Week 1

Basic strokes of Roundhand using straight pen holder, Gillott 303 nib

Homework: Practice basic strokes following size and guideline like the demo pages above. Then create an instruction page like the 1st demo image
Download scanned demos HERE

WEEK 2

Homework 1: Practice following words (10mm x-height, 15mm ascender and 15mm descender)

Homework 2: Practice following quote in lowercase only (8mm x-height, 12mm ascender and 12mm descender, spacing between each line is 20mm)

“we live in a world where finding fault in others seems to be the favorite blood sport. it has long been the basis of political campaign strategy. it is the theme of much television programming across the world. it sells newspapers. whenever we meet anyone, our first, almost unconscious reaction may be to look for imperfections.”

WEEK 3

Homework: Copy following text one in English Roundhand and one in Italian Roundhand, notice the differences of letterform and spacing. Try 5 or 7mm x-height, space between two lines is 4 times x-height.

“hope” is the thing with feathers -
that perches in the soul -
and sings the tune without the words -
and never stops - at all -

and sweetest - in the gale - is heard -
and sore must be the storm -
that could abash the little bird
that kept so many warm -

i’ve heard it in the chillest land -
and on the strangest sea -
yet - never - in extremity,
it asked a crumb - of me.

Week 4

Homework: Copy following English Roundhand samples (in red squares) by English Writing Masters: Tomkins and Shelley then write it again in Italian Roundhand style

Right click on images and click DOWNLOAD, or click on image to zoom in

WEEK 5

Homework: copy following pages

WEEK 6

Homework: Write following text, using English Roundhand, Italiand Roundhand and Running Hand form

Three Men in a Boat

by Jerome K. Jerome

We are but the veriest, sorriest slaves of our stomach. Reach not after morality and righteousness, my friends; watch vigilantly your stomach, and diet it with care and judgment. Then virtue and contentment will come and reign within your heart, unsought by any effort of your own; and you will be a good citizen, a loving husband, and a tender father—a noble, pious man.

Instruction:

• Title written in bold English Roundhand with flourished capitals, size 8-10mm

• Author’s name written in Italian Roundhand, size 6-8mm

• Main text written in either English or Italian Roundhand (your choice), x-height should be small 4mm, spacing between two lines is around 20mm so that there is room for extended ascenders and descenders. Add simple flourishes at the head letter and ending lines

 Week 7

Homework: Practice strokes in red rectangle shapes in following page Beaugrand, use 45 degree pen angle, 1.5 or 2mm nib, 3/4 inch x-height

Week 8

Practice following sentences, use 8mm x-height, Mitchell nib 5 1/2 or any nib with similar size, ascender and descender is 2 x-heights

• if any cop asks you where you were, just say you were visiting kansas.

• sarah ran from the serial killer holding a jug of milk.

• the elderly neighborhood became enraged over the coyotes who had been blamed for the poodle’s disappearance.

• the beauty of the sunset was obscured by the industrial cranes.

• she folded her handkerchief neatly.

• the lake is a long way from here.

• my secretary is the only person who truly understands my stamp-collecting obsession.

• a kangaroo is really just a rabbit on steroids.

• the water flowing down the river didn’t look that powerful from the car.

• he found the chocolate covered roaches quite tasty.

Week 9

Homework: Copy following text, use GILLOTT 303 (recommended) or similar nib, 6-8mm x-height:

Week 10

Homework: Practice following text of “SHAKESPEAREAN SONNET”, using 6-8mm lowercase x-height, capital x-height is 15-20mm, spacing between lines is roughly 20-25mm

From fairest creatures we desire increase,

That thereby beauties Rose might neuer die,

But as the riper should by time decease,

His tender here might beare his memory:

But thou contracted to thine owne bright eyes,

Feed'st thy lights flame with selfe substantiall fewell.

Making a famine where aboundance lies,

Thy selfe thy foe, to thy sweet selfe too cruell:

-Thou that art now the worlds fresh ornament,

And only herauld to the gaudy spring,

Within thine owne bud buriest thy content,

And tender chorle makst wast in niggarding:

-Pitty the world, or else this glutton be,

To eate the worlds due, by the graue and thee.

Week 11

Homework: Write following text in Dutch and French Roundhand, one in 8mm x-height and one in 10mm

1. one day, a zebra found a xylophone on the sidewalk. he quickly ran over, picked it up, and gave it to his pet mule. just then, he found another xylophone. he kept that one for himself.

2. this is a paragraph that uses every single letter in the alphabet. now, that doesn’t mean this can be a paragraph with no story, but it does mean that every single letter is used. you can make it as generic or fanciful as you’d like. you can talk about anything from quilts to jets to xylophones. oh yeah, and you can use whatever language you want, from afrikaans to zulu.

Week 12

French Roundhand resources: DOWNLOAD

Stage 2 project: Choose your preferred text and write in Dutch or French Roundhand or both using a vertical composition, called “letter ocean” style. Paper sheet should be in ratio 1:2 by size, for example 30x60 cm or 40x80 cm, etc. Letter x-height is not bigger than 7mm. Think about this project as an exhibition piece for frame.

Instruction guide:

1. Make a thumbnail sketch with pencil then show me your idea

2. Write one or two sample sentences on the same paper to final piece to check ink flow, bleeding, etc.

3. Rule the final paper lightly with pencil (erasable)

4. Write and finish!

Good luck on your project!

 WEEK 13

Homework: Copy following text by pointed pen and ink, using English Roundhand or Italian Roundhand. Be mindful where to put shading on extending ascenders and descenders.

Week 14

Practice following flourishes in red boxes, notice (1) the direction of oval flourishes, (2) pen angle, (3) thickness distribution

Week 15

Week 16

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION

This Certificate is proudly presented to

[YOUR NAME]

for the exceptional performance that has led to the successful completion of 18-week online course “Roundhand”.

Date

Instructor

Week 18