UPSB v3
Tricks & Combos / [project][1.29] Calligraphy
-
Date: Wed, Feb 3 2010 22:18:53
The definition of calligraphy, within the context of pen spinning, is the ability to write or draw while pen spinning. In other words, we are making a combo and when we are finished, something is written or drawn on a writable surface. The key idea here is that unlike real calligraphy, the focus is still the combo itself and not the beauty of the written/drawn product.
I think the real appeal of making such a combo is that it reconciles the original purpose of pens, which is to write, with pen spinning. Symbolically it is a strong statement and should have artistic value.
Here are a few challenges we need to address to make such a concept possible:
1) Writing instrument/writable surface: Obviously, most mods don't even write nowadays. And out of the mods that can write, most are capped. Therefore spinning with a pen while it is in a writable state is fairly uncommon now. We would need to use a mod or a writing instrument specifically so that it can write. This probably means something like an unmodded pencil. We could also use markers (like dong-a). We could also investigate using brushes. There's also not much research being done in pen modding to develop a good spinning pen which can write while spinning.
Another strategy is to use a writable surface which doesn't require ink or graphite to draw. For example: a sandbox. We can use kind of mods to draw lines in sand, therefore calligraphy is much easier there. Of course, it's not practical to do so. There might be also ways of drawing using water on surfaces such as blackboard.
2) Making smooth contacts with the surface: To draw or write, you need to make some contact with the surface you're writing on. However, we generally avoid contact because it affects our smoothness. We will need practice to execute tricks that hit the surface while not losing smoothness. We need to practice this when we do table-based tricks anyway.
3) Making legible letters/figures: Finally, there's no point in doing this if the result is not readable. So we need to practice tricks that draw good letters. For example, With an infinity, you can draw V, W, X easily. Backarounds could draw you horizontal lines need for letters such as T or F. Charges can draw vertical lines.
One problem is that it seems you will need to move your hand a lot while spinning to able to write letters. Normally we dislike hand motions in pen spinning. One solution could be that instead of having the pen move, it is the non-spinning hand which rotates and moves the paper underneath! That way you spin normally and then use your other hand to make the pen draw the correct lines on the paper.
If you have any solutions to any of these aspects, post here. If you have videos attempting this, post here. Let's start with something easy such as writing PS or something. -
Date: Wed, Feb 3 2010 22:23:30
1) Retractable mods are still pretty popular, I have a retractable MX and retractable comssa, and I'm not even much of a modder, so I'm sure most pen-savvy people have RT mods, such that they can be spun in writeing mode
2) I'd suggest doing it on like a notebook instead of an individual piece of paper. The more layers of paper, the more "give" it has, and is lees likely to disrupt the spinning. Ideally the softer the better, so maybe even like a notebook on top of a pillow or something
3) No idea, I haven't the amount of control in my PSing necessary for something like that -
Date: Wed, Feb 3 2010 22:27:57
one more thing to note is that ballpoints are hard to write with while pen spinning because they require a fairly big pressure... compared to markers
-
Date: Wed, Feb 3 2010 22:51:51
Just messing around with it, a few things i had success with:
Holding a notepad in the air
LONG mods
Double-ended mods, so you don't have to keep track of which end you're writing with (i used 2 comssas back to back, held together w/ a middle grip)
Slow slow spinning, so when you inevitably slow down to make each stroke it's not as noticable -
Date: Fri, Feb 5 2010 07:50:12
If we were to write someting in the air with the motion of our pen doing a combo, would it be considered calligraphy? or maybe we should have to discuss this in some other thread.
-
Date: Fri, Feb 5 2010 15:08:12QUOTE (Hippo2626 @ Feb 5 2010, 02:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>If we were to write someting in the air with the motion of our pen doing a combo, would it be considered calligraphy? or maybe we should have to discuss this in some other thread.
thats difficult to figure out... -
Date: Sun, Feb 7 2010 03:37:10
I've been practicing the calligraphy in the air and it is very hard. I can make some basic shapes but its hard to see the image when recorded so I'm wondering if anyone can edit the video to follow one tip of the pen?
It's also very hard to distinguish the stuff you wanna' write. For instance a charge can look like its drawing a circle from one angle while from another it looks like a straight line. I guess it's all about how someone were to display it. -
Date: Sun, Feb 7 2010 03:42:44
if you increase exposure of your camera, your pen will leave a trail like in glowsticking:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9vcZhBO4Zo
but its only for photos i think -
Date: Sun, Feb 7 2010 03:48:26
you could put a similar effect onto videos, but it would have to be a pen color VERY distinct from the background
-
Date: Sun, Feb 7 2010 03:54:55
how about the use of paint or a calligraphy brush ...
-
Date: Sun, Feb 7 2010 03:58:34QUOTE (EssenceOfLife @ Feb 6 2010, 10:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>how about the use of paint or a calligraphy brush ...
i'd like to see a mod with a brush attached on it (maybe double brushed), never saw that before.
be careful not to put too much ink or it fly on you. -
Date: Sun, Feb 7 2010 04:18:10
Also, watching skilled calligraphy is beautiful in itself. I could imagine writing strokes followed by a mini combo, perhaps a different writing position or even the same followed by the next stroke etc, not neccesarily strokes from spinning... although the implications are pretty great such as drawing perfect circles. Perhaps using wipers for strokes. itd be interesting how you could utilize different tricks to create art or drawing or writing not possible or easier than by hand.
Also When it comes to writing english probably wouldn't be the best choice for language. something like arabic? or chinese would probably be easier to do... -
Date: Sun, Feb 7 2010 04:30:26QUOTE (EssenceOfLife @ Feb 6 2010, 11:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Also, watching skilled calligraphy is beautiful in itself. I could imagine writing strokes followed by a mini combo, perhaps a different writing position or even the same followed by the next stroke etc, not neccesarily strokes from spinning... although the implications are pretty great such as drawing perfect circles. Perhaps using wipers for strokes. itd be interesting how you could utilize different tricks to create art or drawing or writing not possible or easier than by hand.
thats the whole point, in calligraphy writing itself is art, so now we replace that with PS.QUOTEAlso When it comes to writing english probably wouldn't be the best choice for language. something like arabic? or chinese would probably be easier to do...
how is chinese easier than english, in english most letters can be written in 3 or 4 strokes max. in chinese you have complex characters take 8+ strokes
-
Date: Sun, Feb 7 2010 04:39:51
hmm but you can do a word in that one character right? like you could write the character for "beauty" in approx 8 strokes, instead of the 15ish it would take to write in english
-
Date: Sun, Feb 7 2010 05:08:50
hmm yea
but i thought about initials like PS -
Date: Sun, Feb 7 2010 12:02:17
You could put something into your pen to make it glow then draw in the air? I see that more like pen spinning/glowsticking than calligraphy though. I don't think you could really draw words.
-
Date: Sun, Feb 7 2010 18:44:18
I really don't think penspinning has much of a place in this besides adding another tool perhaps to get different lighting effects... -
Date: Sun, Feb 7 2010 18:51:34
thats why I think pen spinning's place in this kind of aspect is to exploit the fact that pens write for real, we don't need any camera trick to produce real writing.
-
Date: Sat, Feb 13 2010 19:28:42
Using ASL while psing?...
-
Date: Sat, Feb 13 2010 20:43:04
very pen spinners can understand asl