100 Things Number 5: Creativity: Calligraphy

[dreamflower]

Creativity: Calligraphy

Here is something I believe: of all the creations of humankind, there is one which eclipses them all--

Whence did the wondrous mystic art arise
Of painting speech and speaking to the eyes?
That we, by tracing magic lines
Are taught how to embody and to color thoughts.
William Massey

I'm a writer. As a writer, I "paint speech" and "speak to the eyes". The means with which I write is something most people take for granted. And yet, whether it is done with brush on papyrus, chisel on stone, pen on parchment, pencil on paper, or keyboard to monitor, all words are recorded One. Letter. At. A. Time.

More powerful than all poetry, more pervasive than all science, more profound than all philosophy are the letters of the alphabet, twenty-six pillars of strength upon which our culture rests.
Anonymous

And it is the letters of the Western alphabet for those of us here, and in other lands there are other alphabets and forms of writing-- but all of them have a single purpose: to trap thoughts and words so that they may be kept and shared. All of history and civilization depends on being able to communicate, not only with the person next to you now, but with persons far away in time or distance. And that communication was made possible by those little marks, those little symbols we so take for granted.

Writing is a system of human communication that works through the use of visible signs. The beginnings of writing are inseparably connected to those of art, and one must never treat them as different entities. All letters are
signs, and all signs began as pictures. The alphabet is the source.
Friedrich Neugebauer

The Greeks had a word for it “Kalligraphia,” meaning “beautiful writing.” The Chinese used two words for it “Shu fa” meaning “the system of method of writing.” Calligraphy in its abstract nature, represents perception. Its fast
execution depends on intuitive awareness.
Heather Child

Most writers don't think much about the individual letters they are using, whether or not they are "attractive" in and of themselves. For the most part a writer using a keyboard only considers how legible a font is, or how apt to their purpose it might be.

I'm a little different. I'm a calligrapher.

I know just when I became destined to become a calligrapher one day, though I did not even know the word then or what it meant. But I had learned that I could make letters beautiful and it was fun.

I was in the third grade, and in 1960, children were still taught "penmanship" or "cursive writing" and third grade was the grade it was taught. I gazed in awe at the beautiful loops and swirls the teacher made on the blackboard, and tried to see the forms of the letters I knew within the strangely different letters we were now learning. I started playing with letters and never looked back.

Throughout grade school and high school I experimented with my handwriting and my printing as well. I crossed my "t"s with long swirly slashes, and dotted my "i"s with little circles. I tried making my "e"s like backwards 3s. I went through many different styles of handwriting, from large and loopy to small and dainty. I printed things in all capital letters, and tried printing lower case letters to match fonts I saw in books. Of course, after reading The Lord of the Rings I set myself to learning those marvelous alphabets JRRT had invented. I worked hard on creating the perfect signature, not only with my cursive writing, but with printed letters as well.

By the time I got out of high school, I knew what calligraphy meant. This was still before calligraphy pens were commonly available though, so I had to make do with a normal cartridge pen. It was frustrating, because I knew there were better ways to make the letters.

My first year of college, I found the one and only calligraphy book in the library there. Fortunately it was a classic: Edward Johnston's Writing & Illuminating & Lettering first published in 1917. Edward Johnston was the father of modern calligraphy; part of William Morris' "Arts and Crafts" movement in the late nineteenth century, he rediscovered the techniques of the ancient scribes of the Middle Ages. I had finally found a set of calligraphy pens-- the old Schaeffer cartridge broad-nibbed pens-- and began my first experiments in "real" calligraphy.

However, it was not until 1989 when I began to play in the Society for Creative Anachronism that I got serious about calligraphy. I found books on the subject and began to spend hours practicing, so that I could design and make awards scrolls for my group; pretty soon I became the main scribe for it. I taught myself several different historical hands, as well as how to do illumination and Celtic knotwork and decorative capitals. I practiced enough that I was able to teach others, and when I began work at Michael's Arts & Crafts in 1999, I was the Calligraphy teacher there for the next six years.

I often told my students that calligraphy is easy to learn, but very difficult to be good at. In other words, it is easy enough to learn how to do the basic techniques, but it takes practice to achieve consistency and beauty. After years of practice, I still feel that I have much room for improvement. But as long as I have a pen and a bit of paper with me, I will never be bored.

What joy there is in hearing yourself think,
and to make that thinking into ink.
(John Olsen, Australian Artist)

Here are some links to a few of my calligraphy pieces:

Bilbo's Last Song
Hobbit Wedding Contracts (links to 5 pieces)
Lament for Boromir
Samwise at Cirith Ungol
Sting Inscription

Comments

[ramblin_rosie]

Your work is amazingly beautiful, Dreamflower. One of these days I'd love to learn how to do the decoration--letters I can do, but the rest I've barely dabbled in.

[dreamflower]

If you want to try some simple illuminations there are a few books I can recommend: Paint Your Own Illuminated Letters by Stefan Oliver; The Illuminated Alphabet by Timothy Noad and Patricia Seligman; and The Art of Illumination by Patricia Carter. Also if you are interested in the Celtic style, there is a whole series by Aidan Meehan-- you can start with A Beginners Manual.

There are also a lot of really good online tutorials-- I don't have most of those links handy at the moment, but if you are interested I can dig them up.

[ramblin_rosie]

Thanks! Sure, shoot me an email when you can find the links--I might not have time to do much experimenting until later this summer, but I'm definitely interested. :)

[lily-the-hobbit.livejournal.com]

I got a caligraphy set for Christmas a couple of years ago. I never got round to learn how to use it. Seeing your works though I really should. After uni I will have to try and find time for it.

[dreamflower]

It's a lot of fun! I hope you do find the time.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

but all of them have a single purpose: to trap thoughts and words so that they may be kept and shared.

That quote of yours reminds me of one of my favorite passages from Viggo Mortensen, which he wrote for the introduction of "Best American Non-Required Reading" put out by Houghton-Mifflin in 2004:

"Words were everywhere I looked, filling dreams, giving me names for everything. It was all I could do to keep up with them, catch a few as they drifted through me, fell now and then from clouds, from my eyes to the table, onto my lap or become entangled in horses' manes. Most of the words got away, as they usually will, but at night I regularly managed to gather them in bunches."

I think whether we do beautiful calligraphy like yours or simply pound them out on a computer (or old typewriter like Cormac McCarthy), we writers always strive to gather up letters and words and arrange them in ways that speak to the mind, heart and soul.

[dreamflower]

I agree. And that is a beautiful quote from Viggo!

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

His poetry is so evocative... I enjoy his wordplay very much.

[fantasy-fan.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you included the links to some of your work at the end. The beautiful job you did with Bilbo's last song is my favorite, I think, although having a framed sword autographed by Elijah Wood would come in a very close second.

[dreamflower]

Thanks! I need to find a way to post some of my non-LotR pieces.

I am very partial myself to those two that you mention!

[shirebound]

I appreciate calligraphy very much, and yours is lovely.

I remember the joy I felt writing with my grandfather's real fountain pen and ink. It made every letter so much more interesting. I wish I still had that pen.

[dreamflower]

Thank you dear!

I wish you still had it too! I still prefer a fountain pen for any extended ordinary writing (as opposed to calligraphy in which I generally prefer a dip pen now). But the truth is most of the time I end up using a throwaway ballpoint for convenience when it comes to writing grocery lists or taking notes.

[wheelrider.livejournal.com]

Beautiful work! You obviously do practice a lot.

My mom was a calligrapher -- she's sadly out of practice now, but keeps saying she should get back into it. She did some beautiful pieces of song lyrics swirled and spiraled. I got into it a bit when I was a kid, using a pen she gave me, and of course taught myself Tengwar. One thing my mom said that always stuck: "Once a mark is made, you can't un-make it."

[dreamflower]

Thank you!

I like the sound of your mom's work! And I like her remark as well.

[gentlehobbit.livejournal.com]

Oh my goodness--those pieces are beautifully done! You have such skill to create such even letters with graceful flourishes. I love calligraphy. My favourite essay I ever wrote was a research paper on illuminated manuscripts. The Book of Kells and The Lindisfarne Chronicles especially captivated me.

[dreamflower]

Thank you so much!

I love both the Book of Kells and the Lindisfarne Gospels-- I think of the two, I like Lindisfarne the best! I love the carpet pages in the Lindisfarne, especially the ones with the zoomorphic knotwork...

[ellynn-ithilwen.livejournal.com]

I really love your calligraphic works!

[dreamflower]

Thank you!

[claudia603.livejournal.com]

oh your work is stunning!!

I went through a stage in middle school where I was REALLY into learning calligraphy and I got pretty good for a brief time, which was a coup for me, since my handwriting is naturally atrocious..lol! I remember it feeling very soothing to do!

[dreamflower]

Calligraphy and everyday handwriting really are two different things! (At least nowadays-- it wasn't always so...)

[mosinging1986.livejournal.com]

Oh, goodness, I am so excited to have found your journal! (Through the 100 Things Index.)

I adore calligraphy. I did a bit in high school, but haven't practiced in years. I didn't think anyone else even cared about it, especially these days when everyone types and no one prints or writes anymore - even me, most days.

Extra points for loving Lord of the Rings as well!

[dreamflower]

Well, thank you very much!

Calligraphy remains my favorite of the many crafts and arts that I practice. You would be surprised at how many people enjoy doing calligraphy today. My classes at Michaels were always full, and the scribal arts were among the most popular activities in SCA gatherings. There are a number of well-known authors of calligraphy books and hundreds of online tutorials for various aspects of the art! I think its current popularity resides in the fact that it is not a required part of life today (as you said, most every one types) and can be explored purely as an art form now.

As for The Lord of the Rings, well, it is as they say, my OTF (One True Fandom). I've been a fan for 45 years, part of online fandom since 1999, and a writer of fanfic since early 2004. The books literally changed my life (as I met my husband of 36 years through them). I pretty much eat,breathe and sleep hobbits...