Part II: Pointed-Pen Hands

Cancellaresca Corsiva, the elegant hand shown on the following page, is also known as Chancery Cursive and Italic because it originated in Italy. This hand is characterized by smooth curves, a combination of thick and thin lines, and a gentle slope to the right. It is often what a person envisions when they hear the word “calligraphy.”

During the Renaissance, the pope’s scribes working in the Vatican created Chancery script so they could write more text in less time than it took using gothic scripts. In the 16th century, Giovanni Francesco Cresci wrote Esemplare di piu sorti lettere: a treatise on Italian calligraphy that eventually led the way into the pointed-pen scripts we know today as Copperplate, or English Round Hand.

In this section, you will see how many of these traditional scripts continued to grow and evolve from one another. And you will discover the secrets of the masters as you learn to how to write them!

The contemporary form of Cancellaresca Corsiva, shown below, is created with a broad-edged nib, not a flexible pointed-pen nib. The smooth, round curves of Cancellaresca Corsiva evolved over two centuries into Copperplate, which is also known as English Round Hand. (To see Cancellaresca Corsiva in its original form, check out the historical references listed in the Resources)

Copperplate

“COPPERPLATE,” ALSO REFERRED TO AS “ENGLISH ROUND HAND” or simply “Round Hand,” evolved in the 18th century from Chancery script as a way to create documents for reproduction. At the time, the method for reproducing text was engraving letters in reverse into a copper plate with a stylus. The etched copper plate was covered in ink and the plate was then pressed onto paper to create the image. The name “Copperplate” was thus born to describe the elegant hand.

Along with English Round Hand certain styles of Copperplate are also called “Engrosser’s script” and “Engravers script.” These styles feature a slightly different minuscule.

Copperplate (English Round Hand)

Practice Prompt

Copperplate Strokes

Focus on the Oval

English Round Hand is based around an oval shape. This oval is also key to many other calligraphy hands, so it is a great shape to practice.

This oval is technically called an “elliptical oval,” because it can be divided into four sections. If you folded the oval in half, both widthwise and lengthwise, it would match up.

This uppercase “B” demonstrates how to envision the ovals in the counter spaces of these letters. There are also ovals in the smooth curves of the letter stem.

U Shape

With the pen nib at the top of the x-height, press to spread the tines of the nib and bring the pen downward with pressure. This line should align with the slant of the hand (55 degrees). Once your pen is at the baseline, remove the pressure and glide upward in a hairline stroke, making a smooth u-shape, returning the nib to the top of the line.

Elliptical Oval

Begin by placing your pen nib at the top of the x-height. Come down, with graduated pressure, to make a smooth shade. This shade should move from a hairline into a swell, and then back into a hairline as you approach the baseline. Finish the oval with a hairline stroke back to the top.

Upside-down U

Beginning at the baseline, move the pen upward, following the 55-degree angle. Once you reach the x-height, begin curving the pen nib to the right. As your nib makes its descent, apply pressure gradually to create a solid, thick stroke.

Swelled Stroke

One of my students calls this wavy, swelled stroke the “snake stroke!” This one makes up one of my favorite pointed-pen exercises, called “mountain and valley.” Draw a graduated stoke that goes from a hairline to a swelled shade, then back to a hairline. Aim for a smooth, gradual thin-thick-thin line.

You can add to these main shapes with additional strokes. These are the strokes we’ll use as the building blocks of the minuscule alphabet. By putting together several of these strokes, we can assemble the entire alphabet of small letters.

Practice these and you’ll be set! Follow the arrows, as shown here, to create these strokes.

Remember to make smooth, oval-shaped curves. Apply gentle pressure on all downstrokes, smoothly moving in a thin hairline for upstrokes, with no pressure.

Copperplate Letter Groups

To maintain a unified look in your writing, and to understand the construction of the letters, it’s helpful to identify how letters are similar to each other. We can group together some of the minuscule letters based on these similarities.

Single-letter Row

Try a full row of a single letter, without lifting your pen. Minuscule “n” is a great letter to choose for this exercise.

S Stroke

Practice the s stroke.

Mirrored S

For this exercise, practice making a mirrored “s.” After drawing one “s” in the usual fashion, draw one backward!

Copperplate Minuscules

Copperplate Majuscules

Spencerian

IN THE 19th CENTURY, AMERICAN WRITING MASTER PLATT ROGERS SPENCER developed a new lettering style that showed his affinity and respect for nature. This smooth hand rolls like waves and curls like elegant vines. Imagine these smooth flowing motions when practicing.

Some of the early writing manuals show Spencerian being written with a straight pen holder. I personally find this awkward and prefer an oblique holder, like the one shown here. Try both and see what works for you. If you use a straight holder, you may find it preferable to sit turned in your chair with just your writing arm on the table. A light touch with a gliding hand and arms is key to Spencerian script. You might use a guard sheet, such as a laminated or plasticized card to prevent smudging.

Spencerian Majuscules

Practice Prompt

Spencerian Strokes

Minuscule Key Strokes

The Spencerian key strokes are deceptively simple. The first stroke is a line drawn at 52 degrees. The next two strokes are concave and convex lines. The last stroke is the oval.

Like the Copperplate styles, Spencerian is also based on an elliptical oval.

Start by writing the letters “i,” “u,” and “w.” To create an “i,” make the concave upstroke, followed by a 52-degree downstroke. At the baseline, come up again with an upstroke. Adding a dot makes this identifiable as an “i.” To create a letter “u,” join an additional downstroke and upstroke to the letter “i.” Add on to the letter “u” with an additional downstroke and upstroke to create a “double u,” or “w.” The little curved line at the end is the connecting stroke to the next letter.

Now you can add to the key strokes!

Spencerian Letter Groups

Like other calligraphy hands, Spencerian minuscules are divided into letter groups based on their structural similarities. The letters divide into two general groups: 1) ascenders/descenders, and 2) all the small letters.

These letters have ascending and descending loops.

Spencerian Practice Exercises

1. N Exercise

The “n” exercise (or, as it was called in the past, “cross drills”) is a traditional Spencerian practice exercise. This exercise consists of creating a smooth minuscule “n” in one continuous line, followed by an identical line below until you have created eight lines. Turn your exercise one-quarter turn clockwise, and begin the same exercise on top of the other lines, with each letter “n” falling in between the other lines. You can also do this exercise with other minuscule letters, such as “m,” “o,” and “a.”

2. Spencerian Oval Exercise 1

For this exercise, draw the letter “o,” making each “o” move smoothly from large to small and back again.

3. Spencerian Oval Exercise 2

Join ovals together with a curved, swashed line at the top.

4. Spencerian Line Practice

Practice thin hairline upstrokes and downstrokes. Draw the downstrokes at 52 degrees.

5. O Exercise

First make smooth, even lines of the letter “o,” aiming for them to be the same size and distance apart. Next draw a string of the letter “o,” followed by a letter “l,” another string of “o”, and the letter “b.”

6. J-u-s

Join the letters “J,” “u,” and “s” in smooth loops and downstrokes at 52 degrees.

7. Building Blocks

Practice the Spencerian stroke building blocks.

8. Letter Groups

Practice writing the letters in their letter groups. Be attentive to the similarities in each letter group, and keep those consistent across all letters. For example, keep all the descender loops the same size.

Spencerian Majuscules

Step-by-Step Project

STEP ONE Decide which monogram style and design you would like. Will you do a non-traditional arrangement, a single-letter design, or a classic three-letter monogram?

STEP TWO Sketch your letters on separate pieces of tracing paper, one letter per page. When creating multi-lettered monograms, it’s helpful to work this way, because the tracing paper can be physically layered, allowing you to easily and quickly create various arrangements until you find the one you like.

STEP THREE Once you’re pleased with your design, finalize with pen and ink!

I rework my rough monogram sketch to include thicker swashes and add greater contrast and emphasis.

I finish the monogram by surrounding it with stylized acanthus leaves.

The acanthus is a classic and timeless foliage design. This highly stylized foliage decoration has been in use since the Roman and Byzantine eras.

Wedding Invitation Basics

Etiquette Tips for Invitation Wording

• Names and places are written in full on the invite. No abbreviations, except for Mr., Mrs., and Dr.

• If the ceremony is at a place of worship, the wording “…request the honour of your presence” is used. The word “honour” is spelled the Anglican way.

• Spell out dates and times fully. Do not use a.m. or p.m. Instead, use “in the morning,” “in the afternoon,” or “in the evening.”

• If a certain dress code is requested, use the wording “Black Tie,” “Black Tie Encouraged,” or “Casual Attire Welcome.”

• It’s optional to include the year of the wedding on the invitation. (My opinion: Include it!)

STEP TWO Create a pen and ink draft. Following your draft wording, write each line of the invitation with left adjustment—that is, don’t worry about centering the wording, just write each line starting from the same alignment point. Use the same sizing you will use for the finished design. (Tip: Write the design in your most comfortable size script; then have the piece reduced to suit the print size.)

STEP THREE Grab your scissors! Cut out each individual line from your pen and ink draft. Draw a vertical line down the center of a new sheet of paper, as well as horizontal guidelines. Paste the lines onto the new sheet of paper, centering the phrase both horizontally and vertically. Now you have a perfect mockup of your invitation!

STEP FOUR Now you can create your good copy. Using a light box, trace your mockup. Then scan and print. Be sure to have your design scanned and saved in the file format requested by the printer—frequently, this is a highresolution PDF.

Always create designs for reproduction in black ink on white paper. This ensures the best reproduction.

Wedding Invitation Gallery

I created this wedding invitation in a loose style I call “casual copperplate.”

Italian Hand

AS WITH A FEW OTHER ASPECTS OF CALLIGRAPHY, there is some ambiguity over the term “Italian hand.”

The name is used to describe several different scripts. I use the term to refer to a style that is based on Copperplate, yet is distinctly different! The minuscules have ink “blobs” and strong Copperplate overtones. I compiled the majuscules from several “Italian hand” resources that feature the distinctive “backward” shades. The shaded areas in these majuscules are, for the most part, opposite from the placing of shades in English Round Hand.

Italian Majuscules

Practice Prompt

Italian Hand Strokes

Shading

The shading is in different locations than in other pointed-pen styles, so give your hand (or head) a good shake and get ready to do something new! For instance, look at this minuscule Italian “b,” and notice that the distinctive oval-shaped ink blob is created with a backward loop, which is filled in by the overlapping of the pen. This elongated, oval-shaped shade is present in many of the Italian letters.

Construction

Some of the letters are constructed in a unique method. For example, to make the majuscule “B,” begin with a swelled stem stroke that starts at the top of the stem and goes down into the flourish. Then place the pen nib back at the beginning of the stem stroke and continue in the opposite direction to finish the “B.”

Italian “B” Stroke

Variation

As shown here, there is some variation in the way the oval-shaped letters are constructed and shaded.

Italian Minuscules

Bickham

THE UNIVERSAL PENMAN IS A COLLECTION OF CALLIGRAPHIC PIECES PREPARED IN THE 1740S BY GEORGE BICKHAM, a noted engraver and calligrapher. He chose some of the best examples of calligraphy and provided notes about how to write the hands in the best possible fashion. Still in print today, this book is highly recommended for any “calligraphile.” The alphabet shown in this section is based on the Round Hand examples that Bickham included in his book. The majuscules feature distinctive curved strokes, while the minuscules feature straight descenders.

Bickham Minuscules

Practice Prompt

Bickham Entrance Strokes

This hand requires an entrance stroke to join to previous and subsequent letters.

To follow the ductus, create your entrance stroke; then move your pen nib in the directions shown by the arrows.

If you find that your nib starts “catching” the paper or making scratchy sounds with each stroke, it might be time for a replacement. Nibs do not last forever. Other signs the nib might need replacing: bent tines, rust, and difficulty making strokes.

Bickham Majuscules

These alternate majuscules show some interesting variations in letterform!

These elegant letters are used as a base for many typefaces.

Step-by-Step Project

If ordering a genuine feather, make sure you only source from a responsible, ethical breeder.

STEP ONE Choose a feather. Some people find naturally shed feathers in areas where large birds live, so keep an eye out if you are a hiker! Just keep in mind that many states have laws and regulations about collecting feathers, so be sure you’re allowed to do so! Otherwise, you can use a synthetic feather or order one from a breeder.

A feather from a large bird is preferable. A large feather also has a large calamus (feather shaft), which is easier to work with. The finished quill will also have a larger pen point.

STEP TWO Next prepare the feather. Feathers are naturally soft, not unlike human nails. To cure the feather, it needs to be dried and hardened. I have had success with feathers that have been left to dry for months. To hasten the process, a traditional method of curing feathers is to soak the calamus in water overnight, and then place the tip of the feather for a few seconds in warm sand.

STEP THREE Remove extra feathers from the base of the feather to allow room for your hand to hold the quill. Gently shave away the feathers with a sharp knife.

STEP FOUR Squarely cut off the rounded tip of the feather. Now you can make your quill! Hold the feather in your writing hand as it naturally seems most comfortable—this will be the way you shape the pen. Move the feather to your nondominant hand and make a curved cut on the right side of the pen. Then make a curved cut on the other side. Turn the pen upside down and cut away the belly of the pen. Lastly, with the pen still upside down, trim and perfect the pen nib. Cut a slit for the tines and square off the tip. You can cut the nib with a wide tip for a broad-edged quill or to a sharp point for a pointed-pen quill.

Roman

THE ROMAN HAND HAS A LONG AND INTERESTING HISTORY. It has survived through the centuries because it’s easy to read, the creation of the letters is logical, and it can be written at any size.

The Roman alphabet can be created in myriad ways, including drawn with pen or pencil or lettered with a brush, broad-nib pen, or pointed-pen nib. For this hand, we’ll follow traditional Roman creation guidelines, but letter them with a pointed pen to create a clean, easy-to-read alphabet.

Roman Letters

Practice Prompt

These letters fill half a square:

These letters fill a rectangle, slightly wider than half a square:

Round letters fill a square:

Fancy Romans

Shown here are “fancy” Roman letters. I drew these freehand, working slowly with short, sketch-like movements. I suggest drawing them at two inches or higher to capture the details. If you like, place a piece of tracing paper over the letters below and trace over them for practice.

Trajan Roman Versals

These Trajan versals are an elegant way to begin text or break up text blocks, or to embellish as unique standalones.

Uncial

UNCIAL (PRONOUNCED “UN-SHUL”) IS ONE OF THE OLDEST HANDS. The letters have elements of both majuscules and minuscules that are wide and round. The ascenders and descenders are short in keeping with the majuscule style of the alphabet.

Uncial Letters

The Uncial letters below are similar to traditional Celtic letters and were written with a pointed pen. They are also often written with a broad-edged pen.

Casual Uncial Letters

Shown here is a much more casual, looser Uncial-based alphabet.

Uncial Capitals

Because Uncials originally existed in an uppercase-only format, text was divided with larger initials to begin a paragraph or page. I drew these from a 16th-century exemplar created by Spanish writing master Juan de Icíar.

Creative Exercise

Practice Prompt

Missal

These Uncial-inspired capitals, called Missals, are a product of medieval scribes.

Modern Uncial Missal

This whimsical lettering illustrates a modern take on the Uncial Missal letters.

Bookhand

BOOKHAND ORIGINATED IN 10th-CENTURY ENGLISH manuscripts written in what is now called Carolingian minuscule.

It surfaced again in the early 1900s when English calligrapher Edward Johnson studied Carolingian manuscripts to develop a style that he called the “foundational” hand.

Today, Bookhand, or foundational hand, is created with a broad-edged pen. For our purposes, we’ll use a pointed pen to lighten the look, but still maintain the shapes.

Elegant Bookhand

This elegant Bookhand style features serifs and oval-shaped bowls. Make the serifs on the “feet” of the letters rounded-off strokes, with smooth joins to the body of the letter.

Practice Prompt

Next combine these simple strokes into this minimalistic, essential Bookhand.

Bookhand Numerals

Next try your hand at creating numerals in the Bookhand style.

Casual Bookhand

This alphabet is a little looser and freer. Notice how the serifs are curved little loops. (Note the different “a.”)

Creative Exercise

Bookhand Variations

Here are some fun variations to try!

Join the minuscule letters “e,” “t,” “c,” “a,” and “i” to the next letter in a word for a semi-script appearance. Joining just these select minuscules gives the writing a unique and interesting look.

Slant all letters at a consistent 35 degrees to the right for an italicized Bookhand style.

Make all downstrokes extra thick, or make them very tall and narrow.

Combine variations together for a fun look!

Here are some different Bookhand ampersand styles.

Creative Exercise

Print or make a copy of a map of your desired area. In pencil, trace your simplified map onto scrap paper, reworking the sketch until you’re pleased. Then transfer the design to drawing paper. I traced over my draft map (below) directly onto my paper using pen and ink.

Ink your piece, working from the top down to avoid smudging your work. I like to work in sections, inking the drawings and map elements with a Tombow® calligraphy pen, and then adding the lettering in pen and ink. Allow to dry. Ta-da—a lovely map in bookhand!