Italic Letters: Calligraphy and Handwriting [Paperback]

Inga Dubay (Author), Barbara Getty (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1992

Italic Letters: Calligraphy & Handwriting by Inga Dubay and Barbara Getty is the most comprehensive how-to workbook available on learning italic, with 128 pages of step-by-step, beautifully illustrated instruction. The teaching method is hands-on, containing page after page of examples to trace and letters to copy. Each letter is presented for use with both a monoline pen for informal and rapid writing, and an edged pen, for an elegant, more formal hand, often used for invitations and special correspondence.

Dubay and Getty take you through basic italic, formal italic, chancery italic and cursive italic, four classic hands that will earn you a lifetime of compliments in both your formal calligraphy and everyday handwriting. Once you have mastered the letterforms, the authors show you how to use your calligraphic skills to design and produce posters, invitations, letters, cards, booklets, and envelopes.

This resilient book is for serious calligraphers and those who simply want better penmanship.

Italic Letters is for professional and amateur calligraphers, art teachers, pen enthusiasts, and those interested in the book arts. It's also for students, business people, homemakers; virtually anyone who wants to learn calligraphy and improve handwriting legibility. In this age of computer-generated letters and forms, more than ever, people admire the beauty and personal impact of handwritten communication.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Originally published by Van Nostrand Reinhold in 1984, this revised edition provides for the self-teaching of four italic scripts. The first three--basic italic, formal italic, and chancery italic--are fairly standard calligraphy forms. The fourth style, cursive italic, is designed for use as everyday handwriting. Presented in the authors' previous books, the eight-volume Italic Handwriting Series (Continuing Education Pr., 1986), and Write Now ( LJ 3/1/91), this style was devised to facilitate the transition from printing to cursive writing. The format of this book, with practice space directly below the calligraphic examples (and instructions to use tracing paper), make comparison and correction easy. Recommended for public libraries.
- Joanne K. Hammond, J. Frank Faust Junior H.S. Lib., Chambersburg, Pa.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"For learning the italic hand this may now be the workbook." -- John Neal, John Neal Bookseller, Greensboro, North Carolina

"I really like this book a lot! ...you’ll end up with a very nice italic hand." -- Jean Heidenreich, Instructor and Professional Calligrapher, North Hennepin Community College, Minneapolis, Minnesota

"Inga and Barbara are truly artists and have designed each page of Italic Letters with... clarity, balance, precision, and beauty." -- Dr. Betty Edwards, Author, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Portland State Univ Continuing; Rev Sub edition (June 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0876780915
• ISBN-13: 978-0876780916
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #349,594 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good teaching source, March 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Italic Letters: Calligraphy and Handwriting (Paperback)

This book has been quite helpful in learning the fundamentals of itallic Calligraphy. It not only gives you a step by step guide on forming letters, it also gives you a good background in the history of Calligraphy and an understanding of its significance. I especially enjoyed the variations it gives on different letters, allowing the student of Calligraphy to formulate his or her own unique style.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Italic Handwriting, October 19, 2010

By 

Mr Gadget "gadgetking" (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Italic Letters: Calligraphy and Handwriting (Paperback)

I wish I had found this book 40 years ago. Well it wasn't published 40 years ago, but you get the idea. My handwriting had gotten to the point that even I could not read it. I decided to take up Italic handwriting and purchased this book. I realize now that it is a classic. All I know is that it has really helped me write better. I would strongly suggest that all parents purchase this book and have their children start to learn italic handwriting. They will be glad they did.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for beginners and advanced calligraphers alike!, April 7, 2001

By 

"tuttle_multimedia" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Italic Letters: Calligraphy and Handwriting (Paperback)

Barbara (and Inga) have done a superb in offering a great textbook for learning Italic calligraphy; one of the most popular scripts for lettering artists. If you're a beginner you should buy this book just to learn discpline and the basics; if you're an advanced calligrapher than you should buy this for the historical portions and to just say that you own something by the marvelous Barbara Getty and Inga Dubay -- two outstanding and legendary Pacific Northwest calligraphers!