Tuesday, November 29, 2011

the lost art of penmanship

I am obsesssed with old handwriting.  
I especially like old penmanship books where people practiced their handwriting.  
It is such a wonderful art that is lost today.  Today very few people even write.  
Most things are typed via computer.  
It was interesting, I was reading the book about Steve Jobs and the reason that computers have the many options of different fonts and typography is because when he was in college (actually had dropped out of college) he took a calligraphy class and was so influenced by it,  that is why he incorporated many different type options in his creations.  
Microsoft copied Apple and therefore they have font choices too. 
Such a simple thing that we take for granted today, but it was all due to a brilliant, creative mans love of handwriting too.
Here are a couple shots of someones practice book.

I think I will be matting and framing these pages and selling them in our Etsy shop. 
Gorgeous!

2 comments:

  1. I too am fascinated with vintage script handwriting.

    When I was young my penmanship was bad so my mother would have me sit and copy pages of writing from magazines. I hated every minute. But after awhile I came to appreciate what she had done for me. She taught me to appreciate the art of sitting quietly, putting pen to paper and writing my thought in an artful way for not only myself but for others to enjoy as well.

    I have thanked her many times over the years for "torturing" me (lol) as I have not only loved writing cards and letters to friends and family but have on more than one occasion been able to earn extra money by addressing envelopes for weddings.

    It's a shame that penmanship is not taught anymore in schools. It is truly an extinct art.

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  2. Me too, me too! I still love to write in my journal. There's something so soothing about putting pen to paper and writing out your thoughts!

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