A Step-by-Step Manual Eleanor Winters DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC. Mineola, New York, Coombe Copyright © 1989 by Blas Wines All tgs serve er Pen Arran ae Tetons Coppi Camenins bingo Nie This Dover eon. fist pied 200 an oabidged sp of Mig pepsi plied by Wat Gap, nc New Hats in TSE comping Sipe tas bem add 3 ges 4 bos cto, bar of Compre Calegig- in Pabst Data Wir Fan [stern compere Msesingcjjersecalieaphy ep by sep mana ans Weer joa anunbrdec ep of Manering copper, Fs ub Ind by Watson Gupulsne Nem Vink in 1989's ISBN untbecOnst) Gl} Worn Coppi Tale 2A 76 2000 wea none Malice inthe Uni Stes of Ane Dover Palatine 1 at De Stes, Maen NY 1130 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Without the support ard assistance of my Fanily and friends, this book would stl he ints harely legible fest dra am particularly grateful ta John Golden for lending me his computer and patiently teaching me word proeessing, wt utonishing ar indeed to those of s ‘who ae far more at home with a pen than computer keyboard Special thanks are due to my nother, Dorothy Winters, whe spent many, rsiy hours proofteading the manuscript ad who, of comrse, feels that mo thanks are doe, and to Choy Hale and Bo Fille for thet editor and artistic. shill and no les important, their pence T sould also lke to express my gratitude to my father. Joseph Winters, and to Linds Dannhauser, Jim Galloway, Marion Gutmann, Michael Harvey, Roger Jeschke, Cynthia Kaufman, Caroline Leake, Caroke Maurer, Barry Mozent and especially Mary Kay Marnssey, for their good advice, moral support, and encourayenent (Minusculers mnosippy AAA SAA MUM PIG? SSSI OP ABECDELG HIGHS MN CPOR, ST UV VUE rial Hh, h cg Aries, ger Pl ‘ten with Princpaliy #1 INTRODUCTION 8 Part One Historical Background 11 Part Two Learning Copperplate 19 CHAPTER 1 BEFORE YOU BEGIN 20. CHAPTER 2. THE MINUSCULE ALPHABET 36 CHAPTER 3 THE CAPITAL LETTERS $0 CHAPTER 4 NUMBERS AND PUNCTUATION. 16 CHAPTER 5 CHANGING THE SIZE OF THE LETTERS 126 Part Three Using Copperplate 135 CHAPTER 6 WRITING IN COLOR 136 CHAPTER 7 USING GOOD PAPER 140 CHAPTER 8 WRITING OUTA PAGE 144 CHAPTER 9 COMMERCIAL CALLIGRAPHY 162 CHAPTER 10 RETOUCHING, CORRECTING AND CROPPING BIBLIOGRAPHY 190 INDEX 191 180 8 ted ‘The purpose of Mastering Copperplate is twofold: to present students with a sinople step-by-step mania that serious practitioners cas use to teach them: selves Copperplate, and to provide a fully illustrated guide for those studving with a teacher or in a calligraphy class. ‘The frst part ofthis book contains bret history of the Copperplave hand, ‘or script, and shows examples of the art of the great writing masters of the eighteenth century. ‘In Part Two, the Copperplate alphabet is examined in great detail to provide a thorough analysis of the anatomical structure of Copperplate leteriorms, ‘emphasizing family relationships among the leters. Suokes and lecters are shown in their incorrectas wellas their cerrect forms. The ultimate aim ofthis ‘method is to give you a clear understanding ofthe shape, structure, weight, and spacing of Copperplate letters so thatthe alphabet can be written with ‘grace, hyvthm, and ineligenee. Cereful and frequent practice will, of course, ‘make it easier and faster for you to reach your goals ‘Thechapters in Pare Three are intended to introduce you to some practical applications of Copperplate, including envelopes, invitations, place cards, simple quotes, and short tes ‘Throughout the book, there are examples of the work of contemporary scribes who have used Copperplate in their commercial and fine-art callgra- phy. These examples range from traditional etterformsto modern interpreta- ‘tions ofthe hand. ‘Although this book may seem to take a soup-to-nuts approach vo Copper plate, the reader would do well to acknowledge its imitations, No ealigraphy book can teach everything there isto knaw about letcering, nor does this one ‘temps to do so, Emphasis has been placed on the basics of Copperplate, but {you must spend s good deal of rime studying and practicing the basic strokes land the minuscule letters belore attempting snything more complex or ornate. ‘The material in Pare Three should, itis hoped, whet your appetite for Far= ther information and instruction in layout and graphic design All af the Copperplate cxamples in Part Two, Learning Copperplate, were writen inthe sume sizes you will e working. In Part Thece, Using Capper plate, some of the illustrations were reduced ta fit the buok's format. All re- dductions are indicated in the text ty and accuracy, a certain amount of retouching with white paine was necessary. As you will quickly discover, itis virally impossible to write Copperplate without some irregularities in the strokes: shaky lines, uneven curses, rough edges, These errors have been corrected to alarge extent so that you will have accurate models to copy: ‘But remember that practicing calligraphy is not merely a matter of eapying models, Learning @ new alphabet (ur brushing up on an old one) involves patience, caneentration, and what, in academic cicles, is called “good study habits." You would do well co read carefully the section "How to Practice before putting pen to paper. Is, however, are enormous. There is wemendous gratification in gant curve, a beautiful letter, or even a good strake. The opp ‘unity to master Copperplate is offered to you for your pleasure as a student ‘a artist, and a calligrapher. Tt POU ae Spe) Gonna Arti, Log, 1987 faces sick nk, rian same se tO) COD See, ora 68, a+ fearel?