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A tribute to my mom, who loved calligraphy and who wanted me to learn. She developed her own and unique style with influences from Art Deco and Italic. I know she is happy now because her daughters love calligraphy the same as her.
A tribute to my sister, who has many years as a professional calligrapher and graphic designer. As a left-handed, it was a real challenge for her to learn and to become a calligrapher, but she embraced my mother's advice very soon. Now, she is a master calligrapher who loves Italics. Her passion for teaching and design led her to work with students of all ages. Recently, her creativity led her to having a calligraphy business for brides and weddings.
Katharine Scarfe Beckett. Calligrapher and great artist who inspired me and taught me all regarding Gothic Lettering and calligraphy. Thanks to her, I was able to embrace calligraphy as my passion. As soon as I started practicing calligraphy, she told me, "now you are in a different place" and that is true.
Since there, there is no day without learning about calligraphy from her wonderful webpage "Calligraphy Skills and the Enjoyment of Beautiful Writing".
Lloyd Reynolds, (1902-1978), American Master Calligrapher who taught at Reed College for forty years, 1929 to 1969, and at the Portland Art Museum School. From L. Reynolds I learned about the "joy of movement" and rhythm calligraphy.
From L. Reynolds I learned about the "joy of movement", the rhythm of calligraphy, the passion for Italic handwriting and for the Roman Capitals, as found on the Trajan Column in Rome.
Paul Standard, (1896 - 1992), a great American calligrapher who fought for the Italic calligraphy revival. Standard taught the mechanics of pen management and variations of the Italian Renaissance hands. He also translated into English and published the text of Ludovico degli Arrighi, called "La Operina" (1522), including a facsimile. It was the first calligraphy manual of the Chancery handwritten style printed in the early XVI century.
My love for Italic handwriting style comes from P. Standard and his articles. Thanks to his passion for Italic calligraphy, I learned about Ludovico degli Arrighi and the First Calligraphy Manual printed in 1522. So, I follow it for my Italic Cursive handwriting, also called Chancery Cursive.
Ludovico degli Arrighi, (1475–1527), was a papal scribe in the Renaissance Italy. He was equally well known as "Vicentino", a surname derived from his native village, Vicenza. Arrighi wrote and published the first calligraphy manual, called "La Operina" in 1522. Arrighi's rules governing the use of the broad pen are as vailid today as when he wrote them. Arrighi’s instructions for the formation of letters and the technique of writing are still basic models for modern Italic handwriting.
Inspired by Arrighi, all my calligraphy strokes and ornaments has been incorporated in my Chancery Cursive style. Arrighi is my strongest influence to my Italic style. I follow every rule from his wonderful calligraphy manual, called "La Operina", published for the first time in 1522.
"La Operina", Ludovico degli Arrighi, first Calligraphy Manual printed in 1522.
Wolffgang Fugger, was a printer in Nuremberg in 1551 and a disciple of Johann Neudorffer, The Elder, the most famous of German writing masters. He published the “Handwriting Manual : a practical and well-grounded formulary for diver fair hands” in 1553. He added to the manual the section on how to construct Roman capitals by geometrical means.
It is so interesting that the book was also intended, secondarily, as an aid to cutters of printer’s types. This calligraphy manual included many hands, fraktur and kantzlei (notary) between them. It has details and beautiful draws on how to write every style. In my opinion, this calligraphy Manual is master piece. Inspired by Fugger, I embraced Kantzlei, as one of my calligraphy styles.
Fugger’s Calligram.
As Fugger said in 1553, “The next drawing is in the shape of a labyrinth. If you want to write in an unusual way, choose and execute a design which pleases you. But, do it in such a way that it ends where it began. The main pattern of this one is an octagonal lattice, made and drawn in one line”.
A Calligram is ...
a picture or design that is entirely creative by arranging words or lilnes of words to form the image. Usually the words relate directly to the image. At its most basic, a calligram is a single object filled in with written texture. (Source: Hardy Wilson, Diana. Encyclopedia of calligraphy techniques, p. 18).
Albrecht Durer
Johnston, Edward
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