IAMPETH 2025 - Gothicized Italic - Nina Tran

ALL SKILL LEVELS | BROAD-EDGE PEN

Developed by Edward Johnston (1872-1944) in the mid-1920s, Gothicized Italic is a versatile Gothic hand that combines the advantageous elements of other Blackletter styles, such as the compact and narrow forms of the Texturas, the pointed ‘o’ of the Batardes, and the energy of Gothic Cursives.

This broad-edged style, sometimes also referred to as “Pointed Gothic,” “Heavy Italic,” or “Johnston’s Compressed Hand,” was further developed into a more vigorous and lively script by the late Sheila Waters (1929-2022), making it an instant favorite among scribes looking for a more modern Gothic hand.

In this class, we will learn broad pen basics, Gothicized Italic rules, drill exercises, stroke-by-stroke formation of minuscules and majuscules, spacing, and simple variations.

CLASS SUPPLIES

• Pen/Nib:
  • Recommended for beginners — Pilot Parallel Pen (3.8mm, green cap)
  • Experienced calligraphers may use a broad-edged dip pen (nib) of their choice close to 3.8mm (e.g., Brause 4mm, Speedball C-1, Tape 4, etc.) with a straight penholder
• Ink:
  • Black or brown cartridges (if using Pilot Parallel Pens)
  • Black sumi or walnut ink (for dip pens/nibs)
• Paper: 9x12” marker/layout paper (e.g., Borden & Riley #37 Boris Marker Layout, Canson ProLayout, or XL Marker, etc.)
• Other:
  • Mechanical pencil
  • Eraser
  • 2 sharpened pencils
  • 3x4” scrap paper
  • Washi tape
  • 2 paper clips
  • 12” ruler
  • Paper towels
  • Small container of clean water

OPTIONAL SUPPLIES

• Colored gel pens or fine liners for taking notes