursive" (as considered in the English-speaking sphere) aren't that different --except that one was expected to be written with a blunt nib and the other with a flex nib).

 

And indeed, "cursive" evolved from italic and that can be traced to the ductus and letter forms if one looks loosely at them.

 

It is all a matter of labels. Just write as you like and call it whatever you want. If you like its looks and others can read it, then anything is OK. Don't get obsessed by tags.

If you are to be ephemeral, leave a good scent.

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