Qotw - 2017

[drv1913]

Wow! Even when we know intellectually that paper makes a difference, it is still amazing to actually see that difference.

Edited February 8, 2017 by drv1913

[OmegaMountain]

 

Not my best, but it was late and I was tired...

[dms525]

Very nice, IMO.

 

David

[drv1913]

FPN QOTW #6 by Dawn, on Flickr

 

I haven't tried Uncial in ages, but this quote seemed to cry out for it. This time, the ink splotch was not intentional. Sigh.

 

Ink: Private Reserve Avacado [sic], which feathered quite a bit on this paper and also got all over my hands and desk

Nibs: Speedball C-4, C-5, A-4, and A-5

[inkstainedruth]

Finally got my entry done (it's been a week... ).

Sadly, the scanner did not pick up the amazing red sheen that vintage Skrip Peacock got on creme Tomoe River paper, without a lot of tweaking of the .jpg.... Which lost the best aspects of the amazing color.

Image was severely cropped, due to size constraints. And the fact that the cat (who has allergies, and has the nickname of "the little Goopster-ette") decide to take THAT MOMENT to sneeze on the page. And my writing slope (which was in my lap)....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[bobje]

Go team! Beautiful work in uncial, italic, and engrosser's script! Looking forward to David's selection of a new quote for the week.

 

 

 

[dms525]

Here is an aphorism by N. Machiavelli. I like it best in the original Italian, but I will offer an English translation, and, if I may presume to so declare, you can write it in either English or Italian.

 

Non il bene particolare ma il bene comune è quello che fa grande la città.

 

or

 

Not the individual good but the common good is that which makes a city great.

I would note that, in Machiavelli's time and place, "la città" was equivalent to a nation state. Florence was a city-state with a sphere of influence.

 

Enjoy!

 

David

[ksm]

 

Aurora 88 with Italic nib (tuned), with Aurora Black ink.

TWSBI 580 with 1.1 stub (reground) with KWZI IG Green Gold.

Rhodia WebPlanner 2016.

 

As I've chosen week's 4 quote, I would like pass quote choosing privilege to the first poster, who is did not propose a quote for our exercises.

[OmegaMountain]

 

Could be better, but not bad having been written on a small pad in the front seat of a pickup truck...

 

 

Another try at home. The ascended are hard for me to adequately exaggerate in this style.

Edited February 14, 2017 by OmegaMountain

[smk]

Nice one David - this will be a good one to try to write in Italic.

 

S.

[dms525]

 

 

A few letters with inconsistent slope and letter spacing problems in "particolare," otherwise not too awful.

 

David

[dms525]

 

 

My first attempt wasn't that awful, but it wasn't that good either. So, I wrote another. The second was made 1) with no guidelines and 2) with a more "present" mental state. I think it is better. Still not as good as I would like, but better.

 

When I am just writing/practicing for my own pleasure, I often get into that zen space of mindlessness. I still struggle with my mind (not good) more often than not when writing something for public consumption. When I no longer experience that "struggle," it will be a major accomplishment.

 

Happy writing!

 

David

[bobje]

David,

This is an interesting distinction between the state of the mind when doing something for oneself, vs. the state of mind when creating for public consumption. Relevance beyond calligraphy.

[drv1913]

FPN QOTW #7 by Dawn, on Flickr

 

Pen: Sheaffer No Nonsense with Fine italic nib

Ink: The pen had R & K Verdigris in it, but when it finally ran dry, I added Diamine Soft Mint without cleaning the pen.

 

I misspelled the name - oops.

 

David: On a related note, It often seems that when I try to do calligraphy correctly - correct letter heights, ruled lines, checking the angle, etc. - the end result turns out worse. Or, at least, I don't like it as much. When I just write, the letterforms may be less than perfect, but the overall piece seems to look better and have more character. So, most of the time, even when I am doing something for someone else, I just dive in, correcting the worst mistakes as I go along (I always make sure to have plenty of extras on hand). I enjoy the process a lot more and, I think, turn out a better product, even if it is not technically a good one. I've noticed the same thing when I cook or bake: If I am consciously making it for someone else, I have all kinds of problems. If I just make it "for myself" and end up sharing it later, I am much more able to relax and make something tasty.

[dms525]

FPN QOTW #7 by Dawn, on Flickr

 

Pen: Sheaffer No Nonsense with Fine italic nib

Ink: The pen had R & K Verdigris in it, but when it finally ran dry, I added Diamine Soft Mint without cleaning the pen.

 

I misspelled the name - oops.

 

David: On a related note, It often seems that when I try to do calligraphy correctly - correct letter heights, ruled lines, checking the angle, etc. - the end result turns out worse. Or, at least, I don't like it as much. When I just write, the letterforms may be less than perfect, but the overall piece seems to look better and have more character. So, most of the time, even when I am doing something for someone else, I just dive in, correcting the worst mistakes as I go along (I always make sure to have plenty of extras on hand). I enjoy the process a lot more and, I think, turn out a better product, even if it is not technically a good one. I've noticed the same thing when I cook or bake: If I am consciously making it for someone else, I have all kinds of problems. If I just make it "for myself" and end up sharing it later, I am much more able to relax and make something tasty.

 

Really lovely writing, Dawn!

 

Regarding state of mind: This is about that very fashionable topic of "mindfulness." I am fascinated by this, but it is a discussion for a new thread. What I will say is that one's best work, be it in visual arts or psychotherapy or archery (!) is performed in the same neurologic state of suspended self-talk. However, all of those are based on many hours of building knowledge and skill foundations.

 

And, now, back to our regularly programmed calligraphy.

 

David

[dms525]

David,

This is an interesting distinction between the state of the mind when doing something for oneself, vs. the state of mind when creating for public consumption. Relevance beyond calligraphy.

 

Very true, Bob. When I first discovered myself "falling" into that mental state while writing, I called one of my brothers. He is also a physician but has taught meditation in Buddhist communities for some 40 years. His response was, "Well, yeah." He told me that, in Zen tradition, Calligraphy, Meditation and Archery all involve the same mental state. I also talked to a few other calligraphers, and they all knew exactly what I was talking about.

 

You don't read about this in calligraphy instructional books, but Lloyd Reynolds did talk about it to his students and referred to it obliquely in his instructional videos.

 

David

[bobje]

[drv1913]

I really like those capital Ns.

[Randal6393]

Hi, Bob,

 

Great work! What is the pen and ink, please? Your handwriting is doing well, keep up the good work. And you are acquiring so many hands. Good!

 

Enjoy,

Randal

[bobje]

Randal and Dawn,

Thank you. A few copperplate-inspired letters are beginning to emerge somewhat presentably from a non-oblique pen. This is Ranga Model 3 with a Kanwrite flex nib, inked with Noodler's 54th Massachusetts. This nib has tipping, and I used your lessons, Randal, to bring it down to about a 0.8mm italic. I really enjoy some of the alternate capital letters in Eleanor Winters' book.