Acquiring
a Forma]
Hand:
(3) Models

A METHOD OF ANALYSIS

I. THE WRITING
(Ruling)

Letters

'general character:

Double or single
lines, &c. (see

pp. 268, 269) :
round or angular:
upright or sloping:
к coupled or separate :

2. THIN STROKES : horizontal or ob¬

lique (see figs.
10, 9) :

3. THICK STROKES: heavy, medium, or

light (see fig.
183):

4. "HEADS” &
“FEET”:

character (see fig.

145):

5. STEMS (ascending short, medium, or

& descending) : long (see fig.

6. SPACING (Letters, close or wide (see

Words, fig. 154):

Lines) :

7. ARRANGEMENT : in mass (of equal

lines), or in
column (of un¬
equal lines) (see
fig- 154) :

8. MEASUREMENTS wid th of thick
(& proportions see stroke (see p. 49) :
PP- 324. 327) : height of о and d
(see pp. 48, 50) :
writing lines, dis¬
tance apart (see
p. 48) :

9. COMPONENT
PARTS:

number and forms
(see pp. 41, 47,

50):

38

Example : Analysis
of Script I. (as
in fig. 30).

Modernised Half-
Uncial.

Double lines (see
figs. 59. 65).

round.

upright.

coupled.

horizontal.

medium.

solid, triangular,

medium.

fairly close (see figs.
54, 55).

in mass of equal
lines (see fig. 66).

[It is, however, very
suitable for un¬
equal lines : cf.
PI. »«.]

I—about A* wide.

0= f' high.

d= .. ii' high.

Lines i' apart.

a has 3 strokes,
b ,, 3 „

0 „ 2 „

and so on (see

fig. 51).

NOTES ON CONSTRUCTION SCRIPT I

The pen generally is held so as to give approxi¬
mately horizontal thin strokes (see p. 32), but in
making v (w, y), x, parts of z, &c., it may be
“slanted.” In figs. 51 and 57 these forms are
marked with a small diagonal cross X (see also p. xxiii).

Most of the strokes begin as down-strokes, but at
the end of a down-stroke, when the ink is flowing
freely, the stroke may be continued in an upward
direction (as in coupling-slrokes, &c., the feet of
letters, the thin stroke of x, and, if preferred, in
making the last stroke of g, s, and y).

While the ink is still wet in a down-stroke, the
nib may be replaced on it and be pushed inward
and outward to form the round arch in b, h, m, n,
p, and r. This stroke, reversed, is also used for the
top oft (For making these up-strokes, see fig. 51).

The thin finishing-strokes of j (fig. 50), & F, G,
J, N (fig. 56), are made with the point of the nib.
—See Addenda, p. xxi.

Note.—The forms -foinX in fig. 51 contain
all the principal strokes in this alphabet, and are
therefore useful for early practice.

COUPLING THE LETTERS

These letters are joined together by means of
their coupling-strokes, which for this purpose may be
slightly drawn out, and forward, from the naturally
round forms of the letters (see c, e, &c., fig. 52 ¿1
fig. 59).

The coupling-strokes are finishing strokes—and as
such are akin to serifs (p. 208)—growing out of or
added to such stems as need “ finishing.” Coupling
enables beginners to write faster and with more

39

Acquiring
a Formal
Hand:
(3) Models