Sarah Richardson - Copperplate Calligraphy From a to Z: A Step-By-Step Workbook for Mastering Elegant, Pointed-Pen Lettering

A Step-by-Step Workbook for Mastering Elegant, Pointed-Pen Lettering

Text and photographs copyright 2018 Sarah Richardson. Design and concept copyright 2018 Ulysses Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized duplication in whole or in part or dissemination of this edition by any means (including but not limited to photocopying, electronic devices, digital versions, and the internet) will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Published in the United States by:

Ulysses Press

P.O. Box 3440

Berkeley, CA 94703

www.ulyssespress.com

ISBN: 978-1-61243-879-5

History of Engrossers Script on : courtesy of Dr. Joseph Vitolo

Acquisitions: Casie Vogel

Managing editor: Claire Chun

Editor: Renee Rutledge

Proofreader: Shayna Keyles

Cover art: script Sarah Richardson; photo Daria Minaeva/shutterstock.com

Interior design: what!design @ whatweb.com

Layout: Jake Flaherty

Distributed by Publishers Group West

NOTE TO READERS: This book is independently authored and published and no sponsorship or endorsement of this book by, and no affiliation with, any trademarked brands or other products mentioned within is claimed or suggested. All trademarks that appear in this book belong to their respective owners and are used here for informational purposes only. The author and publisher encourage readers to patronize the quality brands mentioned in this book.

INTRODUCTION

The age-old art of calligraphy, especially calligraphy in the pointed pen style, has experienced an astounding rise in popularity in this digital age, taking center stage in social media. With so many calligraphy artists creating beautiful work today, the dip pen is truly in the midst of a renaissance. My hope is that this book will give you a good foundation to begin your study of calligraphy, providing information from the best tools to the correct way to form the foundational letterforms.

In this book, I will introduce you to a popular pointed pen style of calligraphy known as the Copperplate style, recognized by its 55-degree slant angle and the contrast between thin upstrokes and shaded downstrokes. I like to think of calligraphy, especially the Copperplate style, as the art of drawing letters. It is not the same as handwriting, so dont worry if you dont have perfect handwriting.

Copperplate calligraphy got its name from the engraving artists who engraved English Round Hand calligraphy onto copper plates for printing purposes. American penmen sought to re-create this style of calligraphy. The style of script they created is technically called Engravers, or Engrossers, script. However, because Copperplate has become the umbrella term used to describe Engrossers script, Engravers script, and English Round Hand, that is the term we will use for this book.

I will teach you the techniques that I have learned over the years, including:

My favorite supplies to get you started

Basics, such as how to hold your pen and position your paper

All of the lowercase strokes and how each shade is shaped

Connecting those strokes to form letters

Connecting the letters to form words

Uppercase letters, staring with the capital stem stroke and how to flourish each capital letter

How to create a custom color ink, address envelopes for events, and design beautiful layouts

One of the things I love about calligraphy is that it continuously challenges me. I like to think of it as a practice. You will not master Copperplate calligraphy overnight; it is an art that takes time and regular application. The joy of calligraphy is in the process and the time you dedicate to study. To see improvements, practice daily for about an hour per session. Repetition and study will lead you to a more keen and discerning eye for the art.

History of Engrossers Script

by Dr. Joseph Vitolo

This beautiful form of pen art is essentially an American twist on the old English Roundhand script so wonderfully represented in George Bickhams The Universal Penman. Roundhand was a form of handwriting. The English Writing Masters of old, from 15701800 CE, used a narrow flat edge quill to produce the Roundhand script found in The Universal Penman. The handwritten exemplars were transferred to a copper plate by the master engraver, using an instrument known as a burin, to ready them for printing. In some cases the penman and the engraver were the same person. The engraver could correct any inaccuracies in the written page by using his burin. This transfer of hand-penned script to the copper plate would eventually give rise to the name Copperplate for this general style of shaded script. In fact, it has become the term used in modern-day calligraphy circles for an entire range of shaded script. The earliest usage of the term Copperplate that I have come across is from Sir Ambrose Heals monumental 1931 volume entitled The English Writing-Masters and Their Copybooks, though use of the term English Roundhand likely predates 1931.

Sometime in the mid-late 1800s, penmen attempted to simulate the script produced by the burin of the copperplate engraver. This gave rise to the name Engravers script. Since it was also used extensively to engross documents, the name Engrossers script is also used. This script evolved with slower, more deliberate strokes that are analogous to ductus in text lettering.

Unlike English Roundhand, Engrossers script is NOT handwriting. Rather, it is an art form involving the drawing of letters and has been described by experts as engraving on paper. The production and availability of the flexible steel-pointed pen and oblique pen holder made Engrossers script possible.

I would like to make one last note of clarification regarding terminology. As I previously stated, the term used in modern calligraphy to describe most styles of shaded script is Copperplate. In my opinion, classifying the English roundhand script of George Bickham and the English writing masters of old with that of the CP Zaner and EA Lupfer era obscures the real differences between the script styles.

CHAPTER ONE

SUPPLIES

Luckily, calligraphy is an overall affordable hobby. In this chapter, I will share with you the tools and supplies I enjoy using for Copperplate calligraphy. We will go over nibs, holders, inks, paper, and more. Feel free to try other supplies not mentioned here, but these are the supplies I have found most useful in my own study and practice.

Nibs

The Copperplate style of calligraphy is written with a pointed nib inserted into what is called an oblique holder (see ), not to be confused with a broad edge nib or a fountain pen. Fountain pens and broad edge pens are not suitable for writing calligraphy in the Copperplate style.

The pointed nib is flexible and allows for thick downstrokes when pressure is applied, opening up the tines to release more ink. Thin upstrokes are achieved when no pressure is applied and the tines are closed at a point.