From: owner-scribes@castle.org (scribes digest) To: scribes-digest@castle.org Subject: scribes digest V2 #8 Reply-To: Sender: owner-scribes@castle.org Errors-To: owner-scribes@castle.org Precedence: bulk scribes digest Saturday, May 16 1998 Volume 02 : Number 008 In this issue: Re: [scribes]: Teaching Calligraphy Re: [scribes]: Burnishing tools (was: Rubrication?? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 16 May 1998 09:26:48 -0400 From: wyverns Subject: Re: [scribes]: Teaching Calligraphy I teach more illumination than calligraphy, but ... I recommend a) encourage the student to pick a simpler hand to start with (not gothic) and work up to those that are more complex (i.e. require many strokes for the most simple letters) b) have them practice l's and o's until they are tired of them or get them consistantly right, whichever comes first. this gives them most of the pieces they need - the straight strokes, the curves to the left, and the curves to the right. - --Then do m and (d or b or p), which gives them internal letter proportions, horizontal extensions, and connections between curves and lines - --Then do any unique letters, such as the f/s's that have long trailers, z's, h's with the curled tails, and such like letters - --Then do capitols following the sequence all over again (although which letters constitute 'straight strokes' and which letters constitute 'curves' may be different) c) along the way or as a means of practice, get thin, cheap paper and lay it over the top of a page of the text and have them follow along the available letters to get a better feel for the stroke, spacing, and sequencing of letters. d) some people find it complicates their lives, some people think it helps: if one is trying to get a basic feel for a specific hand, I recommend starting with a magic marker calligraphy pen, so that the student don't have to think about ink flow and other issues. If the focus is on learning how to handle a calligraphy pen, have the student use a hand that they are already familiar with or just print modern style so that they are focussing on grip and ink flow and such factors and not having to worry about letter forms at the same time. e) i had a teacher tht came behind students and grabbed the en out of their hand as they wrote - if there was a blurb because of it, then the student was holding the pen too tight. I've also gotten good at avaiding -oooppps- from bumped tables that way. As a teacher, I just tell them that I -should- be able to take the pen away without disturbing the ink on the paper, and I will (try to) pull it away when they have lifted their pen from the paper. Hope this helps - --Enid ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 16 May 1998 10:30:05 EDT From: FITCHYBEAR Subject: Re: [scribes]: Burnishing tools (was: Rubrication?? In a message dated 98-05-15 19:39:45 EDT, brownwell@home.com writes: << If any of you have an inside track to a leaf manufacturer, we (meaning I) would like gold at 0.55 grains per sheet, or 870 sheets per ounce, or 36 grams per 1000 sheets. Just in case... >> Master John the Artificer sells Cennini weight leaf at a reasonable price.....JimBear ------------------------------ End of scribes digest V2 #8 ***************************