Calligraphy Tools: Compasses

Video Transcript

"Sometimes you want to make something round and you don't want it to be straight out of your hands you want it to be absolutely precise in which case you're going to use something called a compass. There are all different kinds of compasses, but basically they all make circles. OK. This is a compass that has a pencil, lead pencil; lead on the one end of it. Now, this is going to be the center of the circle. What I have to remember is that I have to keep this very firm. So, I'm pressing down more here than I'm going to be pressing here. I'm going to hold my paper down. I'm going to be careful and mindful the whole time I'm doing this; still pressing, still pressing on the center, still pressing, still pressing and coming around and there you go. Then this guy will allow me to go like this so then I could go like this. Now, I have a lining for doing some lettering in a circle which is very tricky. So, I'll have to teach you about that some day. This is a smaller compass, same idea, just a smaller guy with a very, very pointy part to it so you have to be very careful. Yes, I have stabbed myself and it's a horrible thing to do to yourself so you have to be very, very careful; while you wouldn't want to do it to anyone. Alright now, what I've just done. I should have showed you that. What I've just done is I've filled this guy; this is like an inked, inky compass. Let's see, this can be adjusted. Let's see if we can get this to work. First you have to get this to go. This is why I don't like that. This is where the word frustration can come into play. Here we go."