Calligraphy, Second Revised Edition. Margaret Morgan
northern European quadrata had diamond feet and was very angular; rotunda, used in Spain and Italy, was much rounder in form; and the precissus Gothic of English manuscripts was characterized by its flat feet.
GOTHIC HAND
PRECISSUS
ROTUNDA
QUADRATA
the renaissance
SQUARE CAPITALS
During the Renaissance period in Italy (c. 1300–1500), there was a resurgence of interest in classical literature, and Italian scribes rediscovered the Carolingian minuscule. They also studied the Roman inscriptional letters and Bartolommeo San Vito revived the use of square capitals, developing his own distinctive style. Humanist minuscules, closely based on Carolingian, with their rounded forms, were very legible, dignified, and perfectly suited to formal texts.
HUMANIST MINUSCULES
What we now call italics also emerged at this time. Written with a slight slant and fewer pen lifts, italics were oval in form and flowed elegantly and relatively swiftly from the pen, making them ideal for secretaries writing documents at speed. Italics eventually evolved into copperplate script, where thicks and thins are made by applying degrees of pressure to a pointed nib, a move away from true pen-written forms.
HUMANIST ITALICS
calligraphy in modern times
Printing with movable type was invented around the mid-15th century, but printing didn’t entirely destroy the art of penmanship. Letters, patents, and diplomas were still produced in the traditional way. However, much of the craft fell out of use for almost two centuries, until William Morris rekindled interest in pen-lettering for the Arts and Crafts movement in the 19th century. Morris championed the cause of the craftsman-made objects in an age of increasing mass production, putting his studies of old manuscripts to good use when he set up his Kelmscott Press in 1890 in order to print beautiful and individual books. The real breakthrough for calligraphy came with the researches of Edward Johnston during the early part of the 20th century. His painstaking work brought about the rediscovery of broad-edged nibs and their importance in the development of the Western alphabet. His influence spread throughout Britain and into Europe in the 1940s and 50s, as well as to the United States.
Equipment Overview
The very basic requirements for creating letterforms are pen, pencil, ink, paper, and a drawing board, but before long you will probably want to add other items to your toolbox, such as some of those listed in the following pages. You will need some of these extra items in order to complete all the projects in this book. Buy these items gradually, getting the best you can afford, which will pay dividends over time. Good equipment not only gives satisfaction in use, but, as long as it is properly looked after, will last for many years.
essential equipment
To start practicing calligraphy, you will need just a small toolbox of essential equipment.
Brushes: Load nibs and mix paints with inexpensive brushes; keep the best quality sables for fine finished work (see page).
Dip pens: A dip pen consists of a pen holder that can be fixed with nibs of various sizes and ink reservoirs, if required (see pages 16 and 26). It can be used with ink or paint (see page).
Drawing board: You will need a board at least 16” x 23” (A2 size/420 x 594mm), preferably larger, to work on. Instead of buying a board, you can easily make your own, quite cheaply, from an offcut of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) (see page).
Ink: Use non-waterproof ink bought in bottles (see page).
Masking tape: A low-tack masking tape should be used to attach paper to the drawing board surface; it can be removed easily.
Metal ruler or straight edge: This should be used for cutting paper or cardstock with a scalpel or craft knife; a plastic ruler will be quickly damaged by sharp scalpel blades.
Paper: You will need a variety of papers, depending on the nature of the project, as well as layout and tracing paper to make roughs (see page).
Pencils: Have a #2 (H or HB) pencil handy for ruling lines (see page).
Plastic eraser: This should be soft enough not to smudge or spoil lettering.
Transparent ruler: An 18” (45cm) clear plastic ruler will be the most useful for ruling lines because you can see your work through it.
useful additions
These additions to the basic toolbox will be necessary as you progress from the early writing exercises to working on the projects
Bone folder: This specialty tool is used for scoring and folding paper and is available from suppliers of bookbinding materials, as well as at larger local craft stores.
Compasses and dividers: You will need these to draw circles and mark points for ruling lines. Springbow dividers have a central screw to retain a set measurement.
Cutting mat: This is a special mat made from “self-healing” rubber that does not blunt or damage scalpel or craft knife blades. Thick cardstock is a cheaper, temporary alternative.
Knife: A scalpel with disposable blades should be used for trimming out finished work. A pointed blade is best for this, but scalpels have different blades for different applications. Use a craft or Stanley knife for heavy cardstock, as the stronger blades will withstand the extra pressure required without snapping. Both knives are useful for sharpening your pencils to a really sharp point.
Paint: Designer’s gouache is the most commonly used paint for writing with a dip pen. Watercolor paints are used to make background washes (see page).
Palette: A china palette with a number of small wells can be used for mixing paint. A lidded china palette will keep paints from drying out.
Repositionable glue: Cow gum is a non-permanent glue that