(lower case letters)
Note. If you have not already done so, it is recommended that you read the Introduction to Calligraphy before starting these lessons.
In a previous lesson you learnt some basic details about Calligraphic hands.
In this lesson you will learn one specific hand known as Italic.
The following shows a set of guidelines for the Italic hand.
The 'X' height or Waist is 5 nib widths.
The Descender is 3 nib widths.
The Ascender for the Majuscules (Capitals) is 2 nib widths.
The Ascender for the Minuscules is 3 nib widths.
In general the letter forms are based on an ellipse, an ellipse is a flattened circle.
The upright parts of the letters are slanted approximately 5 to 10 degrees from the vertical, equivalent to 85 to 80 degrees from the horizontal.
In these lessons we will use 85 degrees.
Calli-Graphic II, the Guideline drawing software, makes producing these guidelines very easy.
The pen angle can be between 30 and 40 degrees. In these lessons we will use 40 degrees, but some manipulation of pen angle is used.
Draw your guidelines
In the lesson 'Introduction to Broad Pen Calligraphy' we learnt how guidelines can be used to give consistency to our lettering, so now is the time to draw some.
Obviously you can use Calli-Graphic II to produce your guidelines.
For beginners it is strongly advised that you use straight lines, leave the curves until later. Follow the instructions for the HLines, in the Calli-Graphic II instructions.
If you prefer you can draw the guidelines manually as follows
First draw a nib ladder consisting of 11 nib widths.
Draw a number of these nib ladders, leave a space of 2 nib widths between the sets. This gives a total of 13 nib widths before a repeat.
Using your pencil and ruler draw the guidelines to the pattern
shown above. There should be five guidelines to a set. Make sure the guidelines
are parallel to each other.
A drawing board and a tee square help a lot to ensure the guidelines are parallel.
Also draw a series of inclined guidelines, draw these approximately 3 nib widths
apart.
As an alternative you can used squared paper, particularly if the size of the squares matches the width of your pen nib.
Using Calli-Graphic II guideline drawing software, you
can quickly and easily generate the required guidelines.
Italic is one of the preloaded hands. Just select your nib from the extensive
list of popular brands and print as many as you want.
Use your 30 day free trial to see how time consuming it is to draw guidelines
and how easily Calli-Graphic II does this for you.
To get warmed up draw a number of straight lines, with your Calligraphy pen, as shown below. Keep the pen angle at 40 degrees. See how the thickness of the lines varies depending upon the direction in which they are drawn. This variation in line thickness gives a 'Calligraphic feel' to your writing. Always Pull rather than Push the pen.
Note the outlines shown in these lessons are intended to illustrate the way in which the shapes (letters) are formed, they represent the path of either edge of the pen.
It is not intended that they be drawn out and then filled in, the pen does all the letter drawing.
A number of letters in a hand have similar characteristics and
letters are generally learnt in groups.
All the letters above are formed in a similar way.
First we will start with the letter 'a'.
First we will start by seeing how the letter is formed.
The curved parts of the letter are based on two ellipses as shown below.
See how this ellipse goes below the base line.See
how this ellipse goes above the waist height
Combining these at the cut lines gives the following
We now need to add the Upright piece of the letter, this is a short inclined straight line.
To
make it clearer,
we remove the
bits we don't want,
When we combine the skeletal forms, and remove the overlaps we get the following.
If you really want to see all three together here it is!
Note the letter is based on ellipses and the upright slants at about 5 degrees from the vertical, or 85 degrees from the horizontal.
The animation below shows the way the pen is moved and the sequence of these moves, this is called the ductus.
In practice it is normal to add a small serif to the start and end of the straight line, as shown.
As you develop in calligraphy you will develop your own style. Although Italic is a recognized hand, each Calligraphers rendition of it is slightly different.
The letter 'd' is similar to the 'a', the main difference is the upright is taller and straighter.
The upright extend 3 nib widths above the X height
The letter strokes are similatr to the letter 'a', note the serifs and ductus.
'g' is similar to the 'a' but with a tail.
Use the same 'fatter' elipse shape that formed part of the 'a', for the tail og the 'g'.
Lets compare the three letters, 'a', 'd' & 'g'
'q' is similar to 'a' but with a tail
The letter 'c' is based on an ellipse as shown below
the 'e' is similar to the 'c' but with a cross-bar
