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One handed photographs are hard. I didn't get as much
of my hand in the photo as I hoped. I am using a 2 mm.
Brause nib (dip pen) and writing in Fraktur as I am
lettering diplomas for a high school
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In calligraphy classes, we are taught to put a guide sheet, a sheet of scrap paper under our hands as we write on our good paper. The purpose of the scrap paper is to prevent oils from our hands from being absorbed by the good paper. When writing with water-based inks (I use a bottled, Sumi ink called Moon Palace .) oil and water don't mix and this can cause problems with the ink smearing or pooling or causing some other grief. I find using the guide sheet clumsy to use so I wear fingerless gloves instead.
The gloves also help with other problem I have. I have arthritis in my left wrist. You will notice I am a Southpaw. The gloves are compression gloves so with the gloves and a dose of Ibuprofen, I am able to write a little longer than without.
I also have Raynaud's Syndrome. It's not a debilitating problem but my hands can feel extremely cold. The gloves help keep my hands warm.
I was happy to find a pair of compression gloves in my favorite color of blue instead of the grey gloves I have been wearing. I am always forgetting where I put the gloves so now will have a spare pair.
If you don't want a scrap sheet of paper under your hands, and you don't want to buy a pair of gloves, you can use an old pair of cotton socks. Cut the toes off and at the heel make a hole for your thumb.
That's a great idea with the gloves. I often wear fingerless gloves at home to keep my hands warm, but I just have old ones with chopped off fingers. Main thing they do the trick. Have fun with the lettering, don't overdo it! Valerie
ReplyDeleteI have wool fingerless gloves for the Winter months for when my hands turn to ice
DeleteGood they work great for you, stay safe and healthy everyone!
ReplyDeleteYou, too.
DeleteI like it.
ReplyDelete😊
DeleteI didn't think about the oils from one's skin getting on the paper. And I like your do it yourself fingerless gloves instructions, using socks. I saw a movie in the recent past, where the character was leafing through a very old book, with bare hands, and I was thinking to myself, "You're supposedly an old book dealer! Why aren't you wearing gloves?!" So I knew about the oils, but I didn't put two and two together when I saw your post the other day. Also, Fraktur sounds like a familiar font name to me, for some reason.
ReplyDeleteThere is some new thinking from conservators that leafing through the book with bare hands is better than using gloves. Since the pages are fragile more damage is done by the gloves than a bare hand. I think the jury is still out on this one.
DeleteFraktur meaning broken is one of the Gothic/Blackletter scripts. It's mostly associated with Germany. If you read Valerie's post (Bastelmania) from the other day, she had photographs of street signs printed in Fraktur.
I learned a lot from this post. It makes sense to wear gloves and to keep hand oils (or those left from too much cram when the weather is dry) off your work. But I didn't know you could get compression gloves. That's a good idea. And I didn't know about Raynaud's syndrome either. Well, I liek the blue gloves and blue is always a good choice.
ReplyDeleteBlue is always my first choice.
DeleteThose diplomas will be beautiful and oil free! That's interesting about the conservators and gloves vs. bare hands. I wonder what will happen after COVID-19 about leafing through those manuscripts/books. And what will be the future of library books and browse in book stores???
ReplyDeleteI think it will be possible to still browse books at the library and keep social distancing. At the book stores, too. I have a feeling classes at the small libraries like my town library will have to look for a different venue to keep a safe distance from each other.
DeleteAs to leafing through the old manuscripts and books, the Rare Books and Manuscript Dept. at the BPL should be finished with their renovation next year. We'll have to schedule a trip to find out. And while we're there, tea.
Sounds like the perfect solution....compression, finger-less AND warm! Win/win/win! :D
ReplyDeleteIndeed 😺
DeleteI forgot you were left-handed like me.
ReplyDelete😊
Deletemizzuz ink!!! yur writin iz awesum !!! that iz lookin like a tinee "T"....we hope ewe N de familee iz happee N healthee ☺☺♥♥
ReplyDeleteDelighted to see you Tabbies! And I love the nickname. mizzuz ink! Well, my writing can't be that awesome as I was making a letter "J". If my paw wasn't in the way, you would have seen the letter "C" and figured out I was practicing my name. 😺
DeleteI do like the colour of these gloves, and so pleased they help you …
ReplyDeleteHave a good week.
All the best Jan
Nice to have a color choice instead of boring grey
DeleteFirst off - that must be quite a large job - lettering diplomas - wow.... and very interesting reading about the gloves and why and how you are finding relief through them and ibuprofen (If i have a favorite drug it's that - when a doc tries to prescribe vicodin or percoset, etc.. i refuse - can't handle it)...anyway wonderful that you found a way to get relief and produce these large orders you get - nothing like finding a job you love and are good at and express your talent. cool!
ReplyDeleteAnd a good way to keep me from roaming the streets. 😺
DeleteThe right tool for the right task :)
ReplyDeleteIt helps.
Delete
ReplyDeleteIt is a very good idea to wear gloves when you calligraphy CJ. It would never have occurred to me, and I had never thought that our hands could leave oil on the paper, now I know that, and I will take it into account. Thank you very much for sharing.
I hope your wrists are fine now. Take care of yourself, and I wish you a very happy new week.
You're welcome!
DeleteI was in 5th grade, physics-lesson, we all got a thermometer to take in our hands.
ReplyDeleteTemp went dowm, I got a second one, same result, was sent to the nurse, I´m fine.
Right now my hands and feet are really cold, they turn yellow when too cold - thank you, now I have an explanation for this!
Yet... my handwriting is so bad, I can never do calligraphy again...
Now you know 😊
DeleteMy fingers get cold, but just the tips. Not sure fingerless gloves would help me, but I sure learned a great deal in this post. Thanks for the information. I knew about the oils, but since I would never do calligraphy, I forgot until I read your post. Lovely new gloves and a beautiful letter, too.
ReplyDeleteSometimes just my fingers get cold. Like you, I thought fingerless gloves wouldn't help, but you'd be surprised how warm your fingers, even the tips get. The palm area gets warm, the veins can expand to bring more blood to the fingers. (Veins contract less blood supply and you feel cold)
DeleteCJ, I have to truly thank you for being honest about the gloves! I am going to look into a pair of these for my mom!! I "usually" wear wool leg warmers all year round, for my varicose veins, and I do think I have a arthritis too. But, touch wood, not too bad, yet! Crossing fingers! Do this with the leg warmers, my legs feel so good, and no pain!
ReplyDeleteGlad I could help
DeleteWas it hard knowing your proper hand size?
ReplyDeleteNo. They have a measuring guide. You measure your hand and compare the number to the chart to see whether you should order a S, M, or L
DeleteThanks CJ!
Delete😊
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