Chapter 13

A Fancy Document Script

In This Chapter

Looking at the Copperplate alphabet

Getting a handle on how to create the lowercase letters

Creating the capital letters

Putting the punch on punctuation and numerals

Stringing letters together to form words

Copperplate? What in the world do plates made of copper have to do with a style of calligraphy?

Copperplate, also known as engraver’s or engrosser’s script and also as English Roundhand, originated in the sixteenth century and continued as the dominant style of lettering through the nineteenth century. It was used for engraving and for formal documents, and is a style where the pen duplicates the appearance of the script that was engraved into copper plates used for printing — hence, the name, Copperplate.

It’s a very ornate style and requires an altogether different kind of pen and technique from the other styles covered in this workbook. You probably recognize Copperplate as the style used on many diplomas as well as on the U.S. Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

Copperplate is a fun alphabet to learn and practice. Not only is it fun, but, if you master this alphabet, you’ll also become part of a fairly elite group. There are fewer calligraphers who practice this style than the other styles. One result of perfecting this alphabet could be that you’ll gain a degree of notoriety.

In this chapter, I introduce the special, oblique pen. Then I show you how to make the strokes thick or thin and how to do ten basic strokes which you put together to make all the lowercase letters. After that, I show the capitals, numbers, and punctuation marks. I conclude this chapter with practice writing words.

Cozying Up to Copperplate

Because this alphabet is so different from the alphabets covered in the other chapters, you really don’t need any prior experience before you begin this alphabet. If you have studied other alphabets, the experience in tracing and copying and the attention to detail will be valuable as you learn Copperplate. To give you an idea of what the alphabet looks like, just take a look at Figure 13-1.

Figure 13-1: The Copperplate alphabet.

Copperplate uses pen pressure, not pen angle, to create the thicks and thins. Copperplate also uses a special pen — the oblique pen (see Chapter 3 for more information on this type of pen). So, in the sections that follow, I explain the ins and outs, the thicks and thins, and other special requirements of the Copperplate style.

Using the special oblique pen

The special oblique pen has the point mounted at an angle on the side (see Figure 13-2). The purpose behind this odd-looking arrangement is to make it easy for you to control the slant and to make the long strokes that are characteristic of this style.

Figure 13-2: The oblique pen.

The ink has to be specially prepared for Copperplate. I use Higgins Eternal to which I have stirred in about a dozen drops of gum Arabic. The gum Arabic thickens the ink and also increases its surface tension. That way when you press down on the pen, the ink will cling to the opening in the point and produce the wide, heavy strokes. Without the gum Arabic, the ink would be watery and tend to break apart into droplets when the pen point spreads open.

Angles and slants

Copperplate letters have a slant of between 30 and 40 degrees from the vertical. A 36-degree slant is used most often, and that’s the angle I’ll use in this chapter (see Figure 13-3).

Figure 13-3: The 36-degree slant.

Because of the 36-degree slant, it’s really helpful to have slant lines to follow in addition to the regular guide lines. You can draw the slant lines at the correct angle by simply drawing a diagonal on a rectangle that is 3 units wide and 4 units tall (see Figure 13-4).

Figure 13-4: Determining this slant by drawing the diagonal of a 3-by-4 rectangle.

Holding your pen

Hold your pen in a comfortable writing position and turn this page under your hand so your pen lines up perfectly with the pen in Figure 13-5. I have found that the most comfortable position for me is where the slant lines are nearly vertical. Find the position that is most comfortable for your hand.

You should maintain this position as you are lettering. The pen is not turned “this way and that” while you are writing.

Figure 13-5: The position of the pen.

Guide lines

The guide lines for Copperplate are entirely different from the guide lines for other styles (see Figure 13-6). The distances between the lines are not determined by pen width. You can make the spaces between these lines any size you like, just make sure they are all equal. You need five spaces:

Capitals go all the way up to the top line and down to the bottom if they have a lower loop.

The tall, looped ascenders: b, f, h, k, and l are just below the top line.

Short ascenders: d, p, and t start just below the second line. Looped descenders: g, j, q, y, and z stop just above the lowest line.

The short descenders: f and p stop at the line below the writing line.

The slant lines are drawn as dotted lines. Ascenders and descenders should be drawn parallel to the slant lines.

Figure 13-6: The guide lines and the heights of the different kinds of letters.

Controlling the pressure through thicks and thins

The pen that you’ll use for Copperplate has a sharp point, and the thicks and the thins of the letters of this alphabet are created entirely by varying the amount of pressure on the pen. When you apply very light pressure, the pen will make a fine hairline. When you apply heavier pressure, the point will spread open. This should enable you to make a wider line and should be done only on the down strokes. Upstrokes are always fine hairlines that are made with only the lightest pressure.

Figure 13-7: The thick and thin parts of the letters are created by varying the pressure on the pen point.

Practice the technique of light upstroke and heavy downstroke until you can duplicate the strokes below. Begin by tracing over the example without ink. Observe what the pen point does. Try to make the down strokes even in width. Try to make the upstrokes fine and smooth.

Learning the Ten Basic Strokes

The lower case letters are made from ten basic strokes. I show you the ten basic strokes in Figure 13-8. You can put these strokes together in different combinations to make all 26 lowercase letters.

Figure 13-8: The ten basic strokes.

All the letters in this alphabet are drawn from top to bottom and left to right.

Here’s how you do each stroke — after you read how to do each stroke, use the practice exercise that follows to trace and then copy each stroke:

Stroke 1 is a thin hairline. Use a very light touch while moving the pen upward.

Stroke 2 is a thick line. Use even pressure as you move the pen downward. Try to keep the width of the line as uniform as you can.

Stroke 3 is the horseshoe shape. Begin at the base line with a stroke upward which is a thin hairline and end with a thick stroke downward.

Stroke 4 is the opposite of stroke 3. It begins with a thick stroke downward which curves upward turning into a thin hairline.

Stroke 5 is a combination of 3 and 4. It begins like stroke 3, but then it ends like stroke 4.

Stroke 6 is the oval. Begin at the top and apply pressure as you draw the left side of the oval. As you reach the bottom, the stroke curves upward and changes into a thin hairline.

Stroke 7 is the s shape, which is made with a downward stroke. Notice how the thickness of the stroke changes from thin to thick and then back to thin again.

Stroke 8 is the upward loop. It begins with a stroke like stroke 1, loops over the top and turns into stroke 2.

Stroke 9 begins like stroke 2 except it is much longer. At the bottom of the stroke, you curve the line to the left and continue moving the pen upward making a thin hairline.

Stroke 10 is a dot and a whisker. Begin with a dot which is made by simply pressing down on the pen without making a stroke. Once you have made the dot, release the pressure on the pen and make a thin hairline which curves slightly toward the right.

Did you notice that the top and bottom of stroke 2 are square?

If you had trouble making the downstroke square, follow these steps:

1. Lead into the downstroke with a line like the one shown in Figure 13-9.

2. Apply pressure to the pen, causing the point to open up toward the left.

3. Pull down on the stroke with even pressure.

Figure 13-9: Using line to lead into the stroke.

To square the bottom, roll the pen slightly to the left and lift (see Figure 13-10).

Figure 13-10: Squaring the bottom.

This technique requires a little practice to perfect. Try squaring this stroke in the exercise that follows.

Lowercase Letters

I have divided the letters into groups according to their similarities. This is helpful in learning the letters and also maintaining uniformity.

You make the lowercase letters by combining the basic strokes. The strokes are all made from left to right.

Instead of practicing all the letters of the same group together in one exercise, you need to practice these letters a bit differently because you are combining the basic strokes. So you practice each letter individually in the sections that follow. However, if you want to practice the lowercase letters even more, check out the Appendix.

Letters with the n shape

The letters with the n shape include: n, m, h, p ,y, and v (see Figure 13-11).

Figure 13-11: Letters n, m, h, p ,y, and v.

The lists that follow, tell you how to make each letter and give you a chance to practice each one as well.

I’ve set up the instructions so that in between each step, you should lift the pen. So if I give you two strokes within one step, that means to do each stroke, one after the other, without lifting the pen.

Make the n:

1. Draw stroke 3.

2. Draw stroke 5 next to the previous stroke.

Make the m:

1. Draw stroke 3.

2. Draw stroke three again.

3. Draw stroke 5.

Make the h:

1. Draw stroke 1. Without lifting your pen, continue the line with stroke 8.

2. Draw stroke 5.

Make the p:

1. Draw stroke 1 followed by stroke 2.

2. Draw stroke 5.

Make the y:

1. Draw stroke 5.

2. Draw stroke 9.

3. Draw stroke 1.

Make the v:

1. Draw stroke 5.

2. Draw stroke 10.

Letters with the o shape

The letters with an o shape include: o ,a ,g ,d, and q (see Figure 13-12).

Figure 13-12: Letters o, a, g ,d, and q.

Just follow the steps I outline below to draw each letter in this group.

Make the o:

1. Draw stroke 1.

2. Draw stroke 6.

3. Draw stroke 10.

Make the a:

1. Draw stroke 1.

2. Draw stroke 6.

3. Draw stroke 4.

Make the g:

1. Draw stroke 1.

2. Draw stroke 6.

3. Draw stroke 9.

4. Draw stroke 1.

Make the d:

1. Draw stroke 1.

2. Draw stroke 6.

3. Draw stroke 2.

4. Draw stroke 4.

Make the q:

1. Draw stroke 1.

2. Draw stroke 6.

3. Draw stroke 2 which turns into stroke 4 at the bottom.

4. Draw stroke 10.

Letters with the c shape

You only draw two letters with a c shape, and I give you one guess what one of those letters happens to be . . . that’s right — the letter c — the other letter is e (see Fig- ure 13-13).

Figure 13-13: Letters c and e.

Follow the steps for drawing each letter as you trace and copy the letter in the exercises below.

Make the c:

1. Draw stroke 1.

2. Draw the left half of stroke 6. Leave the right side open.

3. Draw a dot at the top.

Make the e:

1. Draw stroke 1.

2. Draw a small version of the first part of stroke 8. As you make the loop, draw the left half of stroke 6.

Letters with the l shape

Only a couple of letters belong in the group of l-shaped letters — you guessed it: l and b (see Figure 13-14).

Figure 13-14: Letters l and b.

Combine the basic strokes to make these letters by following the steps outlined below. Then trace and copy each letter in the exercises below.

Make the l:

1. Draw stroke 1.

2. Draw stroke 8. Draw stroke 4.

Make the b:

1. Draw stroke 1.

2. Draw stroke 8. Draw stroke 4.

3. Draw stroke 10.

Letters with the i shape

In this section you can discover how to create all the letters with the i shape: i, j, u, w, and t (see Figure 13-15).

Figure 13-15: Letters i, j, u, w, and t.

Simply follow each step below for each letter as you trace and copy the letters in the exercises below.

Make the i:

1. Draw stroke 1. Draw stroke 4.

2. Put a dot over it.

Make the j:

1. Draw stroke 1.

2. Draw stroke 9.

3. Draw stroke 1.

4. Put a dot over it.

Make the u:

1. Draw stroke 1.

2. Draw stroke 4.

3. Draw stroke 4.

Make the w:

1. Draw stroke 1.

2. Draw stroke 4.

3. Draw stroke 4.

4. Draw stroke 10.

Make the t:

1. Draw stroke 1.

2. Draw stroke 2.

3. Draw stroke 4.

4. Draw a crossbar.

The remaining letters

The letters f, k, r, s, x, and z don’t belong to any one group, except the “leftovers” group (see Figure 13-16). So in this section, you can find out how to create each of these “leftover” letters.

Figure 13-16: Letters f, k, r, s, x, and z.

Just follow the steps below while you trace and copy each letter in the practice exercises.

Make the f:

1. Draw stroke 1.

2. Draw stroke 8.

3. Draw stroke 10.

Make the k:

1. Draw stroke 1.

2. Draw stroke 8.

3. Draw stroke 7. Draw a small clockwise loop. Draw stroke 4.

4. Draw a dot at the top of stroke 7.

You can make the r two ways.

The first way by:

1. Draw stroke 3.

2. Draw stroke 1.

3. Draw stroke 10.

The second way by:

1. Draw stroke 1.

2. Draw a short stroke 10.

3. Draw stroke 4.

Make the s:

1. Draw stroke 1.

2. Draw stroke 7.

3. Draw stroke 10.

Make the x:

1. Draw stroke 5, but change the angle as shown in the example.

2. Draw a long, slanted version of stroke 7 with a dot on both ends.

Make the z:

1. Draw stroke 3 which you end by making a curve to the left. Continue with a small clockwise loop.

2. Draw stroke 9 curved slightly.

3. Draw stroke 1.

Capital Letters

The capital letters in this alphabet are really tall. Their tops touch the top ascender line. The capital letters that have lower loops (g, j, and y) extend all the way down to the bottom descender line. The capital letters do not use the ten basic strokes. As you practice these letters, concentrate on keeping the strokes smooth and even.

Letters with the i shape

The five letters in this group (i, f, g, j, and t) all have a long, thick stroke through the middle (see Figure 13-17).

Check out the numbered steps to find out how you can create each of these capital letters. The practice exercises that follow each letter’s description give you a chance to trace and copy each letter so you can perfect each stroke.

Figure 13-17: Letters i, f, g, j, and t.

Make the i:

1. Draw a thin, curving hairline.

2. Draw a heavy stroke downward which ends with a curve to the left and a dot.

Make the f:

1. Draw a heavy down stroke. End with a curve and dot.

2. Draw a wavy line on top.

3. Draw a small looping stroke through the middle.

Make the g:

1. Draw a spiraling stroke counter-clockwise.

2. Draw a heavy downward stroke all the way to the bottom descender line. End with a curve to the left and a dot.

Make the j:

1. Draw a thin, curving hairline.

2. Draw a heavy stroke downward to the bottom descender line. Finish with a hairline loop.

3. Draw basic stroke 1.

Make the t:

1. Draw a heavy down stroke. End with a curve and dot.

2. Draw a wavy line on top.

Letters with the p shape

The letters in this group (p, b, r, and d as shown in Figure 13-18) are related to the previous group. All the letters begin with the same i shape used to make the i-shaped capitals (see “Letters with the i shape,” above).

Figure 13-18: Letters p, b, r, and d.

I break down how to create each letter in the numbered lists that follow. You can practice each letter by tracing and copying in the exercises I provide that follow each letter’s description.

Make the p:

1. Draw a heavy stroke downward which ends with a curve to the left and a dot.

2. Draw a double curve stroke over the top.

Make the b:

1. Draw a heavy stroke downward which ends with a curve to the left and a dot.

2. Draw a triple loop shape that begins on the left side and ends on the right side as shown.

Make the r:

1. Draw a heavy stroke downward which ends with a curve to the left and a dot.

2. Draw a double loop shape that ends with basic stroke 4.

Make the d:

1. Draw a heavy stroke downward which ends with a small curve to the left.

2. Draw a hairline stroke back around the right side of the letter that ends with a loop.

Letters with the a shape

The letters in this group include a, m, and n. All these letters have upward pointing, sharp angles. (See Figure 13-19.)

Figure 13-19: Letters a, m, and n.

Practice each letter by following the steps and using the exercises I provide below.

Make the a:

1. Draw a dot, a narrow curve, a straight line that goes up sharply to the point.

2. Draw a heavy, straight line to form the other leg of the letter.

3. Draw a loop through the middle.

Make the m:

1. Draw a dot, a narrow curve, and a straight line that goes up sharply to a point.

2. Draw a heavy, straight line downward, a hairline upward and a heavy line downward that ends with basic stroke 4.

Make the n:

1. Draw a dot, a narrow curve, and a straight line that goes up sharply to a point.

2. Draw a heavy, straight line downward and a hairline upward that ends with small clockwise curve at the top.

Letters with the v shape

The capital v and w have downward pointing sharp angles as shown in Fig- ure 13-20.

Figure 13-20: Letters v and w.

Try your hand at lettering the v and w by following the steps below. Apply each step to the trace-and-copy exercise that follows each letter.

Make the v:

1. Draw basic stroke 5.

2. Draw a slightly curving, heavy stroke down to the writing line.

3. Draw a hairline going up that curves and ends with a dot.

Make the w:

1. Draw basic stroke 5.

2. Draw a slightly curving, heavy stroke down to the writing line.

3. Draw a hairline upward. Draw a second curving, heavy stroke down to the writing line.

4. Draw a hairline upward that ends with a curve and a dot.

Letters with the u shape

The two letters in this group, u and y, look exactly alike above the writing line. The only difference is the y has a descender loop. (See Figure 13-21.)

Figure 13-21: Letters u and y.

You, too, can create these letters — it just takes some practice. I give you simple steps you can use while practicing each letter in the exercises below.

Make the u:

1. Draw a clockwise loop which becomes a heavy down stroke. At the bottom, curve the stroke to the right and continue upward.

2. Draw a heavy downward stroke which turns into basic stroke 4 at the writing line.

Make the y by following all the steps for the U except the final downstroke becomes a long loop:

1. Draw a clockwise loop which becomes a heavy down stroke. At the bottom, curve the stroke to the right and continue upward.

2. Draw a long, heavy downward stroke which turns basic stroke 9. Draw basic stroke 1.

Letters with the o shape

Three letters — o, q, c — have counter-clockwise ovals. (See Figure 13-22.)

Figure 13-22: Letters o, q, and c.

Make the most of the numbered lists below — follow the steps as you practice each letter in the exercises below.

Make the o by drawing a counter-clockwise spiral.

Make the q:

1. Draw a counter-clockwise spiral.

2. Draw a little S-shaped line at the bottom.

Make the c by drawing a counter-clockwise loop at the top and larger curve underneath.

Letters h and k

Two letters are in this group — h and k. (See Figure 13-23.)

Figure 13-23: Letters h and k.

Get a handle on creating these letters by tracing and copying the letters in the exercises below. Just follow the steps I provide for each letter while you practice.

Make the h:

1. Draw basic stroke 5.

2. Draw a slightly curving, heavy stroke downward which ends with a curve to the right and a dot.

3. Draw a hairline that goes upward from left to right, loops and turns into a heavy down stroke that ends with basic stroke 4.

Make the k:

1. Draw basic stroke 5.

2. Draw a slightly curving, heavy stroke downward which ends with a curve to the right and a dot.

3. Draw the shape that begins with a dot at the top and resembles the left half of a pair of curly brackets.

The remaining letters

This group includes 5 letters (e, l, s, x, and z). They are shown in Figure 13-24.

Figure 13-24: Letters e, l, s, x, and z.

Follow the steps I provide below while practicing each letter. Just trace and copy the letters in the exercises.

Make the e by drawing three counter-clockwise curves.

Make the l:

1. Begin like you are going to make a c, but make the loop smaller and follow it with a broad downstroke that loops to the left in a clockwise fashion and then sweeps to the right with light pressure.

2. Draw a small counter-clockwise curve. Draw a heavy down stroke that loops to left in a clockwise fashion and then sweeps to the right as a hairline.

Make the s: Draw a counter-clockwise spiral at the top, a heavy down stroke, and a clockwise spiral at the bottom.

Make the x:

1. Draw a clockwise spiral, a heavy down stroke, and another clockwise spiral.

2. Draw a counter-clockwise curve, a heavy down stroke that through the middle goes on top of the first stroke, and a counter-clockwise curve at the bottom.

Make the z:

1. Draw a small, horizontal S-shape.

2. Draw a second S-shape.

3. Draw a long loop down to the bottom descender line.

4. Draw basic stroke 1.

Numbers and punctuation

Numbers and punctuation are all that are left (see Figure 13-25). Practice these and you have everything. Since our numbers developed separately from the letters, they do not follow the same rules as the letters. You can make these numbers any size you like.

Figure 13-25: The numerals and punctuation.

Now you can add numerals and punctuation to your practice. I explain how to create each numeral in the steps below. The punctuation should be completely self-explanatory.

Make the 1:

1. Draw a light upstroke hairline.

2. When you reach the top, make a downward stroke while gradually increasing the pressure so that the bottom is wider than the top.

Make the 2: Draw a curly cue, a clockwise curve over the top, and end with a little squiggle at the bottom.

Make the 3: Draw a curly cue and two clockwise half-circles that are linked by a small loop. End with a hairline that curves around.

Make the 4:

1. Draw a long down stroke that begins with a slight curve at the top.

2. Draw a seond, smaller downstroke to the left of the first one. Make a loop, and a wavy line to the right.

Make the 5:

1. Draw a down stroke which is followed by a clockwise half circle that ends in a curly cue.

2. Draw a slightly curved line across the top.

Make the 6:

1. Draw a large curved, down stroke for the left side.

2. Draw a smaller down stroke curved the opposite direction for the right side.

Make the 7:

1. Draw a wavy line on top similar to basic stroke 5.

2. Draw a downward stroke while gradually increasing the pressure so that the bottom is wider than the top.

Make the 8:

1. Make an S-shape and at the bottom, curve the stroke back up to the middle.

2. Draw basic stroke 1.

Make the 9:

1. Draw a small, curved, down stroke for the left side.

2. Draw a larger down stroke curved the opposite direction for the right side.

Make the 0:

1. Draw a curved, down stroke for the left side.

2. Draw a down stroke curved the opposite direction for the right side.

Make the &:

1. Draw a slightly curved, down stroke.

2. Draw a backwards S-shape that crosses over the first stroke and ends with a small curve.

Make the ?:

1. Draw a clockwise spiral that ends with a small counter-clockwise “hook” at the bottom.

2. Draw a dot.

All the other punctuation marks are pretty self-explanatory — you can handle them!

Putting It All Together

When you begin working on writing words, spacing is important. As you practice lettering words in Copperplate strive to keep the down strokes as evenly spaced as possible. It usually helps if you pencil in the letters lightly before you do them with the pen.

Pay close attention to the contrast between your thick and thin strokes. This contrast needs to be strong. Just look at Figure 13-26 for an example.

Figure 13-26: Examples of words drawn in Copperplate.

Now that you have an idea of spacing, give it a try in the exercise below. You can find more opportunities in the appendix to practice drawing words using the Copperplate alphabet.