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Italic Lesson 1
You’ve chosen to learn italic – a great decision. Italic is probably the most adaptable of all the calligraphic hands, with versions that are highly formal though to freely flowing letters perfect for a name on a birthday card or a creative version of a poem or other text.
These are all examples of my work:
These are all examples of my work:
but it's well worth looking at calligraphy online (and for real, if you can) as the creativity and variety is stunning. Here's a few I found from favourite calligraphers:
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IMPORTANT NOTE 1 : Calligraphy is not handwriting
One of the things to remember about calligraphy is that it is not handwriting. Handwriting is that thing that you do because you’ve a need to make a note of something which is sufficiently legible, at a reasonable speed. Calligraphy is the creation of something that you (and hopefully others) will want to look at again and again, because it is visually pleasing. Although there are calligraphers who write very quickly, they are in the tiny minority – for most calligraphers the creation of the letters is not speedy at all, and nor should it be. You will get faster as the letter shapes become more familiar and you don’t need to stop and check what you’re doing so often, but the formation of each stroke is a considered and careful action, and is unlikely to be very speedy. (I’m often asked if calligraphy will improve someone’s handwriting: I don’t believe that it will, unless the love of calligraphy causes them to choose to alter their personal handwriting.) IMPORTANT NOTE 2 : Don't press on the page The other thing I wanted to mention right at the start is the pressure of the writing instrument on the page. The mechanics of a biro, which is so often the tool of choice, does encourage us to press hard on the page to get the pen writing, and often people continue to press hard once the pen is working. For calligraphy this is an issue : the best letters will come when your pen is merely gliding over the page, gently depositing the ink in place. The more you press, the less likely your pen will work well (and indeed for a dip pen, you may damage it). So right from the start, think about having a light touch on the page – it will reap benefits later! |
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A bit of history:
In the 15th century the script in use across Europe was Gothic. Not only were there different variations of the script from region to region, but it had reached a point where it was written in such a compressed way (it is also known as Blackletter), with letters made of such similar strokes, that it was almost unreadable. Over time, the skilful Renaissance scribes of Rome developed a script that can be quick to write, can be small (and hence economical with parchment) and is clear to read. 
One of the great manuscripts to study for a beautiful, unadorned italic script is the sonnets of Pietro Bembo written in Italy in the 16th century.
The lettering is tiny – the body height of the letters is less than 2 mm – but consistent, rhythmical and elegant. 
Italic is a basic hand to which much decoration can be added – the flourishing of the scribe Arrighi in his writing book La Operina may not be to our modern taste bus shows incredible skill.
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OK…… here we go with your first lesson….
For this lesson you will need:
Pencil (HB is fine)
Paper (A4 is fine)
Something round (e.g. a mug)
Ruler
These lessons are designed to suit someone who is trying calligraphy for the first time, so if that sounds like you, welcome!
If you have already done some calligraphy, and maybe even italic before – that’s great and it will help you speed along – but I suggest you approach each lesson as if it’s all brand new to you – we all benefit from going back to the beginning in subjects now and again.
When we start to learn a new calligraphy hand, it’s good to get to grips with the shapes of letters using a pencil before we introduce a pen, so the early lessons are about understanding the shapes that lie behind the italic letters.
We will end up with a whole lower case alphabet which gets us used to the key shapes, and can be used to write beautifully in its own right.
But first we’re going to play with some shapes.
Is your pencil sharp? If not, use a sharpener or knife to get a good point – your work will look better if you keep your pencil sharp at all times.
First of all I want you to use the pencil to draw around your circular item so that you have a circle on the page – it doesn’t matter particularly how big it is – anywhere between 3cm and 15cm across is fine.
Now use the ruler to draw a horizontal line and a horizontal line across the middle of your circle.
You should have something like this >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
If you have already done some calligraphy, and maybe even italic before – that’s great and it will help you speed along – but I suggest you approach each lesson as if it’s all brand new to you – we all benefit from going back to the beginning in subjects now and again.
When we start to learn a new calligraphy hand, it’s good to get to grips with the shapes of letters using a pencil before we introduce a pen, so the early lessons are about understanding the shapes that lie behind the italic letters.
We will end up with a whole lower case alphabet which gets us used to the key shapes, and can be used to write beautifully in its own right.
But first we’re going to play with some shapes.
Is your pencil sharp? If not, use a sharpener or knife to get a good point – your work will look better if you keep your pencil sharp at all times.
First of all I want you to use the pencil to draw around your circular item so that you have a circle on the page – it doesn’t matter particularly how big it is – anywhere between 3cm and 15cm across is fine.
Now use the ruler to draw a horizontal line and a horizontal line across the middle of your circle.
You should have something like this >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Now use the ruler to put a box around the outside of your circle >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
We’re going to come back and look at the shapes we made in a moment.
We’re going to come back and look at the shapes we made in a moment.
Now draw 4 separate boxes in a row – each one approximately 2cm square. (You might want to use the ruler for this first set – after that I’m going to ask you to draw them freehand.)
In each of the boxes I want you to draw a quarter circle – yes, freehand! (Each box should contain a different quarter – top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right). Use the circle/square picture we created before to help you.
It can be tempting to get the pencil across the square as quickly as possible – this is not a proper quarter circle. Make sure you are putting a generous quarter circle in each box.
It can be tempting to get the pencil across the square as quickly as possible – this is not a proper quarter circle. Make sure you are putting a generous quarter circle in each box.
The arrows show the direction that the pencil starts moving, and finishes moving.
I recommend having a practice of these shapes until you feel you’re pretty good at those quarter circles.
Take a photo or scan of your best quarter circles in boxes.
I recommend having a practice of these shapes until you feel you’re pretty good at those quarter circles.
Take a photo or scan of your best quarter circles in boxes.
You know you don't have to do all the lesson in one go? If you've not had a break for a cup of tea yet, I strongly recommend that you do so!
Let the new knowledge soak in, and recharge your batteries to learn some more.
We’re carrying on with shapes for now – two really important things are happening as we do this – you’re learning the shapes that create great italic letters, and you’re increasing your control of the writing instrument (still a pencil, for now).
You will notice that your control over the pencil/pen increases with practice. I still find that as I start writing each day, my first marks are make are wobbly and out of control. The only way to deal with this is to do some mark-making (letters or controlled doodles or anything) on scrap paper until you feel in control.
Pencil sharp? Quarter circles practiced? Excellent!
Having practiced all those quarter circles, I’m going to tell you that only 2 of them occur in italic lettering. They are the top left and bottom right, so it’s time to say goodbye to the other 2 – we won’t be needing them any more.
Make sure you have a reminder of the shapes we are going to be using in front of you.
You will notice that your control over the pencil/pen increases with practice. I still find that as I start writing each day, my first marks are make are wobbly and out of control. The only way to deal with this is to do some mark-making (letters or controlled doodles or anything) on scrap paper until you feel in control.
Pencil sharp? Quarter circles practiced? Excellent!
Having practiced all those quarter circles, I’m going to tell you that only 2 of them occur in italic lettering. They are the top left and bottom right, so it’s time to say goodbye to the other 2 – we won’t be needing them any more.
Make sure you have a reminder of the shapes we are going to be using in front of you.
What we’re going to go now is create the SHARK FIN and BUTTER KNIFE shapes which take us a step closer to italic.
Draw a row of 10 or more boxes each approximately 2 cm square. I’d encourage you to be working freehand.
Now draw in the top left quarter circle (pushing the pencil upwards and across). When you get to the corner, change direction and come down the side of the box
Draw a row of 10 or more boxes each approximately 2 cm square. I’d encourage you to be working freehand.
Now draw in the top left quarter circle (pushing the pencil upwards and across). When you get to the corner, change direction and come down the side of the box
Now work along your row of boxes, but start to allow a tiny amount of rounding in that top right hand corner – even sharks don’t have super sharp points on their fins!
OK - now draw 10 boxes next to each other. Each box will have a shark fin in it, but you're going to make you way along the line without lifting your pencil. (But your pencil will come to a stop and change direction, as you finish a downstroke and start the next upward curve.)
One more exercise with shark fins - draw this shape on your page.
OK - now draw 10 boxes next to each other. Each box will have a shark fin in it, but you're going to make you way along the line without lifting your pencil. (But your pencil will come to a stop and change direction, as you finish a downstroke and start the next upward curve.)
One more exercise with shark fins - draw this shape on your page.
Starting at *, keeping your pencil on the page, create the following:
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Can you feel that you're writing shapes that could easily become Ms and Ns? I do hope so!
Now draw 10 or more new boxes. For the bottom right quarter circle we’re going to start by going down the left hand edge of the box. Then when we get to the corner, we change direction and draw in the quarter circle. |
As before, repeat the shape, but gradually allow a little rounding of the sharp corner (changing from a steak knife to a butter knife!).
Have a good practice at these shapes – they will appear again and again in our letters.
Have a good practice at these shapes – they will appear again and again in our letters.
Time for another brain rest, I think. Have a walk around the garden, or stare out of the window - or leave it for a few days! There's no rush!
OK..... remember those shark fins and butter knives?
Draw 2 boxes on top of one another. Put a shark fin in the top box, and a butter knife in the bottom box, and there you have your first letter – it’s an O!
Sit back and admire it – you’re on your way! (Only 25 letters to go...!!)
While you’re admiring it, notice that while we think of O as being a round letter, our starter shapes for italic have straight sides on a letter O – this is important.
You might even be thinking – well that looks a bit of a strange shape. Yes – you’re right – but stick with me, and you’ll see that it helps us get all the italic shapes right, and will look great when we come to use a pen.
Draw 2 boxes on top of one another. Put a shark fin in the top box, and a butter knife in the bottom box, and there you have your first letter – it’s an O!
Sit back and admire it – you’re on your way! (Only 25 letters to go...!!)
While you’re admiring it, notice that while we think of O as being a round letter, our starter shapes for italic have straight sides on a letter O – this is important.
You might even be thinking – well that looks a bit of a strange shape. Yes – you’re right – but stick with me, and you’ll see that it helps us get all the italic shapes right, and will look great when we come to use a pen.
First practice them in double boxes, then rule 2 lines, 2cm apart.
I find it helpful at this stage to rule a line half way beween the two (i.e. 1cm from each of the lines).
Practice the Os between the 2 lines: the letters should just touch the top and the bottom lines.
I find it helpful at this stage to rule a line half way beween the two (i.e. 1cm from each of the lines).
Practice the Os between the 2 lines: the letters should just touch the top and the bottom lines.
Don’t let them get chubby – at the moment the letter O should be precisely twice as high as it is wide.
When you’ve had a good practice, upload the photo/scan of your quarter circles (remember....?!) and your best line of Os.
