how to make flourishes?

[activatethesquare]

I'm working on a project in which I'd like to use flourishes. If I'm using the right term, I mean those beautiful swirly lines that curl around one another to border text.

Can someone recommend a book that talks about developing techniques for illustrating flourishes? I haven't been able to find anything online.
thank you

[Logo-Mechanix]

I have also heard them called ornaments and I am sure there are books out there somewhere. I just googled flourishes and got a few things, as for creating them yourself I would draw them by hand and just let your imagination run wild, then whip out the pen tool if you need them in vector.

[activatethesquare]

Sounds like a good place to start. Ornaments sounds like a more appropriate word.

I'm going to go to the library and check this out.
thanks.

[Logo-Mechanix]

No problem, I love those little things also.

[BJMRGTIVR6]

I too like them and wonder if everyone draws them or uses fonts or where people are piocking these up.

[budafist]

Or instead of pen tool you could draw them all on paper and then "live trace" them in illustrator.

[carter the artist]

Dover Publishing produces books with cds that have these things and all types of things, however they are all bitmapped, don't let the fact that it states eps fool you, like it did me. But as templates, with no royalties, it really isn't too bad. They seem to be a bit overpriced, but I like 'em. I think you can find some on stock sites, and of course... check into some fonts, some of the wingy dingy types have them.

[van]

Your local library may have "Atkinson Sign Painting" (1909) and "Strong's Book of Designs" (1910) which are loaded with the kind of stuff that you're after. These and other similar titles were reprinted in the 80's by Signs of the Times, though all seem to be OOP now. Brilliant stuff, regardless.

Do an image search for Art Nouveau and Alphonse Mucha as well.

-van

[CamarotaDesign]

I was looking for flourishes a while ago, and googled another design board where someone posted a link to some free flourishes (http://mograph.net/board/lofiversion/index.php?t8224.html)

[capezio]

try looking at art noveau ornaments

[BJMRGTIVR6]

thanks for the link. i will see how well they are.

again, thanks.

[yrs]

http://mograph.net/board/index.php?showtopic=8224&hl=flourish

i was actually looking at this earlier...

although drawing them yourself then scanning adn tracing in illy is the best way...

[CamarotaDesign]

no problem, I just remembered that www.dafont.com (http://www.dafont.com) has some good flourish fonts.

wm designs (http://www.dafont.com/wm-designs-1.font)

floralia (http://www.dafont.com/floralia.font)

marcelle (http://www.dafont.com/marcelle.font) - kinda cool


there is a wealth of inspiration from the shapes fonts, so much good stuff. have yourself a ball

[BJMRGTIVR6]

I have used Marcelle before it is a nice sport look. I had a booklet to make for a non-profit baseball organization and it worked very well.

[CamarotaDesign]

yeah, it will probably be going in this art/poetry magazine im working on

[morea]

my white cat is named Martell. He should have a font named after him, because he is too cool for school.

[morea]

sorry, I'm not sure where that came from. lol.

[CamarotaDesign]

lol, crazy cat lady ;)

[p4p3rgirl]

I now wish I'd paid more attention to the speaker who was teaching "copperplate" calligraphy to my guild. She gave several rules for flourishing including never cause three lines to intersect, never push for complete symetry and go for parallel lines (no "almost parallel" lines) and balance filled spaces in a calligraphied piece. She also said to be careful, but do use ligatures, and vary the ascenders and descenders - don't make all of them ornate. Sadly, I was more into the medieval flat nib (blackletter) at the time, and didn't realize how fun and useful Spencerian script was until years later. Sadly, I can't even remember her name!:o

Here's a book that might help you, if you have some calligraphy background:
Bill Hildebrandt's Calligraphic Flourishing: A New Approach to an Ancient Art. David R. Godine Publisher, po Box 9103, Lincoln, MA 01773. 1995. xi, 115 pp, illustrated. isbn 1-56792-028-4. It's suppose to be good on technique and methodology of construction.

Dover has a couple of flourishing books, too and look up copperplate calligraphy, penman calligraphy and ornamental calligraphy to find a bunch of others.:)

[budafist]

Here are some cheap ones if you decide to give up...or just for inspiration...
http://www.istockphoto.com/my_lightbox_contents.php?lightboxID=587817