Johnston’s Contribution To Calligraphy
Topics: calligraphy pen, cross pen
Calligrapher Edward Johnston contributed a lot to the modern world of calligraphy. Looking back through the ages it can be seen that calligraphy has played an important part in the development of civilization, and that it has manifested itself in many ways and through many agents. It can first be seen on papyrus in Egypt in the hieratic writing of the Papyrus Prisse dated about 2500 B.C. It is next observed in Greece where it had been practiced since the third century B.C., and later turns up in Rome in the shape of Roman Uncials. Under the monastic system it took the form of fine writing on vellum, which continued, in varied style until the fifteenth century. During the next century beautiful italic hands were produced in the chancelleries of Italy, which were also engraved on wood and metal, thus serving as examples of fine work for future generations.
The passing of Edward Johnston the calligrapher in 1944 and Graily Hewitt the illuminator in 1953, both pioneers in the art of writing and illuminating in England, has left a gap in the production of decorative MSS. that cannot easily be filled.
To Edward Johnston we owe the rediscovery of the master tool, the framed panel of writing as decoration, and freedom and sharpness in formal handwriting.
The tool that Edward Johnston rediscovered was the Roman reed pen, which had been used as a substitute for an Egyptian brush. This was a very thin reed or cane chewed so that the frayed end became a small flat brush. This Egyptian brush had been in use since about the year 4500 B.C. and had been in constant use for writing the hieratic and demotic scripts until the third century B.C. when the Romans made contact. The reed then became a substitute for the brush and was cut with a chisel edge. It may therefore be concluded that the Romans were the first to cut a reed, which became the ancestor of the quill pen.
The outcome of the use of the chisel-cut reed was undoubtedly a script known as Rustic, which was carved in stone, painted on walls and written on papyrus; it became one of the common scripts of Rome probably before the year 1 A.D. and may have influenced the formation of the Roman capital.
The chisel-edged pen when pulled into a curve gave the stroke gradation; it also gave the oblique strokes variety of width, producing a capital letter form of great beauty.
It seems that when the capital letter had been carved so perfectly in the first century A.D., the writers of the time who set themselves to produce fine scripts did their best to follow the capital; they, finding it difficult to write the angular strokes, turned as many as convenient into curved ones, hence they obtained the Uncial Hand, which in time broke down to a half-uncial, which ultimately became the beautiful writing of medieval Europe. It was this fine writing that fired Edward Johnston as a young man to study formal hands; it was the rediscovery of the master tool that gave him the opportunity of forming modern writing.
A Lettering System That Is Proven To Improve Your Calligraphy Pen In Only Hours
Click here for FREE online ebook!
Previous Articles Highlighter:
Safety Tips For Fishing On Rowboats And Outboards (1)
6. Don't go outside, meaning even two feet out to sea. Stay within the shelter of land. 7. Don't ever take a fifth person with you.
Who Else Wants Quick And Easy Blueprints To Make Just About Anything Out Of Wood (2)
Then gradually increase the length of your stroke until it is the full arm length. When you are near the end of a cut, lessen the arm length and ease back on the pressure again.
Weighing Your Personal Situation When Investing In Stocks (3)
There is, for instance, no age more appropriate than another for investment. But it is conceivable that a young man might find family obligations, such as a new house, absorbing all his resources, that a middle-aged man might prefer to invest surplus funds in his business, and that an elderly man might feel he is too far along for the amount he is able to invest to bring him any significant return.
How To Build Various Types Of Huts (4)
If you want additional furniture, look around you for ideas. There are many primitive but serviceable things you can build from materials you'll find at your camp site. Setting up a hut is often time-consuming because you have to search for the suitable poles and weaving materials for the rough framework.
How To Start A Good Conversation (5)
Don`t interrupt others. It is all very well that you want to be a part of the group, but interrupting others is an insult to them. Suppose the speaker is saying that he has trouble keeping the leaves off the lawn when you pipe up with an observation, such as, "Say, have you noticed how car prices are coming down?" A person who often does that sort of thing is not ready for polite company.
How To Have A Finished Basement That Looks Great In Less Than 30 Days (6)
Don`t worry millions of homeowners do the same thing on a daily basis. They want to do something and then get completely overwhelmed by the idea of doing something that they never get to it.
Build Your Own House Quickly And Easily (7)
As with anything else, if you are unsure as to what you are doing or have questions, consult a professional. Discover How To Build Your Own House Quickly And Easily Using Our Easy To Follow Blueprints...
How To Pitch A Tent Well (8)
You will notice quickly enough that the hip bone on whichever side you are lying is in your way. Dig out a depression, just big enough for your hip bone, and you will immediately notice how much more comfortable you are.
How To View Stock Market Formulas Professionally (9)
Topics: stocks, stock market, stock trading A famous Wall Street story concerns a young man who was in the early stages of learning to be a professional speculator. He had a problem, so he went for advice to an elderly sage noted for his shrewd investment judgment.
How To Choose A Bow That Can Land You A Prize Buck (10)
Once you have selected your bow, the chart below will help you choose the correct arrows to match with it. A basic rule which the beginner should keep before him at all times, is that archery is not a test of strength, but a game of skill, and to enjoy shooting a bow, skill must be acquired.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
Seeing 1,000 Items And Creating One Picture (1)
Do not on any account be hidebound. Let your imagination have full rein. If you see a tree as "a man walking" - then let your tree be as a man stepping out.
A Brief Look At The Origin Of The Postage Stamp (2)
Heinrich von Stephan, the first postmaster of the German Empire, labored strenuously for the establishment of some form of an international union that would permit the flow of international mail with the same ease that existed for delivery of mail within a single country.
Feeding Your New Puppy (3)
Their formulae are specially prepared by trained scientists to meet all of the dog's needs, and all nationally known brands are guaranteed by the federal government, on the basis of careful experiment, to furnish normal maintenance diets.
Flying A Kite Well (4)
There can be variation in its movement. For example, it may be a fitful wind. Again, and to the point here, it may meet an obstacle such as a hill, a cliff, or a building, in which case it is deflected upwards.
The Fascinating World Of Doll Collecting (5)
Usually a particular and special name was selected for each doll by its young owner. Many of the dolls now in museums are still known by the names given to them long ago.
How To Start Playing Music By Ear Quickly (6)
Eventually the ear player reaches his limit and must use notation to study music further; but this limit is much broader than is generally supposed. Moreover, our musical horizon, our limit of comprehension, is not far beyond this point where the ear must yield to rational machinery for guidance.
Proper Grooming Of Horses (7)
The eyes, nose and dock are sponged and the rugs turned back so that the quarters and then the forehand can be groomed. The feet should be picked out at least twice a day, and three times if the horse is bedded on peat or sawdust.
A Difficult Sailing Maneuver Explained (8)
The instant the sail fills, you will be on your way. You may take the mast out of her, break the boom, yank out your stern cleat, get pitched overboard, or accomplish all those things at once.
Important Characteristics Necessary To Training A Dog (9)
There are three fundamentals with which he must be concerned - patience, concentration and seriousness of purpose. Patience is probably the trainer's most necessary tool. Nervousness, quick temper or the slightest impatience never go hand in hand with successful training, and a person subject to any one of these failings may well think twice before he undertakes to train a dog.
Choosing The Right Skates For Ice-Skating (10)
So that you will know for yourself whether you are being sold the right blades, pick up the skates on the counter and examine them carefully. Ask for a hockey skate and hold it in your left hand.