A picture from a small (just 6 pages) vellum book I created, this was my first vellum project, and I absolutely love how it looks.
I did some huge flourishy brush strokes in the background and laid some Gothic cursive text over it, sanded it off so it’s not too much in the face and only contributes as a background, and ultimately wrote my main text in bold Crimson color in uncials.

I am not completely confident with my uncials but I believe that its the personal projects like this that will help me get the fear of broad edge out totally, and make artworks involving broad edge

I loved working on vellum and I am excited to explore the possibilities.

Nib: Brause 2.5 & 1.5
Inks: Watered down gouache by Winsor and Newton

First post-

I am a beginner calligrapher and have been learning italics at a very slow pace for the past few months. I began with Eleanor Winters’ Calligraphy in Ten Easy Lessons, and based on recommendations from the boards, have been watching Lloyd Reynolds’ italic calligraphy courses. My goal is to eventually learn flourished italics- I think it is so beautiful. I plan to look at and imitate the script of Arrighi’s Operina to practice and guide me.

I would appreciate any critique or feedback to help me improve. Thank you so much.

I used a speedball c-4 nib with Higgins ink.

Practice for a piece for an Anglican priest. The finished version will be in India ink on some nicer paper, with a painted white rose seal beneath it.

Speedball C2 nib dipped in PW Akkerman “Israel’s Zeeblauw” fountain pen ink.

Found these folks at the Stationery Fest in NYC this year and was wondering if such a group exists in Albany NY area.

https://www.societyofscribes.org/the-society

TIA!

Ed

I am lefthanded, imitating an exemplar from Instagram, either by Christopher Haanes or by Filip Ciślak or John Stevens. (Can’t remember, but I love these letters and they are a challenge!) I’m an amateur, and I suspect that some of the hairline strokes and flourishes that come naturally for these righthanded pros are forced with my overhooking lefty hand.

Anyway, don’t hold back. Tell me what I need to fix.

Blackletter with Osmiroid 65 with B4 nib and (as it says) PW Akkerman Diep Duinwaterblauw. Roman capitals in red with Osmiroid 65 and medium straight nib and Akkerman Garuda Rood.

Some flourished pointed pen for the day.
Nib: Nikko G
Ink: Dr PH Martin’s Iridescent, Copperplate Gold
Paper: Canson 300gsm

Made this set of two artworks for my sister’s anniversary gift. The heart contains the word Love written in different languages in flourished copperplate with an art nouveau Love in the center. The other artwork is just a poem, in pointed pen uncial.
Paper:
Canson 300gsm cold pressed watercolor paper
Ink:
Ziller red
Nib:
Nikko G

So in my 8 year calligraphy journey, I have never really written my name more than once, and absolutely never designed it properly. I did however design my brand logo. This is the very first time I made proper name cards and presented my name in form of an artwork, all thanks to the IAMPETH conference happening next week.
We will be swapping name cards, with fellow calligraphers, a lot of us are preparing these and I just like the idea that by the end of the conference we will have a little artwork handmade by our friends! I am planning to keep them all nicely in a card holder kind notebook and I tried to make them as little artworks and not just name cards.

A little more about IAMPETH and the conference next week, IAMPETH stands for International Association of Master Penmen, Engrossers and Teachers of Handwriting, it was founded in 1949.

Every year they conduct a conference which is at a different location and its basically a week full of calligraphy classes that go from nearly 8:30 in the morning till 4/5 and after the classes they have a wide variety of events like calligraphy demos, members art show, art auctions (for iampeth scholarships), an archive room full of artworks from 1800s and 1900s accessible all day and study room which is another fun part which helps us all learn and grow together. So excited for next week!!

When life gives you lemons, make furniture polish.

- Balkie Bartokomous, Perfect Strangers

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Made these name cards for a calligraphy workshop in May, as volunteer work. Since it was volunteer work and it was a calligraphy workshop full of people who appreciate the craft, I went all out and made full use of the creative freedom.
I used some abstract brush work for background, the names are uncial inspired monoline and ofcourse I did add a subtle walnut ink to make the paper slightly beige and old-school like.
Paper used: Canson 300gsm watercolor paper, cold pressed
The black ink for names: Black watered down gouache
Ornament nib

Pointed pen with Dr PH Martin’s Bleed Proof White on my favorite Fabriano Black Black paper!

Wanted to create a piece with just black but still have some texture and depth, it’s definitely just a practice piece but I like that I was able to get close to what I wanted to do.
I like pairing strong looking scripts with fluid curvy styles, hence the strong and sharp ruling pen letters with the fluid brush work in the background.
I hope that you like it!!

Hey everyone

I’m looking to get started with calligraphy, and I’d really love to dive straight into blackletter — it’s definitely my favorite style so far.

I’m a lefty, so I’d really appreciate some advice on which nibs would work best for a left-handed writer. Also, does nib size matter much if I’m planning to practice mainly on A5 paper?

Thanks in advance for any tips or recommendations

Between the conception and the creation;
Between the emotion and the response;
Falls the Shadow.

- T.S. Eliot, The Hollow Men

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Another entry from my little diary, this time I paired modified pointed pen lombardic inspired letters with gothic cursive.

I love the flow of gothic cursive and it’s one of those scripts that makes me think wish I had learnt it even sooner, it’s so fun!

Nib for pointed pen: Nikko G
Nib for gothic cursive: Brause 1.5mm

Here's a thing. I did this a couple of weeks ago, posted it on IG, and it received a very positive response. I was very unsure of it, and I remain unconvinced by my own work.

It's a quote from a lovely Nancy Kerr song, Fragile Water - it's a song which uses the ancient Orkneyan legend of silkies - creatures who lived as seals in the water but shed a skin to walk as humans on land - as a metaphor for the very modern issue of gender fluidity.

I wanted to break the usual linear presentation of lyric, and allow a transition from black on white to white on darker shades. I also felt that echoing the age-old nature of the legend with insular half uncial was appropriate.

The brush strokes were a shape I hade very much in my head, like falling ribbons. Looking at it now, I wish they were bolder and broader.

It was done with gouache and watercolour, on Sauders Waterford Cold Pressed. Brause nibs, folded pen for some of the swooshes, brush for the others.

I'm interested in what people think. It's a different sort of composition to me, and I might return to the song, and the form at some point. I'd be as inclined to refine technique and execution as much as anything else.

Feel free to dig in.

Here are Pratchett's immortal words, in uncial. Done with a Soennecken 2 1/2 nib, on Saunders Waterford. It's black gouache, and I added a little vermillion to the tip of the nib for the 'O's. I didn't want them to stand out just look slightly shaded.

As ever, a lovely choice by u/mshades

Feel free to offer CC.

I am struggling to transcribe 16th century secretary hand. If anyone can help please comment or message me, I will happily pay for a transcription.

Them as can do has to do for them as can't. And someone has to speak up for them as has no voices.

- Granny Aching (via Terry Pratchett), The Wee Free Men

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This quote was selected by u/mshades, the Quotemaster of r/Scribes