Alex Musayev
@alexmusayev.bsky.social
Calligraphy practice, writing aesthetics, and so on.
Another practice sheet with random quotes. Trying Canson Bristol paper today, very smooth and dense, 180 g/m². Almost too fancy for practice sheets. Pilot Parallel 6 mm, 2:4:2. #blackletter #calligraphy
June 30, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Another practice sheet with random quotes. Trying Canson Bristol paper today, very smooth and dense, 180 g/m². Almost too fancy for practice sheets. Pilot Parallel 6 mm, 2:4:2. #blackletter #calligraphy
Observe by watching. Pilot Parallel 6 mm, 2:4:2. #blackletter #calligraphy
June 29, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Observe by watching. Pilot Parallel 6 mm, 2:4:2. #blackletter #calligraphy
Weapon of choice. Pilot Parallel, 6 mm, 2:4:2 grid with narrow line spacing. #blackletter #textura #calligraphy
June 25, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Weapon of choice. Pilot Parallel, 6 mm, 2:4:2 grid with narrow line spacing. #blackletter #textura #calligraphy
Textura Quadrata variation alphabet (yes, with a missing w). Pilot Parallel pen, 6 mm, 2:4:2.
June 23, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Textura Quadrata variation alphabet (yes, with a missing w). Pilot Parallel pen, 6 mm, 2:4:2.
Just a late night practice sheet. Trying thin crosslines this time.
June 11, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Just a late night practice sheet. Trying thin crosslines this time.
This is a page from the Speedball Textbook showcasing an elegant Fraktur by Yukimi Annand (yukimiannand.com). It looks quite minimalistic, but there is a catch: the nib angle gradually changes, adding a slightly heavier termination to some strokes. Executing this is not easy. At all. I just tried.
June 8, 2025 at 12:00 AM
This is a page from the Speedball Textbook showcasing an elegant Fraktur by Yukimi Annand (yukimiannand.com). It looks quite minimalistic, but there is a catch: the nib angle gradually changes, adding a slightly heavier termination to some strokes. Executing this is not easy. At all. I just tried.
Speaking of parallel rulers, here is a picture from Etsy of an old Soviet ruler that served as an inspiration for the one I’m designing now (mostly for fun). Super heavy stainless roller.
June 4, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Speaking of parallel rulers, here is a picture from Etsy of an old Soviet ruler that served as an inspiration for the one I’m designing now (mostly for fun). Super heavy stainless roller.
Litany against fear.
June 1, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Litany against fear.
Just got three pens from pratikpen.com. They feel quite unusual after Pilot Parallel pens I typically practice with. And very interesting.
June 1, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Just got three pens from pratikpen.com. They feel quite unusual after Pilot Parallel pens I typically practice with. And very interesting.
Another practice sheet. Consistency is hard. Specifically, keeping things vertical end equal.
May 31, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Another practice sheet. Consistency is hard. Specifically, keeping things vertical end equal.
Trying the Parallel Pen 3.8 mm to fit more text per line. Also trying to avoid as many errors 🤦♂️
May 24, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Trying the Parallel Pen 3.8 mm to fit more text per line. Also trying to avoid as many errors 🤦♂️
Canson marker paper, 70 g/m^2. Reasonably transparent, so the grid remains visible.
May 22, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Canson marker paper, 70 g/m^2. Reasonably transparent, so the grid remains visible.
P stands for Patience. And the lack of Printer also.
May 22, 2025 at 7:40 PM
P stands for Patience. And the lack of Printer also.
“Everything round and running true” (it is Textura Quadrata, so nothing is round, actually, but let's not cling to words).
May 21, 2025 at 9:26 PM
“Everything round and running true” (it is Textura Quadrata, so nothing is round, actually, but let's not cling to words).
Iterating “g” variations. Pilot Parallel pen, 6 mm, 2:5:2.
May 20, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Iterating “g” variations. Pilot Parallel pen, 6 mm, 2:5:2.
Practicing the letter “e”.
May 18, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Practicing the letter “e”.
Working on spacing consistency, parallels ant the letter S.
May 15, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Working on spacing consistency, parallels ant the letter S.
Anyway, I ended up designing my own rolling ruler. Hopefully, it's going to be more grippy and stable compared to the mass market options. The parts for the prototype should arrive from JLC3D in around a week. This one is to be continued.
May 14, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Anyway, I ended up designing my own rolling ruler. Hopefully, it's going to be more grippy and stable compared to the mass market options. The parts for the prototype should arrive from JLC3D in around a week. This one is to be continued.
Getting a good rolling ruler for calligraphy guidelines is not as easy as one might expect. There are either super-cheap and dissatisfyingly plastic options from China, or antique marine navigation tools from the British navy on eBay. The latter is no doubt cool but a total overkill for the hobby 🤔
May 14, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Getting a good rolling ruler for calligraphy guidelines is not as easy as one might expect. There are either super-cheap and dissatisfyingly plastic options from China, or antique marine navigation tools from the British navy on eBay. The latter is no doubt cool but a total overkill for the hobby 🤔
The important part is to post every practice sheet, whether I like it or not. Otherwise, the perfection threshold will inevitably rise to an unachievable level, basically nullifying any trackable progress. So here’s the next one.
May 13, 2025 at 10:18 AM
The important part is to post every practice sheet, whether I like it or not. Otherwise, the perfection threshold will inevitably rise to an unachievable level, basically nullifying any trackable progress. So here’s the next one.
Okay, Bluesky. Let's try tracking some of my progress in blackletter calligraphy practice. I have very modest experience so far and no grand ambitions. My only goal is to develop the skill, and create inscriptions that look nice.
May 11, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Okay, Bluesky. Let's try tracking some of my progress in blackletter calligraphy practice. I have very modest experience so far and no grand ambitions. My only goal is to develop the skill, and create inscriptions that look nice.