INTRODUCTION

"Art takes time, and those who wish for
quick results had better not start. Good
lettering is, as a rule, created slowly.
Only the master can, on occasion, work
quickly; that is what makes him a master.
Lettering, like all art, is not for the
impatient."

These words of the famous typog¬
rapher Jan Tschichold1 head this chapter
to emphasize that success is achieved
only by a consistent and patient student.
One or two repetitions of the recom¬
mended exercises will not suffice. They
have to be done over and over again;
in addition, if you are a beginner, you
should devise new drills for every al¬
phabet until you master all forms with
ease. It would be detrimental to drop
a difficult or boring section of the in¬
troductory course to get to the next
exercise or a new alphabet. A constantly
changing point of view does not foster a
solid understanding of shape and form.
Basic forms have to be mastered before
derivative forms can be tackled. Only
this sequence makes the learning process
simple.

Mastering the basic forms, however,
should not be the student's only goal. Of
equal importance is the layout of the
entire page, requiring coordination of
many elements of graphic design. Sim¬
ple exercise pages, trial applications,
calligraphy, decorative arrangements of
letters, monograms, symbols, labels,
designs for posters, book covers, record
sleeves, and many other projects should
be approached in this way. Every unit
should be followed by appropriate appli¬
cations of the newly learned material.

1. Jan Tschichold, Treasury of Alphabets and Letter¬
ing. Reprint. New York: Design Press, 1992. Copy¬
right © 1952, 1965 by Otto Maier Verlag,
Ravensburg.

65 Renaissance scribe.

Figure 66

Figure 67

32

WORK SPACE, MATERIALS,
AND TOOLS

The Work Space

Medieval scribes worked at desks with
a slanted surface, which allowed an up¬
right and unencumbered posture. Such
an arrangement also affords a better
view of the page and lets the ink flow
more slowly from the nib. The desir¬
able angle of 30 to 40 degrees can be
achieved by fixing a board in the right
position, as shown in Figure 66, or by
tilting the entire table. For drawing, a
smaller angle can be used. The work
area should be about 24 by 36 inches
(594 by 841 millimeters), large enough
to support both elbows.

Only while guidelines are being
drawn should the paper be fixed to the
board; while you are lettering it has
to be movable. Stretch a strip of paper
across the board as protection from your
hand, position the loose writing paper
underneath and move it up as each line
is completed (Figure 67). You will
choose the height of your letters by ex¬
perience. An inkwell and a brush to fill
the nib are positioned at the left side of
the drawing board. The left hand holds
the brush to fill the nib of the pen,
which is moved to the left side and
remains in the right hand. The light
source should be at the left side or in
front of the writer. (Reverse these direc¬
tions if you are left-handed.) Tools in
good condition and a neat work space
are essential for success.

Paper

You will need good-quality paper that is
woodfree, will not let ink bleed through,
contains the right amount of size, and is
not too smooth. If the pen cannot be
moved freely across the surface, the

paper is not smooth enough. Do not use
tracing paper. Among the best choices
are book printing paper or Ingres paper.
The popular watercolor papers are not
suitable for writing, because their sur¬
faces are too rough. The best paper size
for practice sheets is about 11 by 14
inches (297 by 420 millimeters).

For drawing projects use a sturdier
white, smooth, woodfree paper that can
withstand the abrasion of erasers.

Never roll up either unused sheets of
paper or finished work for safekeeping.
It is best to keep them in folders and
store them horizontally.

Ink

Use ink that covers the paper well, flows
easily from the nib, and does not clog
it. For beginning exercises use black ink
only, because it makes errors more easily
visible than lighter shades or other col¬
ors. Many commercial liquid inks are
available: be sure the brand you choose
will not corrode your pen nib, clog it, or
produce fuzzy and imprecise lines. The
best choice is a solid block of Chin¬
ese ink, which has to be prepared with
water on a slab of slate before it can be
used. Once dried, this ink crumbles and
cannot be used again. Prepare small
amounts and replenish the supply fre¬
quently. Black watercolor may rub off,
but can be used if water-soluble glue is
added. If you add prepared Chinese ink
to watercolor you will get a very deep
velvety tone of black. Add small amounts
of ocher or red to your ink instead of
using pure ink for any project other than
exercises.

Draw with tempera or gouache colors
and add water-soluble glue if necessary.
Small and delicate embellishments are
best drawn with Chinese ink, since it
is composed of particles that are more
finely ground than other pigments, and

33