Ornamental Script Lessons
Learn Ornamental script from one of the finest instructional books
ever published on the subject, 'Lesson in Ornamental Penmanship' by PZ Bloser
of The Zanerian College (Copies written by EA Lupfer) Published 1948. See bottom
of this page for text.
Click on the particular letter you want to learn to view a
high-resolution scan of the page. Simply hit the BACK button on your browser to
return to this page.
Lower Case Ornamental Script Letters:
a b c d e f g h i j
k l m n
o p q r s t u v w x y z
Upper Case Ornamental Script Letters: (*Upper case letters to be
posted soon)
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Fundamental Strokes:
JUST ADDED: Two additional
Ornamental caps exemplars from CP Zaner and HP Behrensmeyer. These exemplars
are scans of original specimens from the IAMPETH collection.
Taken from Lessons in Ornamental Penmanship
By PZ Bloser
THE STUDY OF FORM
Two things are essential in the
execution of superior penmanship. They are perception and performance. The hand
can not well perform that which the mind does not perceive. On the other hand,
the hand unconsciously endeavors to follow the dictates of the mind. In other
words, the hand, thoroughly and carefully trained, becomes the ready servant of
the will and intellect. Poor writing owes its existence quite as much to poor perception as to poor performance. Therefore, if you
would get the most out of these lessons, study carefully and critically the form before you begin to practice upon it. By so doing, you
will not only learn to write a much finer hand but will do so in much less
time.
And this matter of perception is
quite as difficult to acquire as the ability to execute. Eye training is
therefore just as important as muscular training, and as tedious to attain.
Before beginning practice upon any
exercise, principle, letter or word, study it carefully, noting first the
relative height and width; second, its general shape, whether round-like or
square-like, long or narrow, regular or irregular; third, note carefully the
main divisions of the letter, and finally take into consideration the little
things such as turns, angles, beginning and ending strokes, etc.
Draw the letter carefully and
perfectly-just as perfectly as you can perceive, using a well sharpened pencil
and an eraser to make corrections in order to get just exactly what you
perceive. If you can get a better idea of form of a letter by tracing it, do
so. Some of our finest penmen, in their endeavor to get to be such, worked for
hours attempting to draw a perfect letter before attempting to practice it. You
will do well to utilize the same method. Much unnecessary effort is expended
and not a little paper wasted by practice following superficial observation.
Therefore you would make no
mistake in having a clear form in your mind before placing it upon paper.
Someone has very wisely said that you must think good writing before you can
hope to execute it. Nothing truer was ever spoken. Begin now, therefore, to
study form and to study it systematically and therefore scientifically.
THE MOVEMENTS
There are two forces employed in
writing, one which may be termed the creative force and the other the
controlling force. The two should always go hand in hand, else scribbling on
the one hand or cramped writing on the other hand is sure to be the result.In creating motion, three sets of muscles are
employed by all superior penmen. The muscles located on the forearm in front of
the elbow move the fingers. The muscles on the upper arm move the forearm at
the elbow. The muscles on the chest and back move the upper arm at the
shoulder. In the best writing, all of these muscles cooperate to produce the
final product.
We have also three means of
controlling this three-fold action. The first and most important control is
that known as "will." The second control is that secured by resting
the forearm on the muscle in front of the elbow. The third means of control is
the little finger as it comes in contact with the blotter upon which it glides
and rests alternately.
The idea that
the hand should rest and glide upon the nails of the third and fourth fingers
is not used for ornamental writing. None of our finest penmen write that way. Instead, nearly all of
them rest the hand upon the side of the little finger, usually upon the flesh
somewhere between the nail and first joint. This little glide
and rest aids in controlling the otherwise jerky and spasmodic movements of the
upper arm.
In writing the minimum small
letters, the little finger rest should slip freely in making most of the
upstrokes, and it should rest or slip but very little in making the downstrokes. There are a few exceptions to this rule but
they will be noted from time to time when the letters are given for practice in
which the exceptions occur.
We have said nothing thus for
about the rate of speed. Your nervous condition will have much to do in
determining the rate of speed at which you should practice writing. A good rule
is to write freely enough to keep the nervous system from shaking the lines, or
fast enough to keep the wobbles out of curved forms. Rapid writing is out of
the question where real gracefulness and accuracy are desired. And in ornate
penmanship, it is not quantity but quality that counts. Therefore, use enough
speed to make your writing graceful, but not enough to prevent accuracy and
precision.
