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each
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Letter the words you wish to use in a straight line.
Measure the length of your baseline in millimetres.(Using
mm makes it easier to plug into the equation!)
My line length was 190mm.
We need the radius of the circle so we can use it with
the drafting compass.
Returning to your highschool math, the equation for calculating
the circumference of a circle is
c
= 2(pi)r
We know the circumference (c) is 190mm and we know
pi is 3.14, so if we flip-flop the equation we get
r
= c/2(3.14) or 190/6.28 = 30mm
Set your compass along your ruler, from point to pencil tip,
at 30mm and draw a circle
in the middle of a sheet of practice paper. This is your baseline.
*I'll be darned if I can get pi to show up in html!
Position the point in the middle of your paper and
draw the circle which is your baseline. Don't make it too dark,
you're going to have to erase it later!
If you want, you can add a waistline to your circle.
I was using a #2 Mitchell Roundhand nib which makes Italic
letters 10mm high, so I added 10mm to my compass setting, placed
the point at the same center point as for the first circle and
drew the waistline.
The trick for making lettering in a circle successful is to
treat each piece of the circle as though it was a flat line.
Effectively your baseline will be changing with every letter.
This does call for compromise in some letter forms!
Rotate your paper as you work.
Practice lettering in a circle several times
before your final piece. I wasn't so successful with my first
couple of practices!!
The letters were blended using a pointed brush to load the
nib. Once the lettering was completed and the gilding was
done, I used a kneadable eraser to get rid of the lines.
The butterfly was stamped and the gold highlights were added
using Jerry Tresser's gold size and 23.5K gold
For rubber stampers, the same rules apply, you just don't have
to do the lettering:
Make your circle and treat each part of the circle as a baseline
and stamp your letters upright on that small baseline. You'll
get better with practice!
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