Wishing all my friends, wherever you are, a Happy, Peaceful, and Prosperous New Year and that your Calligraphy skills will take you to new levels over the next 12 months.
This year, a bit of brushwork, not too badly executed for an old boy who has recently undergone cataract surgery on both eyes and has not yet been prescribed new specs. More on this later but I am hoping to be back to my old self by the end of January and will soon be able to pick up where I left off and spend more time concocting a lesson or two.
It was good to see so many people showing an interest and turning out on such a freezing cold day. I know that some had some experience, but most had no idea what they were letting themselves in for. They each received a starter pack with the instructions, “On pain of death, do not write on these guideline sheets”. “Why not?” you may ask. Well, with care these sheets will last a lifetime. Once written on, unless you have unlimited access to a copier or PC with a printer, they are gone.
In the pack were …. A3, Roundhand and Roman alphabets. 1 inch lines, a double page spread of 1/8 inch lines. A4, a sheet of 1/8 inch lines with various combinations of letter sizes that can be used using the same guideline sheet, and a simple spacing guide, “the balloon is going up”.
…….. and a set of double pencils.
First, with a sheet of decorators lining paper spread across two tables, a very brief (we are here to learn how to do, rather than why) history of the scripts we were going to be using in this session, from Greek, to Roman Capitals, Roman Cursive, leaving Uncials for another day, through Alcuin’s involvement with the Carolingian and Humanist scripts, to Edward Johnston’s study of his foundational hand with which we begin today. Incidentally, Johnston’s book, Writing & Illuminating & Lettering is available, free, to download or read online.
Perhaps I should have used Jeffrey’s video to illustrate.
Or
From Alpha to Omega, and A to Z and then a 30 foot roll of humanist minuscules with an x height of 12 inches spread before them the participants were invited to join in with their double pencils. Then, when I thought I had them on the ropes, I allowed a weary but cheery group to take a seat and with their 1 inch guidelines, begin the first lesson in earnest.
Update. This video was filmed at Luton Irish Forum Calligraphy Group on 1st October 2013 by Peter Moss.
First tracing from the guide sheet and then freehand using the 1 inch lines and referring to Calligradoodles 0002, cups of tea and lots of chat, time was flying and skills increasing. Roman Capitals (Lesson Two) will have to wait ’til next time but has been set as “gentle” homework as our next meeting is two weeks from now.
A very quick look at what we shall be playing with over the next four sessions,
plus, at some point we are hoping to do a live filming of Old English Blackletter Caps and minuscules as they are demonstrated. It looks as if we are going to be kept very busy indeed.
I know that some of the class are unable, due to previous engagements, work etc to attend each session, but if you follow the blog and practise whenever you can, you should be able to keep up with events.
With Thanks to Luton Culture and the Museum staff for putting up with us, and JEWELS for their generously discounted materials.
Don’t forget. If you have any questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to use the comments box.
If you have been following my YouTube progress up ’til now you may wonder why I decided to put together this compilation of all the videos I have made and why I decided not to add an audio track.
Firstly, a Facebook friend was bemoaning the fact that YouTube was not available in his country and so could not watch many of the Calligraphy videos posted on group pages. This then, began as my small way of compensating him for that lack and was published just in time for his Birthday. Cheers Shahed!
So, you may well ask, why did I not add music?
It is a long story, but briefly it is all about the way, even when logged into YouTube, I was unable to gain access to edit my videos and playlists until after days of haranguing the help department, when suddenly I found I was, as I thought, back in control. A bit like knocking on the door again and again and then, with no explanation, finding yourself on the other side.
While all this was going on I had the idea that as I had used YouTube audio swap, which I am sure, we were told at the time was copyright free, they had placed advertisements on all my works. I am sure that very little revenue would be earned by my measly efforts but I thought, why should YouTube take all the proceeds from the millions of “Audio Swapped” videos out there and what can be done to change things?
Have you tried to “monetise” your Video? First of all you need to make sure you are registered on the Adsense programme, a minefield of all your old YouTube user names, Google accounts and passwords, and then work out how to actually tick the right boxes, or should I say, find the right boxes to tick in the first place. When you first see the magic question, Monetise?, you think you have cracked it. Then having said yes please. You are told in no uncertain terms in a big red box, “Oh no you don’t. Your video does not fit the accepted criteria. Go and find out why!”.
Have you tried to remove the “Audio Swapped” music from your YouTube videos? So far, on my two least viewed videos only, I have had an option to “remove music track, Beta” Beta it is. After numerous attempts, although the text stated audio removed or words to that extent, no change.
Then it was a trip to YT’s “Video Editor”. Having copied the two lowliest of my offerings, with muted audio, Bingo! They now have the coveted $ sign. I am rubbing my hands with glee, I do a similar operation with a further two videos, publish, monetise………. UH, OH!….. Then more or less, words to the effect of, “If you keep doing this, your video might be suspended or blocked or removed, so go away and behave yourself.”
So, I am left with the dilemma. Do I remove all my videos from YouTube, losing all the stats and analytics, the goodwill and the links that have been built over the last four years or so, or do I leave them as they are and publish the whole series again, perhaps with no music, or with tracks that have been specially written by a friend of mine who would be prepared to sign over the rights of his works to me on the understanding that he/she would share the earnings? Or, do I just say, as I’m sure most YouTube users do. To hell with it. Let Uncle Google have his pound of flesh.
So far, according to “Analytics”, my videos have had 14,o57 views between them. Total earnings, zilch! After just 8 views this new silent video has earned 3 cents in revenue for me, and YT are still getting their cut.
UPDATE 5th March ’13
YouTube support have asked for feedback. I ticked the multiple choice boxes and added :- My initial query about access to edit videos has been addressed.
Now I am finding it impossible to remove the audio tracks. I have tried Remove a Song – Beta on the two videos where this is available to no avail. I wish to have the option to remove all audio from all my videos. Many thanks.
UPDATE
You might be interested to hear I have now uploaded my videos to Vimeo.
If you have signed up for or are thinking of attending the Calligraphy Workshops at Wardown Park Museum, or would like to follow the progress of the group, this is the place to come for information and support.
These sessions will be very informal with the emphasis being on doing, rather than listening and taking copious notes.
I usually ask participants to bring with them the following articles if at all possible, but to start with, you can get by with 2 pencils and 2 elastic bands.
A drawing board, approximately 18” x 24”. MDF or something similar will do, Something to prop it up to make a writing slope, i.e., a piece of wood 4” x 4” or perhaps a brick wrapped in a carrier bag.
A ruler , preferably 2 foot, and a set square.
A set of roundhand nibs with penholder and reservoirs.
A calligraphy fountain pen is a handy addition for practice work. (Any left-handers will benefit by choosing left hand oblique nibs).
Calligraphy ink. NOT WATERPROOF. Avoid Indian ink whether waterproof or not
Gouache or watercolours. Coeruleum Blue, and Vermilion. Winsor & Newton Gold ink. (Optional but very handy.)
2 HB and I 2H pencil. A 00 paint brush. A cheap brush for mixing. A palette or saucer. A jar for water and a kitchen roll.
An A3 Layout pad or even a cheap sketch book. If you have some, a nice HP watercolour paper for your finished work.
Jewels Arts and Crafts Centre in H/Regis, (where I should be on Tuesday afternoons), have agreed to supply some of the above on a sale or return basis, at 10% discount. If you can visit Jewels, mention the workshop and you will get the same discount. I am sure you will be surprised at the diversity of the stock and the number of workshops and groups that happen there.
I have spent the last week or so, to the detriment of everything else, trying to get my web presence into some sort of order. Closed down the old site and moved everything to WordPress in the hope that Bill’s … Continue reading →
independent researcher interested in visual art, poem and short story writing, nature photo taking, science, paranormal phenomena and politics. Warning - Wicked Sense of Humour!
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