Beginner's Guide to Calligraphy.pdf

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Table of Contents

History of Calligraphy

2



Basic Strokes

6



Vertical Roman

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Italic Cursive

8



Gothic or Black Letter

9



Uncial

10



Practice Paper

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Works Cited/ About the Authors 17

All Rights Reserved Copyright ©2010 Ben Clarke and Moriah Sanford

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History of Calligraphy 11

History of Calligraphy

for everyday letters, formal correspondence and invitations. As the arts flourish during Europe’s Renaissance, so too did the art of calligraphy. Italians during this he art of calligraphy as we know it today time invented the italic script, which became popular actually finds its origins in cave paintings. throughout most of Europe. But calligraphers were Back in the days when communication was threatened once again with the advent of engraved a series of grunts, the written word was a copperplates in the 17th century, which permitted the mere pictorial representation of significant events in a printing of finer lines more attuned to italic script. One caveman’s life. As humans developed, the art of drawhundred years later, artistic penmaning pictures became quite highly ship was in a steep decline. developed and reached great heights To further complicate matters for under the direction of the Egyptians. artistic scribes, by the 19th cenAbout 3500 BC, the Egyptians cretury the steel pen and fountain pen ated the highly stylized hieroglyphreplaced the flat-edged pen. The ics for which they are so well known. rounded tip of these new pens made These symbols were incised inside the special curves of calligraphy tombs or painted with brushes more difficult to achieve. The art across papyrus paper. A few thouitself might have seen its extinction sand years later, around 1000 BC, the if it weren’t for the British poet and Phoenicians went a step further and artist William Morris. In the mid-19th developed what is believed to be century William Morris spearheaded one of the first alphabets and writing a calligraphic revival, reintroducing systems. Luckily the Phoenicians the flat edged pen and elevating the were sea faring types and they readact of writing to the art form of its ily passed along their new talents past. to every seaport through which they It might appear that the art of calpassed. They most likely influenced ligraphy couldn’t possibly withstand the Greeks who later developed their own form of writing, which by 850 BC An example of Egyptian calligraphy, the competition from the 20th cenknown as Hieroglyphics tury’s most important invention – the the Romans had adapted to suit the computer. With a click of the mouse, Latin language. a list of various scripts are generated electronically and It just so happens that Latin was the lingua franca lasered onto bleached paper in an instant – the art of of the churches of Europe in the Middle Ages and the script preserved in an electronic pulse. But calligraphy monks (and a smattering of nobility) constituted the is flourishing more than ever with calligraphic societies only literate members of society. Since nothing could throughout the United States and Europe. According be more glorious than the word of God, the monks to noted calligrapher, Julian Waters during a lecture at began to carefully scribe ancient texts into decoraWashington’s Sidwell Friends School in 1997, true caltive books used by high-ranking church members and ligraphy is the art of producing letters that capture the royalty. Paper was expensive during the Middle Ages, spirit of the text they represent. For many artists, much so scribing monks developed a writing style that was mental pre-planning is necessary to fully understand narrower allowing more words to fit on a single line. the text before deciding how to display it in its full This style came to be known as Gothic and lasted as beauty. This type of emotion can not always be genera popular scribing technique throughout much of the ated from a computer, which for Julian Waters is ‘simply Middle Ages. another tool’ to be manipulated by the artist. By the mid 15th century, however, Johannes Calligraphy is a popular art form whose boundarGutenberg had invented the printing press based upon ies are not restricted to Europe and the United States. the Gothic lettering of the monks. This new technique Around 1500 BC the Chinese developed a complicated allowed for faster printing of Bibles and threatened the writing technique using more than 1500 characters. métier of the monks. Although the use of the printing Today the Chinese consider calligraphy to be one press spread worldwide, handwriting skills were still in of their most respected art forms. Master Chinese high demand. The bulky printing press was too coarse

2 2 History of Calligraphy

half-uncial (from the Latin “uncia,” or “inch”) develcalligraphers may appear to be spontaneously stroking oped from a variety of Roman book hands. The 7th-9th a brush over the paper, but many meditate extensively centuries in northern Europe were the heyday of Celtic before designing. The Arabs are also noted for their history of calligraphy. Their cursive is written from right illuminated manuscripts, such as the Book of Durrow, Lindisfarne Gospels and the Book of Kells. to left and formed by eighteen distinct shapes, the Charlemagne’s devotion to improved scholarship various combinations of which produce twenty-eight letters. Arabic script appears highly distinctive from the resulted in the recruiting of “a crowd of scribes”, according to Alcuin, the Abbot of York. lettering used throughout most of Alcuin developed the style known Europe, but Arabic calligraphy has as the Caroline or Carolingian had many of the same Greek and minuscule. The first manuscript Phoenician influences. In Arabic in this hand was the Godescalc calligraphy there are six major Evangelistary (finished 783) — a scripts (Farsi, Naskh, Kufi, Deewani, Gospel book written by the scribe Req’aa, and Thuluth) representing Godescalc. Carolingian remains various artistic styles. the one progenitor hand from For true calligraphers, the art of which modern book type descends. penmanship will always be alive as Blackletter (also known as Gothic) long as there is at least one artist and its variation Rotunda, graduwilling to carry on the tradition. ally developed from the Carolingian Despite super fast computers that can produce a myriad of different The Phoenician alphabet. This alphabet hand during the 12th century. fonts, real calligraphy comes from was spread throughout the Mediterranean Over the next three centuries, the scribes in northern Europe used deep within the artist who strives to an ever more compressed and spiky form of Gothic. evoke the true emotion of the script through the words Those in Italy and Spain preferred the rounder but they draw. Calligraphy has survived throughout history still heavy-looking Rotunda. During the 15th century, despite printing presses and copperplate engravings, Italian scribes returned to the Roman and Carolingian and dedicated followers of the art expect it to outlast models of writing and designed the Italic hand, also the next big invention of the 21st century. called Chancery cursive, and Roman book hand. These This passage was taken from: http://www.essortment.com/all/ three hands — Gothic, Italic, and Roman book hand calligraphyhist_reyt.htm — became the models for printed letters. Johannes Gutenberg used Gothic to print his famous Bible, but Western calligraphy is the calligraphy of the Latin the lighter-weight Italic and Roman book hand have writing system, and to a lesser degree the Greek and since become the standard. Cyrillic writing systems.[ Early alphabets had evolved During the Middle Ages, hundreds of thousands of by about 3000 BC. From the Etruscan alphabet evolved manuscripts were produced: some illuminated with the Latin alphabet. Capital letters (majuscules) gold and fine painting, some illustrated with line drawemerged first, followed by the invention of lower case ings, and some just textbooks. letters (minuscules) in the Carolingian period. The history of lettering records many excursions into historical Western calligraphy is the calligraphy of the Latin obscurity and disuse as well as elaborating the story of writing system, and to a lesser degree the Greek and what gave rise to contemporary print. Cyrillic writing systems. Early alphabets had evolved by Long, heavy rolls of papyrus were replaced by the about 3000 BC. From the Etruscan alphabet evolved the Romans with the first books, initially simply folded Latin alphabet. Capital letters (majuscules) emerged pages of parchment made from animal skins. Reed first, followed by the invention of lower case letters pens were replaced by quill pens. (minuscules) in the Carolingian period. The history of Christian churches promoted the development lettering records many excursions into historical obscuof writing through the prolific copying of the Bible, rity and disuse as well as elaborating the story of what particularly the New Testament and other sacred texts. gave rise to contemporary print. [11] Two distinct styles of writing known as uncial and

Development of Western Style Calligraphy

Development of Western Style Calligraphy

History of Calligraphy 33

Long, heavy rolls of papyrus were replaced by the of Copperplate hands have represented such writing Romans with the first books, initially simply folded to have been with a sharp pointed nib instead of the pages of parchment made from animal skins. Reed broad-edged one used in most calligraphic writing. This pens were replaced by quill pens. so called “Copperplate Myth” represents the name to Christian churches promoted the development of come from the sharp lines of the writing style resemwriting through the prolific copying of the Bible, parbling the etches of engraved copper printing plates. It ticularly the New Testament and other sacred texts. Two is unlikely that this picture represents the historical oridistinct styles of writing known as uncial and half-ungins of the term accurately, but is rather more reflective cial (from the Latin “uncia,” or “inch”) developed from a of later 19th and 20th century antipecuniary comfort of variety of Roman book hands. The 7th-9th centuries in the Arts and Crafts movement participants. It is most northern Europe were the heyday of Celtic illuminated likely that what is today written with pointed steel nibs manuscripts, such as the Book of Durrow, Lindisfarne began stylistic life before the 1820s with a broad edged Gospels and the Book of Kells. quill and a number of period pen hold, posture and arm Charlemagne’s devotion to improved scholarship position variations to facilitate the fine lines. Hence resulted in the recruiting of there was likely a gradual “a crowd of scribes”, accordchange in historic writing ing to Alcuin, the Abbot of practices and a reorientation York. Alcuin developed the of the vocation and place of style known as the Caroline writing rather than the elimior Carolingian minuscule. nation of the art. The first manuscript in this At the end of the 19th hand was the Godescalc century, the aesthetics and Evangelistary (finished 783) philosophy of William Morris An example of traditional western style — a Gospel book written and the Arts and Crafts calligraphy with hint of Gothic style. by the scribe Godescalc. movement appealed to many Carolingian remains the calligraphers, including one progenitor hand from which modern book type Englishmen Edward Johnston and Eric Gill. Johnston descends. Blackletter(also known as Gothic) and its was introduced to 10th-century manuscripts, at the variation Rotunda, gradually developed from the Fitzherbert Museum by Sir Sidney Cockerell and based Carolingian hand during the 12th century. Over the next his own calligraphy on them. Johnston and his students three centuries, the scribes in northern Europe used were to redefine, revive and popularize English broadan ever more compressed and spiky form of Gothic. pen calligraphy. Those in Italy and Spain preferred the rounder but The legacy of the Arts and Crafts movement includes still heavy-looking Rotunda. During the 15th century, considerable myth. Published in 1906, Johnston’s best Italian scribes returned to the Roman and Carolingian known work Writing, Illuminating & Lettering never models of writing and designed the Italic hand, also used the terms “Foundational” or “Foundational Hand” called Chancery cursive, and Roman book hand. These for which he is most remembered. Johnston initially three hands — Gothic, Italic, and Roman book hand taught his students an uncial hand using a flat pen — became the models for printed letters. Johannes angle, but later taught his “foundational hand” using Gutenberg used Gothic to print his famous Bible, but a slanted pen angle. He first referred to this hand as the lighter-weight Italic and Roman book hand have “Foundational Hand” in Plate 6 of his 1909 publicasince become the standard. tion, Manuscript & Inscription Letters for Schools and During the Middle Ages, hundreds of thousands of Classes and for the Use of Craftsmen. The Johnston manuscripts were produced: some illuminated with Typeface (commissioned in 1916) became the basis for gold and fine painting, some illustrated with line drawthe London Underground signage and continues today ings, and some just textbooks. in the New Johnston typeface, revised in 1988. At about the same time as Johnston, Austrian Rudolf Larisch was teaching lettering at the Vienna School The rise of printing from movable type in the midof Art and published six lettering books that greatly 15th century did not mean the end of calligraphy. influenced German-speaking calligraphers. Because Illuminated manuscripts declined, however, after printGerman-speaking countries had not abandoned the ing became ubiquitous. Conventionally the histories

Resurgence of Western Calligraphy

4 4 History of Calligraphy

Gothic hand in printing, Gothic also had a powerful to this nothing can be added; all Rules must give way effect on their styles. Rudolf Koch was a friend and to Truth and Freedom.” younger contemporary of Larisch. Koch’s books, type The multi-million dollar Saint John’s Bible project designs, and teaching made him one of the most infor the 21st century has engaged Donald Jackson with fluential calligraphers of the 20th century in northern an international scriptorium and is nearing compleEurope and later in the U.S. Larisch and Koch taught tion. It is designed as a 21st century illuminated Bible, and inspired many European executed with both ancient and calligraphers, notably Friedrich modern tools and techniques. Neugebauer, Karlgeorg Hoefer, The earlier 20th-century “Bulley and Hermann Zapf. Bible” was executed by a student Graily Hewitt was most reof Edward Johnston’s, Edward sponsible for the revival of the Bulley. art of gilding, both by contributThe digital era has facilitated ing to Writing, Illuminating and the creation and dissemination Lettering (Chapter 9 Appendix) of thousands of new and historiand through his own publicacally styled fonts. Calligraphy tions, most notably Lettering for gives unique expression to every Students & Craftsmen (1930). individual letter form within a Hewitt is not without both Calligraphy in a Latin Bible of AD 1407 on design layout which is not the critics and supporters in his strength of typeface technolodisplay in Malmesbury Abbey, rendering of Cennino Cennini’s gies no matter their sophisticaWiltshire, England. medieval gesso recipes. Donald tion. The usefulness of the digiJackson, a British calligrapher, tal medium to the calligrapher has sourced his gesso recipes from earlier centuries a is not limited to the computer layout of the new Saint number of which are not presently in English translaJohn’s Bible prior to working by hand. Writing directly tion. Graily Hewitt created the patent announcing the in the digital medium is facilitated via graphics tablets award to Prince Philip of the title of Duke of Edinburgh (e.g. Wacom and Toshiba) and is expected to grow in on November 19 1947, the day before his marriage to use with the introduction of Microsoft Windows Vista Queen Elizabeth. operating system (“Vista Pen Flicks”) in 2007. Apple Inc. Many typefaces are based on historical hands, such introduced a similar “shorthand” facility in their Tiger as Blackletter (including Fraktur), Lombardic, Uncial, operating system in 2005. Graphics tablets facilitate Italic, and Round hand. calligraphic design work more than large size art pieces. The internet supports a number of online communities of calligraphers and hand lettering artists. Calligraphy today finds diverse applications. These include graphic design, logo design, type design, paint[Excerpt taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ ings, scholarship, maps, menus, greeting cards, invitaWestern_calligraphy] tions, legal documents, diplomas, cut stone inscriptions, memorial documents, props and moving images for film and television, business cards, and handmade presentations. Many calligraphers make their livelihood in the addressing of envelopes and invitations for public and private events including wedding stationery. Entry points exist for both children and adults via classes and instruction books. The scope of the calligraphic art is more than pure antiquarian interest. Johnston’s legacy remains pivotal to the ambitions of perhaps most Western Calligraphy of the German word “Urkunde” which transcalligraphers: lates to “deed.” “It is possible even now to go back to the child’s something like the early calligrapher’s - point of view, and this is the only healthy one for any fine beginning:

Calligraphy Today

History of Calligraphy 55

Basic Strokes

Probably the first thing you would do as a beginner calligrapher is practice the basic elements of letters — vertical and horizontal stems, round strokes, slanted stems. Here are some letter elements for the Roman hand:

More Tips 1. Intentionally make time to practice. I've found that if you actually schedule practice time, it becomes a part of your routine. It is the routine that will help make you a better calligrapher. 2. Consistently practice your craft. Setting a schedule to practice once per month will not help you learn how to write calligraphy. Consistent, scheduled practice makes for beautiful works of this amazing art. Let's say at least once per week. 3. Share your practice works with others. Sharing what you create is a powerful way to gain momentum in the learning process. Praise and constructive criticism is always helpful for the mind and the spirit. Now try your hand at performing basic strokes using the lins below (Note that none of these basic strokes will be used as ascenders or descenders yet).

6 6 History of Calligraphy

Vertical Roman Vertical is the most common type of calligraphy. It’s shape is created from a rectangle with serifs on the ends of the letters. A serif is a small line on the beginning of a stroke and the end of a stroke.

Practice: trace the letters with a paint brush or pen.

History of Calligraphy 77

Italic or Cursive This font is slanted rather then straight, it is also flowing and free. Be sure to ease up on your grip when using this font.

Practice:

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Gothic or Black Letter A more formal font but it is difficult to read. It is one of the first fonts of calligraphy ever used. It is also the most recognized of all fonts.

Practice:

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Uncial Uncial is a combination of upper case letters and lower case letters. It shows stregnth and intensity with elegnce.

Practice:

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Works Cited History of Calligraphy- http://www.essortment.com/all/calligraphyhist_reyt.htm Calligraphy- http://www.martinfrost.ws/htmlfiles/calligraphy.html Phoenician Alphabet- http://www.phoenician.org/alphabet_phoenician.GIF Western Calligraphy- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_calligraphy How to Write Calligraphy- http://www.squidoo.com/howtowritecalligraphy Inkscape Tutorial: Calligraphy- http://www.inkscape.org/doc/calligraphy/tutorial-calligraphy.html

About the Authors Ben Clarke

Ben Clarke is a student at Hamilton High School in Chandler, Arizona. He enjoys spending his time hanging out with his friends, watching TV, and playing video games. For this book, he set the type, did research on the history of calligraphy, and formatted the book.



Moriah Sanford

Moriah Sanford is a junior at Hamilton High School in Chandler, Arizona. She enjoys her spare time playing video games, hanging out with friends, and playing with her ferrets. For this book she did all the calligraphy and created the background and covers.

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