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  • #448416
    dgford
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        CALLIGRAPHY TUTORIAL PART 2

        UNCIALS

        OUTLINE:
        My General Plan
        To introduce a simple adaptation of an historical Uncial hand;
        To allow about 8 days to practise, to post for comments, to practise refinements, etc.
        To maintain personal criteria ;
        To attend to arrangement and spacing within and between the words;
        To attain “calligraphy — beautiful writing.”

        Materials
        Pens: nib size 2mm, Keep to the same pen.
        Inks: Keep to the same black ink.
        Paper: A4 Computer printer paper or A4 bleedproof paper
        Drawing Board (or sheet of heavy carton corrugated cardboard with smooth covering)

        Preparation
        The writing guidelines 8mm for the “x-height” . These letters have an x- height of 4 times the pen-width.

        To save time and effort, you may make a copy of my sheet and use that (call it Uncial -8). Print off about 3 sheets.

        [

        Uncials, so named because those first identified were about one inch in height, first appeared in the first centuries AD, principally in the countries bordering the northern edge of the Mediterranean, Italy and Greece but being a monastic hand they spread North with Christianity They didn’t possess the graceful elegance of the carved Roman Letter but had the highly decorative quality of the manuscript “display letter” of that time. At various times, written with a flat-angled or near-flat pen, they accentuated the heavier downstroke and lessened the horizontal strokes or serifs., and had the advantage of being able to be written quite quickly, especially with quill or reed pen. Most manuscript writings at this time often did not use inter-word spacing, which meant that the reader usually knew what he should be reading before he started to read !

        In general, they usually have rather close inter-line spacing and minimal inter-word spacing, and appear to be massed in fairly solid blocks. Although some letters have what at first appear to be ascenders and descenders they are really only extensions just beyond the letter height boundaries. Ascenders and descenders of minuscules had not yet appeared and when we write these letters we must refrain from making them so long that they will be thought of in that manner.

        Here we see the whole alphabet, based on my personal adaptation of an English Uncial manuscript example with a pen-angle of about 20 degrees. (I will introduce another version, using a flat, 0 degrees, pen-angle in a later lesson.) This 20 degree pen-angle will make downstrokes quite thick and horizontal strokes a lot thinner. The essential quality of the style is a comfortable “fullness” in the shapes. Letter O is the “mother “ letter for many in the alphabet — but there are also many powerful verticals.

        Other variations of a few letters are shown in the last line. Note the components of letter N and how the vertical stems are made with a greatly steepened pen-angle. Letter T may have a (more historically correct) vertical main stem — finish it with a mild curve. (see in Assignment) There are many variations of the letter A but these will get you going!

        The entry most common to the vertical downstroke in this version will be a “wedge”, which can also be seen above the top-stroke in D , T and Z. Letters with sloping strokes start with a simple slide-up entry of 40 degrees.

        The “wedge” is made by sliding down to the left at 20 degrees then pulling down to the right in a straight movement so that it is sloping at about 45 degrees — do not make it curving like the “bracket” serif. Return to the top and make the downstroke. For the D, T and Z, start by sliding up at 20 degrees and then pulling down — return to continue with the rest of the stroke. The group 4 letters start with an upward slide and not a wedge.

        We shall meet this wedge serif in other “ hands” later.

        In every letter ( except Z) the left-most, or principal downstroke (as in A , S and X ), is made first. Letter Z starts with the top wedged horizontal. If you want to post each group as you do it that would be okay but I am not making it mandatory.

        The letter O is not perfectly round — it seems to have been squeezed in a little on both sides and this is achieved by making the curves very slightly more vertical at their fullest point. This quality will be evident in all letters in this group and will be more easily controlled as you take notice of and repeat the counter shape. I have made the top bar of the T with a mildly steepened pen-angle to give it a bit more weight and it can have a varied length depending on the adjacent letter, but use this as the model.

        The wedge serif is well seen in the tops of the first five letters. The entry out of the vertical into the round top arch of letters N H and M starts from within the downstroke and, although the second stroke echoes the letter O , it is carried down to just below the baseline. Visually balance the counters in the M .

        These letters are fairly straightforward A variation for the letter U and the H may be seen in the assignment passage below. Note the proportions of the bowls in B and R. The tails of the R or the K may be taken to just under the baseline if it helps to maintain the correct letter spacing – and that of the R could be made steeper if necessary or even bring the bowl just a little further down to give less space for the tail. Keep the fullness in the letter S by pulling the linking stroke well across to the right — but still travelling downwards.

        The sloping strokes begin with a slide entry and are made with a steeper pen angle to maintain the weight in the stroke — but the “buffalo horn” strokes in the X are made with the 20 degree pen-angle. The downstroke of A needs to be a little steeper than that in the X to balance the nicely sharp and crisp left portion — made by starting at about two-thirds up from the baseline, making a sinuous movement down left to just below the baseline, stopping, sliding up steeply and ending with the hint of an upward curl at half letter height. A lovely letter ! Z has the 20 degree pen-angle throughout.

        For your end-of-lesson assignment post a copy of the following passage as shown here (note some letter variations available to you — but not meant to be obligatory ), keeping the close spacing and “solid block” effect. Use 4 pen-widths for the letters and one pen-width for the inter-line spaces. Including the Shakespeare source will not be essential. Why do you think I elongated the stem of Letter R in the word YOUR in the last line?
        You may write it in another single colour if you wish — providing it is dark and rich, otherwise the essential solidity of the massed effect will be destroyed. To conserve space, a variation may be used, letters may touch, be partially superimposed or even narrowed in some places. Line 3 is the most difficult to fit into the limits of the block layout — it has no narrow letters and has four words, therefore needs decreased inter-word spacing. The aim of the exercise is to keep all lines to the same length !

        If you are feeling bold, brash and bellicose, and have the urge to use a number of different colours in this piece, you will need to be very much aware of the tonal qualities of the colours selected. I want this to have the overall appearance of being a “solid block” and not have patches of lighter tones showing within it.

        Success is a Journey
        #508757
        marie_d
        Default

            Only spotted it late last night that you had posted the Uncial tutorial. Just read through it all and printed it out, hoping to get a start on it later this afternoon after the chores have been done.
            Like the variations you have given us on the A.E.F.N.Y and a 3rd A. My personal preference is the 1st A, 1st E, 2nd F, 1st N, 2nd Y.
            I would like to post each group as I do them if you dont mind Geoff. Then I can brush up on the corrections before completing the next groups. See you later :wave:

            answer re:elongated R….. Could it be either to fill a little of the blank space on the ‘shakespeare’ row, or to create balance with the F and the Y?

            ~ Marie ~
            #508787
            dgford
            Default

                Great, Marie. Correct on both points. Post as often as you wish.

                Geofff

                Success is a Journey
                #508758
                marie_d
                Default

                    Hi Geoff…posting all the groups together. Will wait for your comments before starting the last exercise.

                    The curve on the h is slightly too broad and the first Z was rubbish, so I tried it again….the r,i,e in Marie
                    dosen’t look right with the rest of the text because the tail of the r is touching the i and the middle line
                    across the e is also touching the i.


                    I much prefer this one……

                    ~ Marie ~
                    #508788
                    dgford
                    Default

                        I prefer the second MARIE also. I liked your thoughts about it because you were showing that you understand that, on occasions, “rules” or “models” need to be adjusted to suit particular circumstances. Well done !

                        Go like the clappers with the final piece. I look forward to it.

                        There is a new bit of heraldry under the thread “A Bishop’s Arms”.

                        Geoff

                        Success is a Journey
                        #508786
                        dgford
                        Default

                            Hello All,
                            For many years I have been suffering from macular degeneration in my right eye, with a large patch of blurring in the lwer right portion. During the last month my left eye has rapidly deteriorated with the same ailment but the blurring is located in the central portion — not good!

                            Coupled with the “double vision” which I have had for a few decades now (but corrected with my spectacles) — without spactacles I see two images at about 10 degrees displacement — reading the computer screen is only possible with the text much enlarged.

                            But the worst part is that any calligraphy with letters of an x-height of a size less than 15mm is totally out of the question now !!! Even then I wear a head-band magbifier to cope.

                            The good news is that I have already written up and illustrated many tutorials in advance, with Carolingian, Formal Italics, Copperplate and Gothic Textura and a section of miscellaneous variations already waiting. They are all in my files and make up about 115 pages of a printed book I have compiled. So the tutorials can keep on going for those who want them.

                            I am in the care of a macular specialist ophthamologist surgeon and she is wonderful. Large watercolour brushes and large sheets of paper will be the go for my en plein air painting each fortnight.

                            The old fella ain’t going out to pasture yet !

                            Geoff

                            Success is a Journey
                            #508759
                            marie_d
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                                Thank you for your comments…….

                                I have just been googling macular degeneration as I had no knowledge at all of this condition. I have seen images of how you will be seeing them with the blurred centre etc, not very nice Geoff, it must be really frustrating and annoying for you.

                                You deserve a medal for all the work you have put in here for us with the tutorials and managing to do it with this vision loss as well.

                                As your eye sight is deteriorating more Geoff it must be a great strain on your eyes trying to continue with these tutorials. If you are still able and want to continue with the tutorials would it be better for you to just post the next one on a reference only exercise basis then you don,t have to have the worry of the tutorial side of things? At the end of the day we all want whatever is best for you, even if it means no tutorials……

                                It is good to know that at least you will still be able to get some pleasure out of your watercolouring fortnights…:thumbsup: :wave:

                                ~ Marie ~
                                #508789
                                dgford
                                Default

                                    Marie, so nice of you to think of it from my angle on things.

                                    We’ll continue as we have up to now and only if it is impossible for me to carry on will I consider any change from the tutorial type of lessons. It is the inter-personal involvement that gives the real value. I am reluctant to abandon that.

                                    If you see me striding out of your screen, tapping a white walking-stick down your keyboard (I promise no further!) then you will know that I’ve lost my marbles and will have to be shoved back home !!! :o

                                    Once again, thank you for your thoughts. You are nice to know.

                                    Geiff

                                    Success is a Journey
                                    #508830
                                    Hiraeth
                                    Default

                                        Oh, Geoff! I am so sorry to hear about the changes in your eyesight. I do SO admire you for so many reasons but the manner in which you are coping with this life changing physical issue is truly admirable. Praise God for specialists and for large brushes and all that allow you to continue to express yourself so wondrously.

                                        I also admire your great generosity in sharing your expertise and experience with those of us who have so much to learn. I would love to meet you in person and share a bottle or two (red for you, white for me!) and talk about calligraphy and art and life!

                                        I, too, have double vision that is corrected with glasses. Do you have prisms in your lenses to correct it? That is what I have and it’s working quite well for me.

                                        Hello All,
                                        For many years I have been suffering from macular degeneration in my right eye, with a large patch of blurring in the lwer right portion. During the last month my left eye has rapidly deteriorated with the same ailment but the blurring is located in the central portion — not good!

                                        Coupled with the “double vision” which I have had for a few decades now (but corrected with my spectacles) — without spactacles I see two images at about 10 degrees displacement — reading the computer screen is only possible with the text much enlarged.

                                        But the worst part is that any calligraphy with letters of an x-height of a size less than 15mm is totally out of the question now !!! Even then I wear a head-band magbifier to cope.

                                        The good news is that I have already written up and illustrated many tutorials in advance, with Carolingian, Formal Italics, Copperplate and Gothic Textura and a section of miscellaneous variations already waiting. They are all in my files and make up about 115 pages of a printed book I have compiled. So the tutorials can keep on going for those who want them.

                                        I am in the care of a macular specialist ophthamologist surgeon and she is wonderful. Large watercolour brushes and large sheets of paper will be the go for my [I]en plein air[/I] painting each fortnight.

                                        The old fella ain’t going out to pasture yet !

                                        Geoff

                                        #508760
                                        marie_d
                                        Default

                                            Geoff….if you are sure you want to continue then I would feel very priveleged to continue along with you. But please when it gets too much for you you must let us know, I know you value the inter personal involvement and I am sure you are getting a lot of pleasure out of sharing your knowledge and expertise with us all but you mustn’t over-do it (my turn to crack the whip now :D) .

                                            Kim….can I come along on that chin wag as well?……but I will have Malibu and Lemonade, I dont like wine:D

                                            Geoff as you say, you want to continue as we have for now, I will carry on with my last exercise in the Uncial lessons. See you soon:wave:

                                            ~ Marie ~
                                            #508790
                                            dgford
                                            Default

                                                Thank you both both.

                                                Now you know why I enjoy teaching — It is the involvement with real people. I have been teaching since the late 40s. I have taught kindergarten classes ( 4-6yrs old), Primary classes (7 – 12), Secondary (11 – 16), Teachers College students, Prison classes (two evening sessions a week for 7 years), Calligraphy and Heraldic Art Diploma Classes, Teacher handwriting classes, and computer usage classes. The two-way involvement is the spice of life !!!

                                                When I leave this mortal world I’ll be cremated — so all inhabitants of any graveyard are quite safe from any more of my ear-bashing !

                                                Geoff

                                                Success is a Journey
                                                #508761
                                                marie_d
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                                                    I have completed last exercise Geoff……

                                                    Looking at in now it is scanned it is obvious where I need to amend it if I did it again……
                                                    I am happy enough with the lettering (except the ‘e’ in row 4, too sharp) but the spacing is
                                                    out on line 1 and the last line. It’s only slightly out but spoils the ‘block’ look of the text.

                                                    I would amend row 1 by bringing the ‘v’ closer to the ‘a’ in the last word.
                                                    I would amend row 4 by making the ‘e’ more rounded as it is too sharp at the top.
                                                    I would amend row 5 by writing the other optional ‘e’ as in end of rows 1 and 3 and elongate the cross bar enough to take up a little more space before placing the question mark at the end.

                                                    I have written my post in a larger font to try and help a little with your sight.

                                                    ~ Marie ~
                                                    #508791
                                                    dgford
                                                    Default

                                                        Lovely, Marie. But the main destroyer of the lettering is the retention of the Exercises Guidelines ! The interlineal spaces could then be even closer without any clashing.

                                                        The letter R could be more generous as could the closed Es

                                                        All your points are perceptive and valid and — although you may not like it — I would like you to have another go. I am looking for a frame-it quality !

                                                        By the way, it is a lovely and warming thought that you have changed the font size for me. But actually I can control that at my end so just do your usual. You must be a very nice person to have alongside.

                                                        Geoff

                                                        Success is a Journey
                                                        #508762
                                                        marie_d
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                                                            Now how did I know you were going to say that…..it does look rather untidy now as you come to think about it leaving the lines on show:D I will draw my lines in pencil and then rub them out when finished. I did this the lazy way by printing my sheets instead :)

                                                            Will also be more generous with the R and the closed E. Hope to be able to complete it over the next day or two.

                                                            See you soon:wave:

                                                            ~ Marie ~
                                                            #508763
                                                            marie_d
                                                            Default

                                                                Finished the exercise Geoff…..it was worth the time and effort drawing all the lines and then rubbing them out after. Looks much better now?

                                                                The lines are all the same length, and I have rounded the ‘R’ and the closed ‘E’ as well.
                                                                I think I am ready for a new nib as well, I have noticed some of the letters are a little bitty.

                                                                ~ Marie ~
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