Speedball and Marker Script Styles
with
John Downer
Speedball lettering pens have been in existence for more than a hundred years. They influenced the look of commercial script styles during much of that time. John Downer has been using Speedball pens for over half a century. In his youth, he was introduced to them in the Pacific Northwest, where one of the two inventors of the nibs resided. John will demonstrate how professional letterers have faithfully worked with this type of rudimentary dip pen, and will present historical examples.
In addition, calligraphy markers will be utilized for styles of script with high stroke contrast. Fine tip markers will be utilized for styles with low stroke contrast.
The popular interest in script typefaces and various kinds of written forms has led to much experimentation recently, but rarely does the activity focus solely on mid-century tools and methods. In this workshop, John will devote a weekend to the subject of using Speedball series B and series D nibs to emulate script fashions of the past. Also he will show how a basic knowledge of the old ways can lead to new insights which have significance and vitality today.
Required Materials
- A computer or device with reliable internet connection
- A workspace with either a slanted board on a top table of 15° to 30° or a drafting table big enough to hold 14" x 22" card stock
- 4 ea. 22” x 28” sheets of white railroad board, each to be cut into two pieces 14” by 22”
- wooden or plastic yardstick cut into lengths of 12" and 24"
- pen holders (handles), 2 each
- Sakura Pigma Calligrapher Set of 3 Black pens. (Neal catalog SKU M82-S3-123)
- Sharpie fine tip marker, Black
- Speedball series B nibs. 4 sizes: B0, B1, B3, B4 (Blick catalog items 20856-1000 and 20856-1003)
- Speedball series D nibs. 2 sizes: D00, D1 (Neal catalog items N160-D00 and N160-D1)
- India ink. (Brands: Higgins Black Magic, Blick Black Cat, Winsor & Newton, etc.)
- Sakura Pigma Calligrapher Set of 3 Black pens. (Neal catalog SKU M82-S3-123)
- Sharpie fine tip marker, Black
- stick charcoal
- pencil
- eraser
- shallow plastic cups for water
- clear or frosted cellophane tape
- scissors
- X-Acto knife
- rags
- paper towels
- apron or smock
- bar soap for cleanup, and a toothbrush
- Optional materials: access to a printer to print out exemplars
Registration for this class will open on January 6. Please join the mailing listto receive updates and announcements.
Class size is limited to 14 students.
About John Downer
Mr. Downer is a sign painter, a typeface designer, and an educator. He has written about type and type history for various publications and is widely known as a perceptive type critic. His typefaces have been published by Bitstream, Font Bureau, Emigre, House Industries, and Design Lab. Among his most popular type designs are Iowan Old Style (on Apple Books and iOS 7+), Roxy, Ironmonger, and the ubiquitous food and beverage branding favorite, Brothers.
A native of the Pacific Northwest, a region of the US with a rich history of sign painting and hand-lettering, Mr. Downer was first introduced to commercial pen & brush lettering in the 1960s in junior high school. He began an apprenticeship in a sign painting shop at age 18. He holds BA, MA, and MFA degrees in art.
Mr. Downer has been a journeyman sign painter since 1973, a freelance typeface designer since 1983, and a crusader for designers’ rights his entire adult life. He began teaching lettering at the university level in 1972, making him one of the most experienced American educators in the fields of lettering and typeface design. He’s been teaching in the Type@Cooper program at The Cooper Union since its founding in 2010. He established the Sign Painting Support Group on Facebook as a platform to educate and guide serious enthusiasts and professionals in the principles of letter construction and the tricks of the trade.