Contents

1 About the author - Patricia Lovett Guidelines - Foundational or Round Hand

2 Introduction
Guidelines - Italic
3-4 History of Writing
5-6 Beginning Calligraphy Guidelines - Black Letter
7 Pen patterns
8 Nib angle and x-height Guidelines - Uncials

9-10 Foundational or Round Hand - minuscules

11-12 Foundational or Round Hand - majuscules
13-14 Italic - minuscules
15-16 Italic - majuscules
17-18 Black Letter - minuscules
19-20 Black Letter - majuscules
21-22 Uncials
23 Filling your pen

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About the author
Calligraphy text and lettering by
Patricia Lovett
Patricia Lovett is a professional scribe
whose work often involves raised gilding
and painting on vellum, and she regularly
exhibits in the UK and abroad.
Patricia studied at Art College
specialising in Calligraphy, Heraldry and
Illumination. Since then she has taught
lettering to adults and children for more
years than she would care to remember.
She is CLAS Chief Examiner for the
Gilding and Traditional Skills and the
Early Hands Certificate Courses.
Because of her interest in education,
children and young people Patricia
founded and runs L E T T E R S, which
is a society for all those interested –
but particularly youngsters – in all
forms of letters and lettering.
Contents
Her books on lettering include Teach
Yourself Calligraphy, Calligraphy for
Starters, Tools and Materials for
Calligraphy, Illumination and Miniature
Painting, Creating Letterforms and
Starting Lettering, the last two being
co-written. She has also made a video,
Calligraphy for Starters, for beginners
and improvers.
Patricia is Chairman of the Calligraphy
and Lettering Arts Society and
Calligraphy Officer for Alphabugs.
She is a Fellow of CLAS and the RSA.
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Introduction

PARKER Calligraphy Set

It is more than a century since George
Safford Parker launched his company
with the philosophy ‘make something
better and people will buy it.’
Since then PARKER has been producing
writing instruments designed to enhance
the pleasure of writing, and over the
years PARKER fountain pens have
been used by famous people from
many walks of life.
PARKER calligraphic nibs are carefully
crafted to a chisel edge, which is
similar to the broad edge quills used
by traditional scribes. This instructional
application shows you how to achieve
letters written with a broad edge nib.

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History of Writing
Although people had communicated
with each other by making marks and
lettershapes for thousands of years, it
was only two thousand years ago, in the
time of the Romans, when letterforms
reached a peak of perfection and took
on the shapes that we now recognise
and still use today. Letters cut into stone
for monumental inscriptions provide the
inspiration for modern letter designers.
These letters were majuscules – capital
letters, or upper case – it was some time
before minuscules – small letters or
lower case – which we would recognise
today, were used in manuscripts.
Uncial was one of the styles of writing
which was used in the first books, or
codices, which began to replace papyrus
scrolls around the fourth century A.D.
The books were made from animal
skin, usually calfskin, limed and scraped
to give a beautifully sympathetic
writing surface still preferred by
many scribes today.
Contents
A
Those early scribes wrote with hardened Letters used on Roman inscriptions inspire modern letter
designers – here Palatino designed by Hermann Zapf.
feathers, cut to a pen-shape.
The broad-edge nib gave the letters
their characteristic thicks and thins.
G
Quills were used for hundreds of years,
and replaced by the metal nib only in
the nineteenth century.
As the years went by, the style of
writing changed subtly. The small
strokes extending above and below
the guidelines for uncial letters evolved
into full ascenders and descenders for
Carolingian. This was a style of writing
developed during the time of the
Emperor Charlemagne (742–814ad)
by the scribe Alcuin of York, whilst
he was working at the scriptorium
of St Martin’s in Tours, France.
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History of Writing
Later, in the tenth century, Carolingian
was adapted by English scribes for their
books, and this was the style chosen
by Edward Johnston working in the
early part of the twentieth century
as a good start, or foundation, for
learning calligraphy. It is often called
Foundational Hand, after Johnston.
The round letters narrowed and became
compressed, and Black Letter, or Gothic,
was the result. This style is often very
difficult to read. In the southern parts of
Europe rounder letters, called Rotunda,
were favoured.
During the Renaissance in Europe the
Italic style was used both in books and
for correspondence. It could be written
fairly plain or with many flourishes.
Contents
Then the broad edge nib was replaced by Black Letter, written in northern France, about
1475 a.d. From the author’s collection.
a pointed nib, which mirrored the metal
burin used for engraving copper plates.
This gave the writing style its name –
Copperplate – and it was used
throughout the nineteenth century.
In modern times we use a variety of pens
which suit our busy lifestyles; however,
many want to learn these historic
letterforms. This pen set and instructional
application gives an outline of four
alphabets and how they are formed. In southern Europe, the rounder form
of Rotunda was preferred. From the
Perfecting them takes a little time, author’s collection.
but it is well worth the effort.
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Beginning Calligraphy
Your PARKER Calligraphy Set gives you
just about everything you need to start –
three nibs of various widths, guidelines
and Parker ink cartridges. You will also
need layout paper, a sharpened pencil
with a hard lead, a long ruler and an
eraser for removing the guidelines.
Start with the broad nib in the set; this
will show your letters clearly. Gradually
progress to the smaller size nibs when
you are happy with the lettershapes.
• Write on a board set at an angle
of about 45°. This is a comfortable
position for writing, and you should
not then get aches and pains in
your back. The angle of the board
also controls the flow of ink from
your pen. You can use a piece of
wood for your board, and rest it in
your lap; you do not have to buy
an expensive drawing board.
Contents
• Pad your sloping board with white A
blotting paper or a couple of sheets
of cartridge paper so that the
writing surface is sympathetic
and not too hard.
• Fold a long piece of paper in half
and use this as a guard sheet.
Right-handers should tape the paper
horizontally so that it is secure at
both ends as in diagram A. Position
the paper so that it is 1 inch or 2·5
cm below the most comfortable
level for writing. Left-handers B
should set their boards up as in
diagram B, with the guard sheet
again 1 inch or 2·5 cm below the
most comfortable level for writing.
Positioning the guard sheet at an
angle for left-handers means that
the wrist is not strained so much.
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Beginning Calligraphy
The guard sheet protects your lettering
from ink spills and also from any grease
on your hand. If you do not use a guard
sheet it often becomes difficult to write
on the lower part of a sheet of paper.
• The paper you are writing on slides
underneath the guard sheet and
moves up and down and to the left
and right so that your hand stays at
the same comfortable position
all the time.
Contents
• Right-handers should have a good
light source from the left-hand side.
Left-handers should have a good
light source from the right-hand side.
• Use a sharpened hard pencil and a
long ruler to draw guidelines. It is
worth taking the time to do this so
that your eye becomes used to the
relative heights of the letters.
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Pen Patterns
Making individual strokes and patterns
45°
shown here is a good way to become
familiar with your Calligraphy pen.
Always hold your pen nib so that it
matches the angle indicated for each
alphabet style. The thicks and thins of
the letters will then be in the correct
places. The patterns below are for a nib
held at 45°. You can repeat the patterns
with the nib held at 30° and at 10° for
the other alphabet styles.
Repeat the patterns and join them
together to make stylish calligraphic
borders for your work.

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Nib angle and x-height
• Measure out the correct height for
the guidelines of each alphabet
style by turning your pen so that
it is horizontal and making a series
of little steps.
These should just touch one another
and not overlap.
• The main body of the letters fits
between the guidelines for x-height.
Ascenders, parts of the letter which
go up such as on b, d, and f, extend
beyond the guidelines for x-height,
so too do descenders on letters such
as p, q and y.
Contents
• Hold your pen at the correct
angle for each of the alphabet
styles. Match your nib up to the
angle shown for that alphabet.
The lettershapes change when your
pen nib is at a different angle.
• Holding your pen at an angle makes
the thicks and thins on the letters in
calligraphy. Do not use your pen to
exaggerate the strokes. Sometimes
this can make the letters look silly.
90°
45°
0°
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Foundational or Round Hand – minuscules
Foundational or Round hand minuscules
are based on a round letter o. Remember
to keep your letters wide and fat.
Start the second stroke of letters such
as b, h, k, m high up on the downstroke.
The width of all letters relates to that
wide round letter o.
The x-height for this hand is 4 nib
widths. Ascenders, the parts of the letters
which go up as on letters b, d, k are 7
nib widths in all. Descenders, the parts 30°
of the letters which go down as on
letters g, p, q are also 7 nib widths in all.

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Foundational or Round Hand – minuscules
Use the correct line guides at the end
of this application for this Foundational
or Round Hand minuscule style. Turn
your PARKER pen until the nib is at 30°
to the horizontal and practise the letters
shown below. Remember that all the
letters are based on a round letter
o and take their form from that.
The arrows and direction strokes show
you how to form the letters from
individual strokes. *10°

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Foundational or Round Hand – majuscules
Foundational or Round Hand majuscules
are based on the letters cut into stone In
Roman Times. The most well-known
examples of these are at the base of
Trajan’s Column in Rome.
Letters C, D, G, O and Q are based on a
round letter O. Symmetrical letters –
A, H, N, T, U, V, X, Y, Z are three-quarters
of a square wide, asymmetrical letters 30°
B, E, F, J, K, L, P, R, S are half a square
wide. The anomalies are I – a straight
line, W – two slightly narrow Vs –
and M which is based on the letter V
with two slightly splayed downstrokes.
The letter height is 6·5 nib widths.

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Foundational or Round Hand – majuscules
Use the correct Guidelines at the end
of this application for this Round Hand
majuscule style. Turn your PARKER pen
until the nib is at 30° to the horizontal
and practise the letters shown below.
Remember that some letters are wide
and others narrower. Look back at the
previous page to check this.
The arrows and direction strokes show
you how to form the letters from
individual strokes. ~80°

*10°

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Italic – minuscules
These minuscules are based on an oval
letter o. The width of all letters relates
to this oval letter o. Start the second
stroke of letters such as b, h, k, m, from
the baseline to give lively springing
arches. This results in a triangular white
space between the downstroke and the
arch. Note a similar triangular space at
the base of letters such as a, d, and u.
Letters slope at an angle of 5° – 7°. 45°

The x-height for this hand is 5 nib

widths. Ascenders, the parts of the letters
which go up on letters such as b, d, k
are 9 nib widths in all. Descenders, the
parts of the letters which go down on
letters such as g, p, q, are also 9 nib
widths in all.

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Italic – minuscules
Use the correct Guidelines at the
end of this application for this Italic
Hand minuscule style. Turn your
PARKER pen until the nib is at 45°
to the horizontal and practise the
letters shown below. Remember that
the letters are based on an oval letter
o and that the arches spring from
the base guideline.
The arrows and direction strokes
show you how to form the letters
*10°
from individual strokes.

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Italic – majuscules
Italic majuscules are similar to Round
Hand majuscules but based on an
oval letter O.
Letters C, D, G, O and Q are taken
directly from an oval letter O.
Symmetrical letters – A, H, N, T, U, V, X,
Y, Z are three-quarters of that oval wide,
asymmetrical letters B, E, F, J, K, L, P, R, S
are half the oval wide. The anomalies are
I – a straight line, W – two slightly
45°
narrow Vs and M which is based on
the letter V with two slightly splayed
downstrokes. The height of letters is
8 nib widths.

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Italic – majuscules
Use the correct Guidelines at the end
of this application for this Italic Hand
majuscule style. Turn your PARKER pen
until the nib is at 45° to the horizontal
and practise the letters shown below.
Remember that some letters are wide
and others narrower. Look back at the
last page to check this.
The arrows and direction strokes show
you how to form the letters from
individual strokes.
~60°

*10°

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Black Letter – minuscules
Black Letter or Gothic is an attractive
style of lettering, but usually very
difficult to read as there are few
curves to the letters. It was used in
Medieval times in highly decorated
and illuminated manuscripts.
Spacing is very important in this style.
The white space between each letter
should look about the same as the
white space within each letter.
45°
The x-height is 5 nib widths, ascenders
and descenders are 7 nib widths in all.

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Black Letter – minuscules
Use the correct Guidelines at the end
of this application for this Black Letter
minuscule style. Turn your PARKER pen
until the nib is at 45° to the horizontal
and practise the letters shown below.
Remember that spacing is important
with this style, so try to make the white
spaces within the letters look even.
Use the left-hand corner of your nib to
make the fine hairlines as on the letter r.
The arrows and direction strokes show
you how to form the letters from
individual strokes.

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Black Letter – majuscules
Black Letter majuscules are very
elaborate and highly decorated.
There are lots of diamonds, fine lines
and ticks on the sides of the letters.
This contrasts with the very rigid style
of minuscules and it results in there
being no large white spaces within
these wide majuscule letters.
The letters shown here are only one 45°
version of Black Letter. You can make
your own style of decoration, perhaps
with 3 diamonds instead of 2, or with
one fine line instead of two.
The fine lines are made by turning
the nib so that it is vertical and drawing
a line with the very edge of the nib.

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Black Letter – majuscules
Use the correct Guidelines at the end
of this application for this Black Letter
majuscule style. Turn your PARKER pen
until the nib is at 45° to the horizontal
and practise the letters shown below.
Black Letter majuscules are the only
majuscules to be slightly higher than
the ascenders of the minuscules at
8 nib widths. *10°
The arrows and direction strokes show
you how to form the letters from
individual strokes. This style is a little
complicated and it may take a while
before you feel confident.

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Uncials
Uncials are wide, round letters which
look very grand. They were used for
important headings in some of the first
manuscript books produced. Allow a lot
of space between the lines so that the
style does not appear squashed and
cramped. The height of the letters is
4 nib widths.
Although this is a majuscule style there
are some letters with ascenders and
descenders. These should not be too
10°
large or too exaggerated.

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Uncials
Use the correct Guidelines at the end
of this application for this Uncial style.
Turn your PARKER pen until the nib is
at 10° to the horizontal and practise
the letters shown below.
Remember to keep the letters wide
and fat.
The arrows and direction strokes
show you how to form the letters
from individual strokes.

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Filling your pen
When changing one nib unit for Bottle ink
Encre en bouteille
another always flush it with cold Tintenglas
Tintero
water before storing. Inchiostro in flacone
Inktflacon
Tinta em frasco
To encourage ink flow, periodically
press the nib onto a damp tissue.
IMPORTANT: Always use PARKER ink
or cartridges with this product.
Never use Indian ink as this will be
detrimental to the function of the nibs.

Ink cartridge
Cartouche d’encre
Tintenpatrone
Cartucho de tinta
Cartuccia d’inchiostro
Inktpatroon
Cartucho de Tinta

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Guidelines - Foundational or Round Hand

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Guidelines - Italic

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Guidelines - Black Letter

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Guidelines - Unicals

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