Connecting Copperplate letters

A connection is a light transition between two letter shapes. Begin with letters you already recognise and keep their proportions steady as you join them.

A focused exercise

1. Write a short row of i and u separately, using the same x-height and slant.
2. Write pairs such as iu, ui and in. Release pressure before the connecting upstroke.
3. Pause or lift the pen between strokes when you need to reset. A connected word does not require one uninterrupted movement.
4. Compare the white space between the letters. Adjust one gap at a time rather than stretching the letters to fill the line.

What to look for

The letters should remain recognisable, the baseline consistent and the join lighter than the shaded downstrokes. If a join becomes thick, practise the exit stroke alone with less pressure.