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[argentlion]

So one of the things that I have always thought was really cool but never did in the SCA was calligraphy and illumination. I have a bunch of the things one needs to get started exploring this, my t square, drafting board, angles, pencils, calig markers, (no dip pen yet). I spent some time working on a nice basic hand over the weekend. Actually I

Comments

[vom_schwarzwald]

Hey Bro!

I dabble in illumination myself but I have not tried calligraphy.

[dragonazure]

I have two years' worth of graduate school computer science notes and a couple years' worth of technical design and meeting minutes from work that were done in Artificial Uncial, so I'd say that practicing on regular paper is just fine.... 8^D

Seriously, though, it was all just to train my hand to make the letter forms. But I used pencil or ballpoint pens. Genevieve used to write her grocery lists in Littera Bastarda to keep in practice.

[argentlion]

OH COOL! thank you! yeah see I was worried I'd be committing some sort of mortal C&I sin, (seriously) it’s cheaper to practice on regular bond paper and I can print out paper with my lines already drawn out. This is really exciting and fun.

[songjewel]

Ditto. Don't practice on expensive paper...save that for the good stuff, the stuff that will see the light of day, and the stuff that others will put on their walls. Artists do tons of sketches on newsprint to practice their forms...why shouldn't you?

[dragonazure]

For basic letterforms and practice, there is absoultely no reason to use expensive paper. However, that being said, I keep scrap pieces of Bristol and Pergamenata around to make sure I "recalibrate" the pressure I use for lettering and to get the feel of the flow of the ink from the dip pen (or more rarely now, cartridge pen) before starting on a piece.

[zihuatanejo]

Lucia calligs like an architect (because, you know, she is one). She has all sorts of nifty tech tricks.

[argentlion]

yeah, but I don’t really talk to her much, I was a pretty big pain in the ass to her and Iaccopo during their term as B&B. I had no issues with her at all, but I rode Iaccopo pretty damn hard. I would feel like it was wrong to ask her for help, even though it’s been a number of years. Plus it’s not like it’s hard to get info at my level :)

[syrjustus]

Practice? You mean like doing something for the sole purpose of becoming more proficent? That is a concept I have never been able to grasp. But as far as paper goes, some papers dont have the right finish for calligaling, they either dont absorb the ink leaving it standing on the surface, or they absorb it all to well, bleeding or drying a pen out all too quickly... Anyway, if your scrap paper is working for you then go for it. You can also get pads of cheap 'calligraphy' paper that while not really being suitable for finished work, at least has the proper finish for ink. I wish you had posted this last week, i have a small libary of books ill be happy to lend you, but you'll have to wait till i can put them in hand. -Justus

[argentlion]

I am in no rush, I am still learning how to form letters with a marker. I have miles and miles to go before I sleep.