Gottfried Pott – A Look into the World of Calligraphy

Ruling pens, originally manufactured for technical drawings in varying widths and under varying names, are especially attractive for lettering if they are handled in a certain way. My teacher, Friedrich Poppl, introduced me to this pen. In the early eighties I had a ruling pen made according to my own specifications. This ruling pen was designed for the special demands of lettering. The altered size of the reservoir, the angle of the writing surface of the pen, the writing edge itself, the manipulation of the tip, and especially the way the pen was held had a significant influence on the ductus, the character and, therefore, on the form of the lettering. These specifications made it possible to hold the pen as “naturally” as possible. This was, in fact, one of its most important features because the way a tool is held has a major impact on the form. Through alternating the position of the tool, I wanted to be able to write in all widths possible. That is to say, I wanted to be able to hold the pen not rigidly but rather in a flexible manner because fingers, hand and arm are always involved in the writing process. In this regard the ruling pen, despite all of its differences, is comparable to the brush. All lettering styles which require an individual, hand-written, or expressive form can be executed with such a pen. Writing style and writing speed greatly influence the ductus and thereby the most important aspect, namely the form and expressiveness of the lettering. The “rolling-off” from a powerful stroke with the broad part of the writing surface to the finest line with the pen’s tip is the decisive prerequisite for a virtuoso handling of this pen. It requires much practice – this pen, too, cannot do what the hand has not learned, The pen as an instrument is just as important in the hand of the writer as the piano is to the pianist. It is only when the aspect of writing has priority in the production of a ruling pen, that a “resonant” writing implement can be created with which to produce “music”.

Many pieces of calligraphy executed with this pen led to the development of a new typeface in 1992/93. It was issued by Linotype as a PostScript Font under the name Ruling Script. The formal language of this alphabet is a handwritten improvisation of the Cancellaresca. In this instance, the tool produced the form. The ductus is rich in contrasts and the contour is lively and rough. The natural quality of writing has been preserved as far as possible.

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