There are some more – but overall I am quite happy with the outcome of this practice / study and look forward to write some texts without an original to copy!

Update zu meinen Kurrent-Workshops: Es gibt wohl doch wieder ein paar freie Plätze, da die Teilnehmerzahl erhöht wurde. Weitere Infos unter https://blog.sbb.berlin/termin/hoffmann-workshop-1-10-22-1/ :: Historisches Beispiel im Bild aus Fuggers »Nutzlich und wohlgegrundt Formular …« von 1553 #kalligrafie #calligraphy #kurrent #kurrentscript #kurrentschrift #calligraphyworkshop #handwriting #handschrift #script #schreibschrift #flourishforum #federflugcalligraphy https://www.instagram.com/p/CjII2lnD2JB/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I had a wonderful time yesterday teaching Kurrent script in the style of the late 1700s, early 1800s to roughly 25 people in the Berlin State Library! Thanks so much for inviting me, @staatsbibliothek_zu_berlin, and thanks to everyone for coming ☺️! :: #calligraphy #handwriting #handschrift #kalligrafie #etahoffmann #etahoffmannexhibition #unheimlichfantastisch #kurrentscript #kurrentschrift #calligraphyworkshop #handwritingworkshop #staatsbibliothekzuberlin #flourishforum #federflugcalligraphy https://www.instagram.com/p/CjNLR4sD_mh/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

A personal interpretation of Roman minuscule cursive I’ve been working on – on and off – in the last few months. It’s inspired by versions from @julien_chazal and #gottfriedpott, as well as from contemporary examples. As these are pretty wild I feel there is no “historically accurate” version of this script – that was before writing manuals with a fixed version of an everyday script were created! It’s fun to try around with that and develop my own more formal version. Also writing with a glass pen is always relaxing, and I do have a soft spot for monoline writing … :: #calligraphy #kalligrafie #kalligraphie #monoline #romancursive #miniscule #glasspen #watercolors #schmincke #schminckewatercolor #glasfeder #aquarellfarben #flourishforum #federflugcalligraphy https://www.instagram.com/p/CdTPNUUDfmI/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Finally invested in a pair of work glasses – money well spent! It’s so much more comfortable to write when I don’t have to hunch over the table for close-up stuff … I tried some years ago, but I guess they were just not very well adjusted to my specific needs. This time they work wonderfully! Btw I’m studying here some German Kurrent scripts from the 18th century – nothing beats a quill for broad pen writing if you ask me ☺️ … :: #calligraphy #kalligrafie #kurrentscript #kurrentschrift #quill #federkiel #handwriting #handschrift #flourishforum #federflugcalligraphy https://www.instagram.com/p/Cfjs-zUjmYk/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

The Brause 361 nib is a nib I like to recommend for beginners and I use it regularly in my workshops. It’s sturdy but still gives nice hairlines, lasts quite a while and will work well with a wide variety of inks (including gouache and metallics). Also you can get pretty thick swell strokes without it being too difficult for the more heavy-handed! It made me smile when I first heard this nib called a »Blue Pumpkin« in English! Probably because its blue dye and round and rather big form? :: Did you know that another name for the nib in German is »Steno Feder«? Stenography or Shorthand is used to write quicker than with regular script – using abbreviated signs and / or symbols. Some can be written more than 10 times faster than writing alphabetically, so people in court for example are able to record someone’s speech in real time! I did some online research, it’s a fascinating topic – alone in Germany existed over the centuries about 800 to 900 different shorthand systems! The first ones were used already in Antique Greece, and also many non-Western writing systems have their shorthands – on the Wikipedia entry you’ll find (among others) pictures of Hebrew and Chinese shorthands (I’m attaching here German, Hebrew, English and Chinese examples). :: Back to my humble Brause Steno nib – the reason it’s a flexible nib is because line pressure indicates meaning in the German shorthand it is meant to be used for. Apparently most modern day practitioners use pencils to make these pressured strokes – but isn’t it nice we can use this practical nib to write calligraphy too ☺️? :: #calligraphy #kalligraphie #kalligrafie #caligrafia #nib #feder #brausefeder #stenofeder #brausenib #bluepumpkin #shorthandnib #historyofwriting #stenografie #shorthand #stenography #calligraphytools #handwerkszeug #flourishforum #federflugcalligraphy https://www.instagram.com/p/CO7sDaAgp81/?igshid=6myfp7huxaqr

Saying »Thank you« with a personal written note is something I try to do every time I get non-digital mail – at the moment I’m catching up with snail mail that is even slower than usual … if you ever wrote to me, I haven’t forgotten. I can’t promise when I’ll answer, but eventually I will! Or send me an angry e-mail 😆, preferably with your current address 😉. — Btw I bought this peacock feather cards, they are not my own design (made by @craneandco) – they just fit perfectly to my studio name: »Federflug« means »flying with feathers« in German. Well, even if this is decidedly NOT a feather suitable for flying. I guess I just chose the cards because they’re soo pretty! :: #calligraphy #kalligraphie #kalligrafie #caligrafia #calligrafriends #smallcaps #frenchronde #calligralove #historicalscripts #calligraphypractice #letterlove #letterwriting #kartenschreiben #snailmail #calligraphysnailmail #sayingthanks #peacockfeather #pfauenfeder #flourishforum #federflugcalligraphy https://www.instagram.com/p/CPQRlX4ANJ4/?utm_medium=tumblr

In case you haven’t noticed – I am a big fan not only of formal calligraphy, but also of – let’s call it »Pretty Handwriting«. In fact most of the styles I write are based on historical handwriting exemplars. I like to study and practice using primary sources – in this case I am working based on a classical French script called “Ronde” in a version by the calligrapher Charles Paillasson (from 1760). I’m not aiming for »historical accuracy« here (whatever that may be – I had to start by using the tools and materials they used back in the day, and to dive into that would be alone enough for a whole blog post). I just work with it – try to find out what makes this script unique, play around with the basic forms, write words and paragraphs to get into a rhythm, and I make mistakes and errors and go on and after some time one – or several – personal versions of this handwriting style emerge. (By the way, the underlying basic forms of the Ronde still can be found in today’s French handwriting models). :: If you’re also into handwriting styles and historical inspiration – have a look at @pennavolans here on IG! There and on the corresponding website run by @pebbleinthesky you will find not only great articles about and links to digitized copy books through the centuries, but also you can buy catalogues of Roundhand letters, meticulously vectorized by Sybille, in a huge, huge selection of variations! :: #calligraphy #kalligraphie #kalligrafie #caligrafia #calligrafriends #ronde #frenchronde #calligralove #learningcalligraphy #kalligrafielernen #historicalscripts #calligraphypractice #zillerink #periwinkleblue #flourishforum #federflugcalligraphy https://www.instagram.com/p/CK8u4FUAafb/?igshid=vri8m6zjdqvi