Flat Or Angled Work Surface For Copperplate?

[CraigR]

Hopefully, this is the proper place to ask this question. As I learn Copperplate and work through lessons and practice, it occurs to me that I may need to use an angled work surface instead of just the flat desk top I currently use. I know that there are easels and sloped writing surfaces available but I am not sure if it would be helpful for me. I am right-handed, if that would make a difference. What do you use? Any help will be appreciated.

[smk]

The short answer is that you don't need a sloped surface for pointed pen calligraphy (Copperplate, Engrosser's Script, Spencerian/Ornamental Penmanship).

 

The long answer:

 

A sloped surface slows down ink flow and helps maintain a higher paper to pen angle. Both of these are useful for Broad Edge Calligraphy - especially with quills and watery Iron Gall ink. It also frees up the arms a bit and reduces the strain on the neck from having to look down on a flat surface.

 

You want a rather low pen to paper angle for pointed pen work. Ink flow is not a problem with a properly prepared nib. While reduced neck strain and free arm movement remain advantages of a sloped surface but these are overshadowed by the difficulty in executing hairlines with a high pen to paper angle. Flat works best for pointed pen calligraphy.

[CraigR]

The short answer is that you don't need a sloped surface for pointed pen calligraphy (Copperplate, Engrosser's Script, Spencerian/Ornamental Penmanship).

 

The long answer:

 

A sloped surface slows down ink flow and helps maintain a higher paper to pen angle. Both of these are useful for Broad Edge Calligraphy - especially with quills and watery Iron Gall ink. It also frees up the arms a bit and reduces the strain on the neck from having to look down on a flat surface.

 

You want a rather low pen to paper angle for pointed pen work. Ink flow is not a problem with a properly prepared nib. While reduced neck strain and free arm movement remain advantages of a sloped surface but these are overshadowed by the difficulty in executing hairlines with a high pen to paper angle. Flat works best for pointed pen calligraphy.

 

Makes sense, thanks!

[ElinMS]

Just thought I'd weigh in on this: I have a bad shoulder as a result of my tennis-playing days as well as some arthritis and compression in my cervical vertebrae (not fun). It's got to the point where I cannot write for very long on a flat work surface without pain. I've tried various strategies, but I'm currently using an item I purchased from John Neal Bookseller's: it's a piece of frosted acrylic large enough to work on, small enough to fit easily on my desk and stow away when not in use, plus I'm able to put a light box under it to see guidelines clearly under my working paper. It elevates maybe 20-degrees or so - just enough to take the strain off my neck and shoulder but still keep my wrist and arm in good alignment. It's been a real blessing; without it, I'd have had to give up on calligraphy