For the last few weeks, I have been learning copperplate calligraphy for my Networked Learning Project. My greatest resource so far has been Youtube-- it has been extremely useful to watch videos showing how to correctly form the letters, since copperplate is very technical and strict when it comes to angles, shapes, spacing, and line thickness. So far, I have learned the minuscules (lowercase alphabet) with the help of this 7 part Youtube tutorial by Loveleigh Loops. This alphabet relies on 7 basic strokes:
While very fun, calligraphy also has its challenges, for example...
-hand cramps. I can only write about one page before I have to stop!
-consistency. I have trouble making my letters look the same every time-- I definitely need to keep doing drills.
-guidelines. I printed off some paper with guidelines (to make sure my letters are at the correct angle) so that I wouldn't have to draw them myself, but unfortunately printer paper isn't ideal for calligraphy! The paper is a bit too textured and sometimes gets stuck on the end of the nib, which messes up the ink flow. It also bleeds and isn't as smooth to write on as I would like.
Looking to blogs and Youtube for tips has been great help in addressing the challenges I've come across! Simple things like adjusting the way I hold my pen have helped make my practice easier and more comfortable.
Now that I know the alphabet, I need to continue with drills and start to practice putting letters together to form words. I've been having a lot of fun, and it has been rewarding to see little improvements every time I write!
References:
Loveleigh Loops. (2017, April 5). Copperplate calligraphy: Intro & minuscules [video file]. Retrieved form https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-XkhKV_wXuuEG6ii69uqokXeLFiyas9w
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