LOW RESOLUTION (7.5MB) JNB Catalog Fall 2012

PoINted PeN
ron tate Instructional dVds
learn with the help of professional calligrapher, Ron
Tate. Each DVD is a step-by-step tutorial and presents
the history, tools and techniques of the script.
dVd39. Copperplate with
ron tate. 2009. 1 hour, 45
minutes. DVD $29.95
Calligraphers call this
beautiful hand Copperpate or
English Roundhand. Penmen
call it Engrosser's Script. The
DVD’s 21 chapters include correct
posture and desk positioning,
writing angles and letter sizes, step-by step
instruction for all lower-case and capital letter
forms, numbers, connecting letters, and oblique
pen holders and pen points
dVd40. Spencerian with ron
tate. 2009. 1 hour, 27 minutes.
DVD $29.95
Spencerian is an American
style of penmanship. The lower
case has only a few stressed
strokes in a word. In copperplate,
every down stroke is
thickened by applying pressure
to the pen. Spencerian Script can be written
with more speed than copperplate. Spencerian
originated in Ohio in the 1860s with Platt Roger
Spencer. The DVD’s 15 chapters include instruction
and demonstration of all the letters of the
alphabet, hand positions and correct posture,
practice exercises, writing angles and letter sizes,
oblique pen holders & pen points, practical tips
for envelopes and pen flourishes.
Copperplate / Spencerian Supplies
Copperplate and Spencerian have gained in popularity
as calligraphers expand their repertoire of letterforms.
The thicks & thins are caused by varying the pressure
on a flexible point – a worthwhile discipline to learn. All
calligraphy, as Lloyd Reynolds noted, is a series of movements
involving touch.
To learn Copperplate or Spencerian, order the Copperplate
Kit (page 56) or the Spencerian Kit (page
51). After you have some experience, order the nib
sampler to try out the range of nibs.
BeGINNerS: The most popular nibs are Brause
66eF, Gillott 303, Hiro #40, Hunt 101, Nikko G, and
Zebra G.
Righthanders will need an oblique pen holder.
lefthanders use either a straight holder or an oblique
holder. All will need a bottle of Higgins eternal (I08,
$4.20), which is improved by the addition of 10 or 20
drops of Gum Arabic (I84, $12.59).
CoPPerPLAte
B1109. Mastering
Copperplate
Calligraphy: A
Step-by-Step Manual
by Eleanor Winters.
1989. 192pp. 8.25"x11".
Paper $14.95
A self-contained manual for serious students, including
beginners. Part one places copperplate in historical
context. Part two begins with a glossary and detailed
information on pens, paper, ink and other materials. It
includes indispensable technical tips, guidelines, how
to use the pen, and 99 pages of detailed instruction
covering minuscules, capitals, numbers, punctuation
and writing in various sizes. Part three deals
with writing in color, and the design and execution of
simple projects, such as envelopes and small poems.
“A fabulous beginner’s manual. I have been using it for
years as a teaching tool, and all my students love it. They
are able to understand it and work with it on their own
between classes.” – Sheila Richter
B3350. Italic & Copperplate
Calligraphy: The Basics and
Beyond by Eleanor Winters.
2011. 229 pp. 8-3/8"x11".
Paper $24.95. JNB $19.95
Covers letter variations (form,
weight and proportions),
flourishing and design,
commercial and personal
calligraphy, and calligraphic writing. Shows how many
principals and applications apply to both hands.
Showcases work by many well-known calligraphers,
showing their use of copperplate and italic. This is an
intermediate level book, but it also contains a good
review of the basics. Eleanor Winters’ Mastering
Copperplate Calligraphy (B1109) is a thorough
beginner’s manual and highly recommended as your
first instructional book on this hand.
B145. the Zanerian Manual of Alphabets and engrossing. 1981.
140pp. 8"x10.5". Spiral $39.95
The first 21 pages by E.A. lupfer provide some of the best copperplate
instruction available. He is a master of the hand. Other engrossing
alphabets are shown, as well as many examples of engrossed pieces.
Revised & reissued at intervals since it was first published as Zanerian
Alphabets in 1895. Now printed on 80# gloss paper.
Mastering Copperplate Calligraphy (B1109, $14.95)
by Eleanor Winters is a good book for beginners. In the
book, Eleanor recommends the Gillott 404 & Gillott
303. Denys Taipale always taught copperplate with
Brause 66eF nibs and Higgins Eternal with Gum Arabic.
Other teachers opt for a stiffer nib for beginners.
In her excellent article on pointed nibs in Bound &
Lettered (TAB2.4, $8.50), Caroline Paget leake notes
that Gillott 404 and Hunt 56 are sturdy and durable,
making them excellent for student practice.
For Spencerian, Michael Sull recommends the Hunt
22, Hunt 56, Nikko G, along with Hunt 101, Hunt 99
and the Gillott 404.
Pointed nibs (also called pen points) are of various
sizes and don’t all fit in the same holders. The Ziller
Oblique Holders are already adjusted for specific nibs.
You may need to adjust the Century and Zanerian
Oblique Holders. The Blackwell Oblique Holders work
with almost all nibs.
52 ❧ email: info@johnnealbooks.com v www.johnnealbooks.com