There
are many different styles of calligraphy. It is a broad medium
allowing you to get different effects using different types of paper,
styles, inks, brushes, colors and additional mediums. You can even use
bleach to fade out black paper to give your writing a unique look.
Your choices are endless.
Mr. Knipper uses his calligraphy skills to make his
own cards. He embellishes his work adding watercolors, stickers and
glitter. He also includes graphics with his lettering.
Ed preceded to show us a couple of different
lettering techniques. The secret to calligraphy is how to hold your
pen. You can't hold it too upright and you can't hold it
too flat. Your pen must be held at an angle to get the full effect.
The more you slant your lettering the more you need to flatten your pen.
Use mono-line or chiseled pens. Ed suggested that we use an
Elegant Writer with a fine or medium point. Your tools can really make
the difference.
Most people have the misconception that Calligraphy
is just italic lettering. This is
not
so. The letters are actually drawn out not just written.
The key is to learn the correct way to write your letters. Be
consistent on your
slant and your spacing. Not only the spacing between your letters, but
the spacing of your letters. The alphabet is characterized by the
shape of the "O." We learned that the "ascender" is a term used to
describe the part of the lettering is the above mid-line and the "descender"
is below and the basic height of the lettering is five (5)
pen
widths.
All this is not as easy as you think. There is
a real style to calligraphy and as Mr. Knipper reminded us....all you have
to do is practice...practice...practice.
