Flourishing Styles

FLOURISHING STYLES

BICKHAM ERA…

FRENCH: spiraling & bold – The French style strives to move in one continuous direction, clockwise or counterclockwise with minimal directional changes. The shades are usually in horizontal or reversed direction from the usual and better known downward pulled English and American styles. Flourishing almost always stemmed from extended elements of the letters themselves, and was employed almost exclusively in the margins. Though the basic elements of the French style are very simple, the degree of skill & control required for mastery of this style is very high. Writing style is Italian Hand.

DUTCH: dense & elaborate – The Dutch style was complex and denser than other forms, with an almost random, streaming confetti feel. Besides the line-work, the Dutch style often included a variety of additional detail shapes, such as dots, rings, dashes, hairlines, & lobes. Writing style is German Text.

ENGLISH: elegant & thoughtful – The English style is Flowing & stately with a strong sense of design. The English style evolved naturally from a blending of earlier French & Dutch concepts. Though the basic shapes are fairly simple, the degree of difficulty in mastering this style of flourishing comes from the interrelationship & integration of the shapes to create an optically balanced composition. Writing style is English Roundhand.

POST-BICKHAM ERA…

FRENCH (late): whimsical & varied – The late French style tended to utilize every motif plus the kitchen sink. The spiral tendency was still present, but it was integrated with alternating lazy then tight looping, direction reversals, lattice patterns, & straight-cut shade terminations (a motif that years later would become popular in American handwriting styles). Writing style is French Bastarde.

AMERICAN: simplified & airy – The American style utilized basic English principles, but in a more simplified & formulaic fashion to facilitate less complicated patterns that could be easily learned, and incorporated into one's work more spontaneously. It also incorporated the French motif of exaggerated shade swells. Because the American style is bold and has a natural feel it conveys a direct & graphic demeanor. Writing style is Shaded Spencerian.

~2016, Don Marsh~
©Don Marsh