Lettercraft by John R. Biggs

7/17/2019 Lettercraft by John R. Biggs

1/98

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2/98

Classical

letkring

cut

in wood

by

Jost

l-Iochuli

LE

C

lncorpora

THE

C

THE

C

THE

C

and

a

few

JOH

BLANDF

poole


3/98

-First

published

in

the

UK

rs8z

by Blandford

press,

Link

Housc,

West

Street,

poolc,

Dorsa,

BHr5

rLL.

Reptinted

1983

Copyright

@

,c6r,

rya4,

ryszJohn

R. Biggs

Distributcd

in

the

United

States

by

Stcrling

publishing

Co.,

Inc.,

z Park

Avcnuc,

New

york,

N.y.

rooro.

ISBN

o

ZtSz

1269

4

-All

rights

rescrved.

No pan.ofthis

book

may

be

reproduced

or

transmitted

in

any

form

or

by

any

means,

elcctronic

or

mechanical,

including

photocopying,

recording

or any

information

sto.Ige

and

retricval

system,

without

pcrmission

in

writing

fiom

the

publisher.

Printed

by

Trade

Litho

Book

printers,

Bodmin,

Cornwall

CONTENTS

The

Craft

of

Letter

The Craft

ofthe

Pen

About

Handwritin

The Craft

of

Script

Bibliography

.........

Acknowledgem

I$l*k

frings

rogaher

rhree

books,

p_ublished

separately,

into

one

volume

wrth

the addrtion,

at the

pubrisher's

requesi.

of

a

ihon

essav

about

trandwriting.

over

the

ye'ars

th.r.

littr.'Looilr'il;;;i

helptul

to

many

people

in

a

variety

ofcountries,

and

in

some

i.rita.rce,

second,hand

copies

have

been

sold

ar

many

times

the

published

p,ce.

lt rs

hoped

that

the

three

books,

,ro*

urrd..

orr.

.ouir,

will

be

even

more

usdul

with

the

added

material

about

handwil";;J

the

imponant.inscriptions

by three

of

our finest

monumental

letter

cutters'

as

well

as

woodcuts

by

distinguished

Dutch

and

swiss

artists.


4/98

:.$'E

V$POIffiSAVE

RC

M#ffi4$

R.['${}/I'r

r

RVA

E:

N

e

AVc

u Riu'CRc

r

RAJ

A

N

Q

AVG

C

RM'"I}AC

I

Y

A

KI;lv{

Of,R I

ts

P

ffiT{Vl}'WifV

The

CRAFTI1LETTE

Tbe,

inscriptrln

ort

tlrc

base

oJ'

tlse-Emperor

Trajan,s

Colamn

in

Rome,

A.D.

]r4

Ci,,t

of

tlx

frrcst

,*o,i,p,li,

oJ

hrci;cd

lttrcrin,q

tuu.

utdtlt'.

Trarrsliriorr

ui,

y,u.qr.

, ,

.

lol


5/98

tycrjptign

in

St

Albans

,Abbey,

designed

and

draun

out

by

Dauid

\lndyrsley-,

CBE,

ond

cut by

Lida

Lopiz

Cordozo

on

Welsh

slote

toJt

0j,

Oy.lfl

As

the

inscription

cal

only-be

readfron

the

foot,letters

(opirt

from

the

big.ones)

increase

by tmryin

height-and

by

o".5mm

in

thi

spoce

between

the

lines

towards

the top.

This

rcuircracts

thi

tenleney

for

ktteis

to

appear

smaller

the

further

they

ore

Jrorn

the

eye.

A*

alternative

Approach

to the

thi

for* of

leter

greatness)

is the

s

ihe

Lati.,

alphabet

section

is an

introduc

Latin

alphabet.

But what

is an

a

signs,

shapes

or

sym

,ri

-rnv

"lphabits

Latin,

Arabic

and

onlv

with

the

Latin

.Mort

for*,

of

wr

thinqs

represented.

of

tiire

t'he

forms

b

often

difficult

to se

Abstract

ideas wh

identified

by

arbi

Eventually

ii was

efficient

to

have sig

grams) and

so an

i


6/98


7/98

Flat

of

the

bowl

Arc

of

the bowl

serif

Wedge

serif

Barbed

beak'

rJr-

Hairline

Wedge

serif

CAP

LINE

CAP

LINE

1

NAMES

OF

THE

PARTS

OF LETTERS

- ''

Slab serif


8/98


9/98


10/98


11/98


12/98


13/98


14/98

C

-r,

unmistakably

a

wide

letter

with

an

affinitv

to

O.

Nevertheless

C

is not'an

O

with

a

slice

cut

off

thc

rijnt,nrna

side.

The

upper

and

lower

arms

are

somewhat

fl"tt.nid.

iil;

imagine

that

the

c was

in

fact

made

from

a

sliced

o of

metal,

it

is

as.though

we

had_taken

hold

of thc

two

projecting

,r*r'rnJ

pul.lcd

them

apart

slightly

rarher

like,

hors.irh&.

Thls

nr,,.*""

and

its

transition

from

point

of maximum

srress

through

the

arrfi

into

the

serif

or

terminal

is

very

subtle.

The

termin"al

,,"n

b.

sheared

vertically,

have

a

barbed

bcak,

or

(i,

flrcc

b.urh

Ib;;J.

have

an elusivc

curve

renriniscent

ofthe'fishiail'

at

the hcad

oft(.

stem

ol

the

I.

It is

generally

better

to

makc

the

tcrminal

of

th.

upper.arm

a trife

more

emphatic

than the

lower

arm

which

may,

indeed,

end

in

a

point.

The point of

maximum

stress

in

the Trajan

leuer

is at

about

eiglt

o'clock,

but

it

may

be

higher

accordi,rg

to the

d.ris".r;,

ferling.If

it

is

placcd

cenirally

in"the

c it

shouid

also

be

|."'rrrtt,

placed

in

the

O,

D,

C,

Q;

and

similarly

in

other

lettcrs

witil

bowls.

D

,,

also a

wide

l

ariscs

D is

capable

o

reducing

its

legibility

As

in

the

B,

the-

There

is an

angle

wh

the stem

and

a

curve

The

point olmaxim

all the

other

curved

l

use of

a

pen

or

brush

iust

wheie

a

pen

or

b

is no

such'nitural'

p

D

was

triangulai

delta.

The

trian-gular

the

delta

of

a

r]rer

a

shapcd

muscle

at

the

Lrel


15/98

D

is

a

fturow

letter,

and

most

skilled

letterers

todav

would

pt*"b]y

insist

that

it

should always

be

about

half

as

wide

as it is

iSh.

Fo,

all.that,

there

are

a

number

of

examples

in

classical

I'

is

also

a

nanow

le

bottom

limb. Also

lik

E

Ta

r

)--/

L-J

).)

bottom.

Rome

of

capital

E

being

made

almost

square

ii

prooortion

in

order

to

make

a

conspiiuous

headinq

"i,d

*hi.fr

iristifies

the

wide

E

in

exceptional-circumstances.

iJnless

subtly

tr"*rr

"rd

roportioned

the

wide

E

is

liable

to be

vulqar

and

obicctionabre.

The

upper

arm

joins

the

stem

at

an

anqlf

while

the"lowcst

arm

is

attached

to

the

stem

by

means

ofa

curvior

bracket.

Thc

bottom

arm

often

exends

beyond

the upper

two

and

sometimcs

cnds in

a

minor

flourish

instead

of

the

-more

onhodox

serif

or sheared

terminal.

The

middle

arm

is

just

above

the

halFwav

line. A

handy

rule

ofthumb

(though

rules

ofthumb

should

U.'ur.J

*it[

caution)

is

to

make

the

hilOway line

the lower contour

of

the

middle

arm.

It

is generally

best

mide

about

the

same

length

as

thc

upPer

erm.

The upper arm

joi

about

the

lame

lengh

arms

or

thin suokei

(

thick as

the

stems.

lzal


16/98

\J

is

a

wide

letter

that

resembles

the

C.

It

was introdLrccd by

the

Romans

who originally used

the lettcr

C

fur

thc

sotrnds

of

both

K and

G.

(Thiuse

of one

letter lor

diffcrcnt

sor.rnds

is

still

with us.

In thc word

cake

the

c

indicatcs

thc

samc

sound

as rhe

letter

k

in king;

in the

word ciuil

the

c rcprescnrs

thc

samc

sound as

s in silly.)

,l)

F{

,,

a

medium

to

connected

by a

cross,ba

The

cross,bar

may

the

bar

made

a little

t

stems;

hence

the two

e

curving.

Because

of th

the

cross,bar has somet

(r),

but the beginner

frivolities.

(,)

,"T;.X;:::["i.1

different [orm. The up

times

omitted. When

cross,bar tended

to

cu

stem, thus

anticipating

Another ancient

vir

stem to

project

above

t

(r)

Like

the

C, the

arm at the top is flattcncd

and thc

tcrminal may

be

sheared

or given

a

freely

drawn'bcaked'

scrif. Again

rcstraini

is likely

to

produce

better

forms

than

rash cxubcranlc.

It should

be

in line

with the right,hand

side of

thc

stcrn.

The

short stem

that rises from

thc

lowcr

arur may

vary

greatly

in height.

If

it

is

too

long

it

may, from

a

disrancc,

app.ai

to link

up

with the upper

arm

and look

uncomfortably

likc

air O. If it is

too

short

it

looks

mean

and

niggardly

and nor sufficicntly

differen,

tiated

from

C.

In

the

counter

therc is

o{icn

an

anglc

wherc

the

stem

rises from

the lower

arm (r, *), but frcqucntly

there is

a

curve.

Both

forms

can be

satisfactory.

On

occasions thc

stem may

descend

below

the base

line

and

ever-r

finish

with a

gay

flourish.

Another

but

unusual feature

is

to

see

thc lowcr

arm,

apparer-rtly

projecting

slightly

beyond

the

stem producir-rg

a

sort

of

spur ar

the

righvhand

base

of the

stem

(z).

Iro1


17/98

IJ

T

I

is

a simple and

seemingly

insignificant lefter.

In

fact

it

is

the

letter that

sits

the standard of

height

and brcadth

of

stem

for the

whole

alphabet

and

as such

should

be designcd

fastidiously.

The

Romans olten

extended

the

I abovc

the

linc

to indicate

the long

vowel

as

in

the

word

olvos.

A

dot did

not

apPear

ovcr

the I

until

about

a.o.

5oo.

It

is

good

to practisc

thc

I

assiduously

to

achieve

the

smooth continuity

of contour

from serif

to stem.

T

J

is

a

lerer which

was

not

used

by

the

early Romans

and

there,

fore does not appear

in

their inscriptions,

but

it

came

into

occa,

sional

use

in

the second

century

for the

consonant

Y and

the

vowel I. It

was

not until

the seventeenth

century that

J

was

estab,

lished

to

represent

its

present

consonant

sound.

In

lorm

it

is

an

I

carried

below

the

base

line, and

may

taper

to

a

point

or swing

to

an abrupt

finish

in

a

sheared

terminal.

In the

nineteenth

and

twentieth

centuries

it

sometimes

ended

in

a

circular

blob.

In

'modern

face'letters the

tail of

theJ

does

not

descend

below

the

line.

K

r,

a

widish

letter.

not

this

in

the

Trajan

inscriPtion,

still

almost

as

it aPPeared

It

or

this

century

B.c.

The

main

stem

is

an

I a

hand the

relationship

of

t

and with

the

stem

-needs

diagonal

should

neither

ov

to

tlhe

thin

diagonal

some

of

the

angle

ob"tained

betw

a

right

,""gt.;

should

just

t

halfway

tln..

fn.

thick

d

of

the

R, to

fanciful,

frivo

The

tail

may

appropria

point

(+),

or

firmly on

th

ii*ilri io

the

stem

of

A.

will

depend

on

the

circum

or last

ietter-of

a word;

w

thick

stroke

as

I

in

the

wo

the

word

KAFIR.

With

and

not

projecting

beyond

of

a

*ori the

tail"-"f

leg

,tl

I

rr]


18/98

T

I-,

ir

an

indisputably

narrow lettcr.

It

is virtLrally

an

E,

whose

two

upper

limbs have

been

amputatcd.

Thc

L's

iinglc limb

is

about half the stem's

height but

ii

may

cven

bc

less, paiticularly

if

the is

unfortunately

followed,

as

it

so

oftcn is, by

in

A. I"Jniess

the

limb

of

the

L

is

kept

as

shorr

as

is consistcnt'with

legibility,

the

gap

caused

by

the

juxtaposition

with

A will

disturb

tlie

spai,

ing

of

the

line.

Because

of

the

large

amounr

o[

background

ion,

tained in the letter

above

the limb

L is

notoriously

difficult

to

space

in

words.

The difficulty

bccomes

cvcrl

srcarcr

if

the

limb is

lengthened.

The elceptions

are

(a)

when

thc

L is

followed

by

a T,

as

in

CFLT,

and

the limb

can

be

tuckcd undcr

thc

outsprcad

arm of the T.(b)

when

it comes

at

thc

cr-rd

of

a

word at

thc

cnd

of

a

line

an

extension

or

slight

flourish

might

bc acceptable.

Thc

end of

the

limb

may

be sheared

as

(r)

or tapcrcd

as

in

jz).

(r)

r

M

is

onc

of

the

wide

In

the

Trajan

inscriptio

this tradition

in

iniisc

dogmatic and

say

that

"r

ih.y

arc

inclined to

(:)

ff:il[

f.flHi:

t#'

pen or

brush. In

couseq

r

M

have

flattened apexes

An M

may be

though

hanging

lirnbs,

and in

w

projictinto

the

counter

o

of

the

V

may

vary and

splaycd a

few

dcgrees.

There

arc three

counte

portion

and the

angle

o

dirrrt..

may

result.-Th

clear

scts

a

ii-it to

the

a

it is

vcry

difficult

to

con

in legibility

and

overwh

The point at

the

botto

h+l


19/98

N

is

a

medium

to

wide

letter.

Though

capablc

of

a

fair

amount of

condensation

without

losing

its

identity, an

N

is more

elegant and

noble,looking

if kept

ample

in

width.

The Trajan

N

haia

pointed

apex

at thelop

and

thii

pointcd

form is

commonly

seen

ii

chisel,cut

letters

in

wood and

itone.

On

the

other

hand,

pen,

brush, and

type

forms more often

have

flattened

aPcxes

with a

pointed

serif

protruding

to

the

left and

with

an anglc

on

the- right

(z).

In

due

season

thiistem

may

be

gaily

cxtended

up

and

over

to

the

left;

the

left,hand

vertical

may

also

(in

the

right context)

be

continued

downwards

into

a

curve,

a

spiral

or

other

flourish.

The same applies

to

the

right,hand vertical

but

the

extension

is

uoward

not downward.

'The

thin strokes are

rather

thicker

than

in other

letters

and

the

thick

stroke often

bends

down

slightly

as

it

meets

the

vertical

at

a

point

which

just

breaks

across

the

base

line.

\-/

is

clearly

a wide

good

classical O.

It

sho

that

where

a certain

feat

student,

no dogma

is

inte

we

hope, the

developme

are

noi merely

permissib

harmony

between

the ch

hand,

and

(dare

we say

latter should

neither

b

Personal

quality

should

do

the

job

as

thoroughly

The-

O

sets

the

siand

the

thickest

part of

the

o[

the

stem

of

I

and

su

letters

in

order

that the

appedr to

be

the

same

th

slghtly

above

and

bel

If

ihey

did

not the

O

(

liule

smaller

than

their

The point

of

maximu

to aboui

one o'clock

an

Iro1


20/98

P

,t

a narrow

letter.

Supcrficially

it

rcsembrcs

a

B with

the

lower

boq'l

erased.

close

sciutiny

of'the

bowl

of the

p

*ill

ier.eal

that

the

curve

does

not

follow

q

uitc

tl',c

same

directio'

as i,i

.h.

g.

but.swings

lo-wcr.,

,o3ni

to^tt.

lcft

slightly,

and

bcgins

; ,[;

agair-r

a

little.

In

the

Traja,

form

the

culuc c,rds

i,

a

fioint

on

its

lairtly

upr.r,ard

trcrrd

juit

Lrcforc

ir

rcachcs

r1.,.

,r.-.'fhi,

"o.,,

owl

c.n

bc.very

bcautiful

wheu

wcll

drawr,

but

most

typ.s

i,rd

a

large

numbcr

of

paintcd

alphabets

i-rave

closed

bowls'iuithout

any

grear detriment.

The

porirt

at

which

thc

bowr

is

closcd

(or

nearly

so)

is

-frequcrrtly

jusi

bclow

thc

hal0way

line.

\-

Ifthe

bowl

is ixpanded

to the

right,

thc

p

wiil

look

bloated

and

top

hcavy in

rclatio.

to

thc

rcst

oT

thc

alplrabct.

For

advcrtisinc

there

arc

alphabcts_in

which

evcry

lcttcr

is

cxpa.dcd,

that

is,

madi

wider

tha.

normal.

But

these

,r.

b.rt

left

to

the

cxpcrr

to

d.rijn

and

to

thc

skilled

typographer

to display.

r,illtt'r

tltan

O

,,

a

widc

lctter

and

.-

Q.

It

is,

in

fact,

placing

and

curvature of

In

very

early

forms of

sometimes

from the righ

brating

the

lower,casc

q

descending diagonally to

and

more

curvcd.

The att

the

letter calls

for

carc.

As

attach

it boldly like a han

ness

ofa tangcnt

to

the

cu

Rarely, the

tail has

its

s

stroke

in its descent to

the

but

there

is

precedent,

c

beautiful

Qs

with tails tha

a

decorative tail

swing

ou

Bccause

Q

in

English

to

think

of

the

two

lctters

U is the

old form

o[ V.

rounded

U

is

apt

to

prod

it

can be avoided

with

a

l

Irs1


21/98


22/98

T,,

a

medium

to

wide

letrer

composed

of

an

I

with

a

hori.

zontal

member poised

like a

bala.,ce

across

irs summit.

This

norrzonral

member

can.vary

considerably.in

length

without

detriment

to

identity,

and

the

two

arms

of'which

;fi,

-"J.

uo

9a.1

be

of

unequal

lengths.

If

it is

thc

first

letter

ola

line

and

is

tollowed

by

W,.the

left

arm may

be

lengthencd

and

thc

right

arm

abbrevlared.

It

the

T

comes

at the

cnd

of

a

linc

the

lcft

,i_

_ry

be

shortened

and

the

right

arm extended.

The

lower

contour

o-f

the cross

stroke

may be

one

continuous

curve

and

the u.pper

conrour

may

slopc

up

,iigh,ly

,,

bort,

.nar.

ror

a

gay

occasron

both.

arms

may

wavc

into

a

flourish,

the

right

arm

curling

up

and

the

left

down'(l).

.

SeriG

may

be parallcl

and

diagoiral (41,

vcrtical

(s),

or

the

rrght

may

be

vertical

and

thc

left

diagonai

(i).

(r)

rrl

(:)

rl

U

r,

a

medium

or

inscription

where

the

therefore

a

later inve

leaving

V

to

stand

fo

There

are three

dis

of which

may

be bes

in

which

the

left,han

little

above

its

base

There is

the

symmetr

seen

in

type)

in

whic

as

if it

started

as V an

an almost

semi,circula

The

curves,

of

cours

(r)

(l)

|

r

)

(


23/98

V

is a medium to

wide

letter.

In

Latin

inscriptions

V

stood

for

both

the

U

and

V

sounds,

as

it did

in

English

until

the

time

W,,

u'doubted

the alphabet.

It

does

later

made

up of

two

There

"r.

*rny

va

which

is virtually

tw

overlap

(r).

Theie

is

..ors

iui.'in

the

cen

Sometimes

the two

c

line.

There

is the var

and

a

pointed

apex

t

which'is

similaito

(z

removed.

Apexes

g

pointed

letters.

of

Shakespeare

when

V

was given

the

name we

now

use

for

U;

hence

doulle

IJ was

repr.senled

by

two V's

VV.

As

late

as

the

last

quarter

of

the sevenieenth

century we

find

in

books

W

made

up oi,*o

V's

though

the

compositoifreque.rtly

filed offthe

right'

hand serif

of

the

fiist V

so

that

the

two

would

fit

more

snugly

together

and

paved

the

way

for

the

two

lerters

to

be

made

into

the

one

character

W.

The

apex of

the V

projects

below

the

base

line.

The stem

may,

on

ippropriate

occasion,

curve

up and

over

to

the

left

in

a

brave

fourish.

trl

t,l

Irl

l++1

rll


24/98

X

*

a

medium,width

letter

and a

wide

straddle shourd

be

avoided.

_

A

seemingly

simple

lerer,

it is

all

too

easy

ro

qet

the

anele

of

the

two

strokes

wrong,

with

the result

that

ih. closs

ou.,

Jf th.

strokes

is

too high

or too

low.

It

is

generally

best

to

draw

the

thick

stroke

first.

The

counters

need

careful

atrenrion,

panicularly

the

upper

and

lower

ones

that

ipen

on to.the cap

line

and

base

iine.

ei

with

the

A and

the

V,

the.-seri{i

that

project

inwards

should

be

modest,

but

the

outer

sents

may be

more

generous.

Y*

a

medium,widt

too wide.

It does

not

letter

used in

words

bor

is

a variant

of

the

vow

The upper

arms

ma

faint,fishjtiil

referred

td

in

the

I, it

should

be

c

alphabet.

On

the other

orler

at

the

ends

remin

ghost

but without

the

d

6ut

gracefully

delineat

graceful

as

one could w

f+al


25/98

the'narural'

posirion

of

the

thick

and

ihinitrokes

would

be

for

the

horizontals

to

be

thick

and

the_diagonal

thin

as in

(r).

Many

p.9pJ..

find

this

horizontal

emphasii

with

a

.o-prrrti,r.

*."f

middle

unsatisfactory,

and

theiefore

make

the h&izontals

thin

and

the.diagonal

thitk.

It is

thus

the

only letter

of

the alphabet

in

which

a thick

stroke

runs

from

bottom

Ieft

up

to top'right.

.

The-lower-arm

(as

in

E

and

L)

may

on occasi6n

be

e*tenied

into

a

flourish-

r

t

is

a

medium

to

wide

letter.

It

does not

occur

in

the

Trajan

insc-ription,

but

is an

importation from Greek'loan'

rryords.

'

If

the

Z

were

made

with

a

chisel,edged

pen

or broad,

fat

brush,

The

structure

of

the

I is

governed

by

the

pen

and

the

position

of

the

thicks and thins is

g-overned

bi

how

they

would^

fall

if

the

letter

were

written

witlian

edged

pen.

Details

have

of

course,

been

modified

to

suit

the

methold

ol*m"r,ufr.tur..

Irl

This character

is

ated

form

of

and-a

sh

letters e

and

t-the L

ampersand

is

possibly

Latin

phrase

'andper

se

back to the

seventh

cent

in

many of.which

it

is

a

in

some it

is

easy

to tra

fourish

of which he

has

Once this

is

accepted as

are

an

understandable

d

one

which harmonises m

rather

formal.

It

is

a

medium

to

wide

counters

should

be care

form

the student

will

un

it a

few times with

a

c

thins to

fall

as the pen

formal version.

(.,r

(i)

trl

[+a]

ttl


26/98

Lower,case

or

minuscule

letters

were

evolved

by scribcs

bctwceu

the second

and

ninth

centuries.

TIie

direct

allcestor

of

thc type

you

are

reading

is

the

minuscule

dcveloped

by Alcuin of

York

ir-r

tl-rc

employ

ofbharlemagne

at

the

monastery

of

'fours

about

a.u.

8oo'

It

is k.ro*n

as the-Caroli.rgcar-r

or

Caroli.re

minusculc

aftcr

Charlemagne.In

the

fiftecnthientury,

tltis

minuscule

was

rcvived

in

Italy,

so that

when

printilg

was

introduced

from

Ccrmany

there

was

a

good

tradition

of

pe.manship

to provide

excellent

models

ot

*-hi.h

to

base

printing

typcs.

At

first,

all tyPCS.

wcre

virtually

copies

of a

scribe'i

pen

forms,

but

it was

llot lollg

tocfore

,ronnr*hii

punch

cutters

made

the

modifications

to

the

dctails

Jdt.L.ri

th.y

[.lt their

tools

and technique

justified.

onc of thcse

modifications

is clearly

seetr

in

the

final

to

(:).

Thc

pen

naturally

makes

a

point

as

(l) or

a

flat

end

as

(:)

whcrcas

thc

gravcr

aud

file of

the

punch'cutter

make

a

rounded

finial

(l)

with

cqual

facility

and

propriety.

Itallc

forms wer.

dcu.loped

from 16ws1'casc;

thc

chief

formative

influences

being

speed and

the

nccd

for a

narrower

letter

to

savc

space.

In

6fteeith,century

Italy

t6is

cursive

har-rdwriting

reached

uirtu"l

perfection

and

we

are

now

experiencing

a

dcvout

revival

of

Chancery

Italic.

Thc

lctter

givcn

herc is

not

a

cursivc

pen

form

Iso]

(,)

(r)

(r)

di

#

.Y'

+

t


27/98

Ir)

but

a

more

formal

version

Of

these

lsv/s1,case

lette

The

bowl

is

often

circu

rninh, lav alons the

base

dia'eonaliv

do.run

before

m

D;?,

*it

. th.

Ioop

and

,rr"rt

r"*

fii.

Citi-Ueca

|,

a6"'.

make

a g

like

a

pa

-'

Th.

.ror,

,trof,.

of

e

i's

but

there

is

an

ancient

tra

;;,

,a

lines

the

cross

sr

particularly

in the

italic.

lsz)

lr)


28/98

The

i and

j

require

little

comment

orl-rer

than

to say that

the

tail

of tl-rc

j

varies

in rreatment

rather

likc the

cap

J.

Apart

from

the fact

that

the

scrif

of

the stem

of

k is

diagonal

and

'one,sidcd'

as compared

with

the cap

K,

most

ol

whar

was

noted

of

the cap

applies

to

the

lower,case.

The

point

of

the

scrifs

ol

ascenders

like

K

and I

frequently

rcach

higher

than

the cap

line.

The

m

is

obvio.usly

:r.

widc letter,

and

great carc

should

be

takcn

in

the

drawing

ol

tl-rc

counters

to

keep

them

open.

Notc the

point

wl-rere

the

first

arch

joins

tl-re

srcm

and

the point

where

the

second

erch

joins

thc

first.

Is+]


29/98

Lower,case

n is

us

What

was

said

of ca

'mind

your p's

and

q's

letterer.

A

q

is

not the

away

from-the

top o

thickening

when

it

re

bowl of the

q attache

thickening,

but

just

a

polllt.

-

In the

course of

ti

shrunk

to

the

gay

lit

Iso]


30/98

the

stem

in

the

lower,case r. This

stroke

may

join

the stcm

just

below

the top

but, particularly

in

italic,

it may emerge

as

a tangent

about hal0way

down thc stcm. Aftcr

thc

hair,line lcaves

the

stem

the

stroke pulls

away

to

the

right

to

form

a kind of diminutive

tail.

It

should

normally be

short.

The

commcnts

on cap

S

apply

to the lower,case.

The

cross

stroke

of

the

t lies

just

under,

not

just

ovcr,

the

mean

line; that

is,

the

top edge of

the

cross,stroke lies

along

thc

mean

line. If t

occurs

at

the

end

of

a

word or

line the cross,stroke

may extend

into

a

flourish.

It

is

affectation

to allou-

the stem

to

sdck up too

far

above

the mean

line-a

modest

triangle

is

adequate.

The

curve

at

the

foot

may

be

gencrous

or

quite small.

The

u varies

considerably

in

width and

should

be

the

samc

as

n.

The serifs are

at an angle

which

they

are

not

in

the v.

The

italic forms

are all

a

little

freer.

The morc

light,hearted

the

occasion

the

frecr

the lettcring can,

with

propriety, be.

Even

the

hair,line

of

the serif

may

fourish.

Letters s

and t may be

joined

together

by a ligature, which

is

the

litde

connecting

stroke.


31/98

Most of

the

notes

o

with

the

exception

of

with

horizontal

serifs

occurs

in

the

tail.

B

in the

formal lower,c

the

right

occasion and

Ioo]


32/98

r2

The

Romans

used the letters

of the

alphabet

lor

figures thus:

M:IOOOT D:JOO,

C-IOO,

L

5O,

X'-IO,

IX,:9, VIII-8,

YII:7,

VI:6, V-J,

IY-

4,

III:,,3,

II-2,

I=..r.

Combinations

of

these produced

the other

figurcs. The

diffi,

culty

these

must have

created for arithmetical

calculations

is

easy

to

imagine, and

it

is not

surprising

that the

Romans were

not

as

advJnced

in

Mathematics

as were

the Arabs, who

devised

the

system

of

figures

and figuring

in

tens

some centuries

later.

The

figures

we

use,

then,

are of Arabic

origin,

but they

have

been fashioned

for

so many

centuries

by letterers

brought

up

orr

classical

Roman

lettering

that

they might

be said

to

be

naturalised.

They

may

all

be

the

same

height, as

in

the following

large

6gures, and

known

to

typographers

as'modern'

or

ranging

6gures.-

On

the other

hand,

as

on the

opposite

Page,

thcy may

be

of

unequal

height

and

known

as.'old

style'figures..Figurc

4

is

scen

sometimcs

resting

on

the

base line

and not

as

a descender.

larl


33/98


34/98

T T-rFrr.'rln

J

\r

orHER

FoRMS

oF

LETTER

A]

f +

,.,:l*i:i#:rii'*t*I'J:i:i*:ri*#1i:i:xi:iTJ

al'q

&

lid,?:":r#ilip;g{kg#iffit+s}j;;

nl

'\/

ln

rx;lxli:h'i"=:**"*'**ii.i'''u,fl**i*

n,,

&mrm"

rwenty.six

leners used

in

the English

lan

derived

from

Roman,

but

some

of

the

,

suongly

marked

characterisdcs

and

are

in

s

names

are necessary

to distingulsh

the

main

e1l'lffi

*fi*J*i+t*:r.l*r'i}#."1*,n"""CH*:r.**n;*:r"*

Fil$,fk*[l;i",[,t',,':Tnf]i];*,?,"t'fimi$

FH****.'*"""

ess

and

serenity

ofthe

classical

tradition. r,a.*in r

l

ess

ano

sererury

oI

rnc

c

in

bringing

about

the

r't

a'tin

,

I I

yftf'1x'"'l-'fit'f;,#,';,'*1'*1ft*":rl,:l*'1",m'n

Al I lA

.xi"-.it;.t.'i,i.i,testems,leavingrhe"hai,J;:.ji:T:Ttri

.,/"r71

^-l

-

I I"

iliii$l,##i:.li'":i1..:*#311*.;f"J.'*txi'^i1i,'"'''

a

l

d

I

a,

ffi:lii,:i:$:1':f[t1:ilil::,':,fffi:i;Hffi:::*'

Y]I-J

lcl

5;;;;.;tiil.';';;;;i;;;;A;il;;ib"r..'naontt'"

_

ll ]

t-."'ll"

*hl.,.t'*,x*l'**I};,:l;-

$.'*',trs"J:

nl\;|l ln,*'*iit

omrtted

less by conrdous

chorce

than

by pmctlcal

neces$ty

-ot I I '

.

knowing

no

better

way.

Certainly no

fine

iarly

sans seem

to

be hill

knorvn. In. the

early

nineteenth

century

and

again

in

this, sant

il'

SLAB

SERIF

(Egyptian)

serif

letters have

been

deliberately

designed-consciously

different

lt

cHARACT;il;iA;

I

from the

normal.

Today,sa.s

lettetirrg,to.,.o-*o,

Xt.,o,b-. [ffio"rrt"u.r,'*.*rrl,i,.t"essasthestems.

reasonably

called

'norm"l'-rt

least

outside

: .:1ry'_{.0^::f: IT-','r;d,Jit';.

#;eted,

though

there

Slab serif

lerters,

also

familiar

today,

are an

early

nineteenth,

J liii"tiui.;;d;r:

;?'.:'Ii"#Hu.il:l:flx.::JJ:il?,llfi'::11,'J'[J::::'15 ffi*m,r.jui:

Pravb,r'

'lhe

seri*

are

other

printed

matter.

trffi*lly

a'monoone',

that

is,

having

all

the

same

thickness,

but

again

there

a.e

Ioo]

lnbzscttltypcs

are

Beton,

Rockwell,

Scarab,


35/98

TH

CR

OF

PE


36/98

-.

*w

r=-

\

-

R.

t.

ff-**

THIS

book

is

not

yct

a

proving

evcryday

handw

italianiursivi

hands

in ge

In

this

sectidn we

consid

for

the

production

of

sma

the numerous

ephemeral

clubs

and exhibitions

and

are

required. Where

only

lz"l

Sparklin,q ulli.graphy

by Grrritt

Noordzq

tn,qraurd

on u,ood by

hin.


37/98


38/98

I

influence

felt and

modified

the

forms

of

the

letters.

Gradually

capitals

(majuscules)

evolved

into lower,case

(minuscules),

and

wiih

the

need

for speed

and

compression

minuscules

were

in turn

modified to

produie italic.

There

are

thus

three

distinct

alphabets

we use

today.

Capitals:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

-

Lower,case:

abcdefghrjklmnopq

rstu

vwxyz.

Italic:

abc

defghijklmnop

qrs tuu

tt xy z.

What

we

know

as

Italic

capitals

are

really sloped

roman.caPs.

The

position

of

the

thick

and

thin strokes

in our

letters

is

determined

not

so

much

by deliberate

intention,

as by

the

way

the

pen

is held

and

moved.

The

order

in which

strokes

are

made

also

|lrym

part

in

creating

the shapes

of letters-but

the number

and

ord.. oi

strokes depends

on

the

size

of

letter.

Italic

minuscules

about

an

eighth

ofan

inch high

which

can

be made

with

one

stroke,

migh-t

require

three

strokes

ifthe letter

was three

inches

high.

The

enclosed'background'

shapes

of letters

are known

as

counters

(see

page

8

r), and

ate as

important

in

shape

as

the

strokes

the

pen

makes.

The

background

enclosed

is- as

much

part

of the

letter

as

the

strokes

themselvis,

and

care

should

be

taken

that

the

counters

are

kept

open,

clean and

unfussy.

It is usual

to

think

of

the proportions

of

leiters

in

relation to

a

square:

thus-as

an O

is

circulai

it-will

occuPy

a

square.

The

E, F,

L,

P,

and

S-

occupy

about

half a square.^

But

th.r.

is

no need

to measure

this

with

ruler

and

compass-good

proportions

of

letters are

more

a matter

of

feeling

thari

geomitry.

No

amount

of

mathematics

will

com'

pensate

iot

,

1"".k

of

sensibility

and

judgement. The widths

of

i.tt.rt

-ry

need to

be

modified-according

to

the circumstances

of

their

use.

For e*ample

it may be

necessaiy

to

reduce the

width

of

both

L

and

A

if thev

follow

one

another

as

in the word

LADY.

Also

when

A

follows R

the

tail

of

the R

might be

reduced.

On

.

the other

hand

at

the end

of

a

line

the tail of

the

R

might

aPPro/

priately

be

prolonged

into

a

fourish.

'

It would'be

wiiest

for

the

beginner

to

follow the

normal

pro'-

portions-training

the

eye

to

reiognise

the

permissible

limits

of

lz+l


39/98


40/98

\s

il

h'p

-l

PEN

HOLD

The

way

the

pen

is held, its

relation

to the

fingers,

its

angle in

relation

to

the

arm

and

the body

are

most

important

though there

is bound

to be variation

owing

to the

di{Ierences

of

anatomical

Tape or strip

It is

best to

ltin

paper

of

paper.

ouer

lower

par

of board.to

Writiug

line.

Wotect

the

writing

papet

and leaue it exposed

at

the leuel

the writer

fnds

most confortable.

Always

write at

about the satne

leuel.

structure

between

individuals. First,

as with

posture,

the writer

must be comfortable;

which

means, within reason, holding

the

pen in

the

manner he is accustomed

to. Edward

Johnston

said'we

should

hold

the

pen

in t

accustomed;

provided

th

pen be

so

manipulated

a

clean

vertical

thick

stroke

the photographs

on

page

the

thumb

and

the first a

pen lies along the hand

shoulder. The

photograp

the

pen

lying

along

the

gripped

is

perhaps

too

st

pen is

held,

there

shoul

required to

write-the th

pen

is

moved

in-not

of

across

the

paper

skating

Writing

Leuel.

After a li

found

there

is

one

partic

are most relaxed

and w

most

easily.

At

this level

of

the board

and so

pro

hazards

of

a dirty cuff

o

the writing paper

is

draw

the

upper part

of

the

dra

the

written

work from

(page

78).

lzal


41/98

Reeds

and quills

may

be

cut

at

an

angle

enabling

the thickest

stroke

to

be uertical

without

altering the

angle

of

the

pen

in

the hand

(A).

The

pens

used

in

the preparation

of

this

section

are

of four

main

kinds,

namely

(r)

The

reed

or

cane

pen with which

the

ex-amples

on

pages

r2o

r23,

werc

written.

(z)

The

steel

pen.

(3) The felvtip

pen

*Lr.h

produced

the

largest

letters on-pages

90

to

Ir9.

(a)-

The

fountain

pen

which

was

employed

for

the

arrows-

and

figures

indicating

the order

ofdirection

ofpen

stroke

and

the italic writing

on

pages

62 ind

ol.

The

choice

of

instrument

may

be

determined

by

the

iizi

of

leuering

required,

the

nature

of the

material

to

be

written

on

and

the writers

own

preference

or

mood'

Some of

the

examples-

here

made

with

a

reed

might

just

as

well

have

been

done

with a steel

pen

and vice

versa.

The

Reed

Pen.

As

the name implies

is

cut from

a

reed (or

piece of

cane)

with

the pith

removed

fiom

the

hollow

core

as

shown

in

tl,e

iiagram

ot

irg.

82.

When

the split

is

made

with

a

really sharp

knife clre

-utf

bi

taken

to

prevent

the split

extending

too

far.

A

reservoir

to

retain

ink in the

pet

is placed

as

in

the

diagram

on

page 83

so that

one

end

is about an

eighth

ofan

inch

from

the

tip

a"l

the other

end

in

the

hollow

stem

of

the

reed. A

suinble

mctal for the reservoir

is the

thick

metal

foil with

which

some

tins

of

tobacco

and

instant

coffee

are

sealed.

This

may

easily

be

cut

with

ordinary

scissors

into strips

about

one

sixteenth

of

an

inch

widc

and abtut

one

and

a hali

or

two

inches

long.

Dipping

the

pcn

for a few

seconds

in clean

water

before

use

helps

the

first

.l',rrg.

of ink

to

flow

easily.

The

advantage

of

a

reed

(or quill)

is

its

fl"cxibility,

sympathy,

and

response

to

minute variations

of

touch.

A

cllanly

.-ut

t.ld

or

quillis

a

joy

to

work

with,

but

skill

and

experience

ire

required

to cut

one

properly.

The Steel

Pen.

The great

advantage of the

steel

pen

is

its

consist'

cncy.

Reservoir

holders

are

best

for

most

sizes-(pages

8z-83),.but

som.

of

the

larger

sizes

of

nibs

are

supplied

with

an

attached

rcscrvoir.

They

may

be

obtained

'straight'

or

angled

either

to

lcft or

right.

All tlie

above,mentioned

pens are

best charged

with

ink

by

nrc.urs of a

brush-a

cheap

camel

hair

brush

is

adequate.

Try to

Cap

Line

Mean Line

Base

Line

Ascender

Line

Cap

Line

Mean

Line

Ilase

Line

l)rttuder

Line

Avuder

Line

Cap

Line

Mran

Line

lxol

lllle Line


42/98


43/98

Carpenter's

pencil

sharpened

to

a

,

chisel

edge

Two

pencils

(the

hexagonal

kind

is

best)

held

together

with

string

or^

elastic

bands

mike

a

good

substitute-for

a pen.-for

a

begiiner

to

practice

with.

The two

points

of

the

pencils

are

eqiiv"le.rt

to'the

two

ends

of

the

edgebf

the pen.

The

resulting

lines

made

when

the

pencils

are held

and

used

like

a pen,

show

clearly

the

relationship

between

inside

and

outside

contours

of

the

strokes.

The

resulting

letter

is also

quite

effective

a-nd

encouraging

to

the

beginner

be6re

he

faces

the

hazards

of

the pen.

The

carpenter's-

pencil is

also

good to

Practise

with

but

it

is

not

so

easy to

produce

crisp

contours.

XX-}

X

$KB

Kre

The

letter

m

typifies

the rhythm

of

the

lower,case.

It

is

good

practice

to write

ifie

alphabet

with

an

m

between

each letter

thus:

ffi##&effi

ambmcmdmem

and

so

on.

This

method

was

recommended

by

the old writing

masters.

Practise

is

aboa

$ff

&L\

ls+l

ffiwwwffiffiKw


44/98

^-,--J.a7,-.-7-

Horizontal

sffokes

s

keep the pen angle the

s

vertically

or

horizonta

uniform

length and a

u

as

often

as

you

can

with

just

before boredom

se

Having mastered

th

rhythm,

combine

the

h

T,

E, F, L again

aimi

att

-t'

-tt-.-'

EEE

Then

combine

diago

diagonals

with

verticals

have

been practised ind

lines.

fil

fil

fillfi

{^,,-1

4 X

Angle of

tdge

of nib to ruriting

line

(base

line)

uaries according

to the

character

of

letter

ifiended,

but

it is good

to

start with

jo".

After some

practice with pcncils try

similar

exercises with a

pen.

First

attempt

diagonal

thick

strokes

as

shown

here.

Then make

a scries of

thin

diagonals

at right angles to the

thick

strokes.

Thcse

are

more difficult to keep consistent.

They

are

made

by moving thc

pcn

lrom bottom

left

io top

right.

Next

practise

a

serics

of

vertical

strokcs

as

seen

below.

Endeavour

to

keep

the

strokes

evenly

spaced

and

regular

in

height.

Be

as

relaxed

as

possible

and cultivate

rhythm.

\\\\\\w

TTT

Iao]

AA


45/98

GG

Now

try

making

curves,

moving

the

pen in

the arrowt

direction(a)

Then practise making

curves

in

the

opposite

direction,

thus

(6).

Combine the two strokes to make

an O (and

Q,

C,

C).

After

making

a number

of O's try

the

related

C

and

G.

The G is

C with

a

s

The

Q

is olcclLrrse

un

D

combines a

vcrttc.Ll

R is

a vcrtrcal,

plus.r

cr

)D

QQ

ooooc

DD

cccccc

RRR

Ia

s]

The

C

is

the

whole

of stroke

(a)

and about

a third

of

stroke

(6).

Practisc

every letter man


46/98

The letter A is

a

medium to wide

letter.

Guard

against

narrowness.

Keep

the

cross

stroke

slightly

below

the middle.

Is

best

a

medium

to

narrow

letter.

Resist

the

temptation

to make

a

bulging

lower

bowl.

In the

formal

version

make the

arch

round

and the

stem vertical.

Do

not

make

the

bowl

too large.

aL

The

small

size

can

be

made

in

one

stroke

but

the large size

m.ight

require

two

or perhaps

threc

strokes.

Preserve

a clean

open counter.

The

small

size

can

be

made

in

one

stroke,

the large

size in

two

strokes.

6b

rc1


47/98

C

is

a

wide

letter. The

upper arm

is

best kept

fairly

fat.

D is

a

widc

letter,

and

rounded.

gD

The

formal

version

is well

rounded.

May

be made

without lifting

thc

pen

by

making

a

short

strokc

towards the

right

returning over

the

same ground

before

swinging

down

and

round.

The

upper

part

of

the

bowl

terrds

to flatness.

cs

d

c

'l'l:c

small

size

oue stroke.

may

be

made

in

cg


48/98

E is

a

narrow

letter

about

wide

as it

is

high.

The

cross

stroke

zontal

or

slightly

also be

extended.

The

same

width

as

E-narrow.

The

serif

on

the upper

arm

of the

free

version

is

made

by

tilting

the

pen

on

its

edge

as

it

is

lifted

oFthe

paper.

half

as

may

be

hori,

sloped.

It

may

Note

a

tendency

to

fatness

at the

top.

Stem

does

not descend

below

the

line.

I

[as

a

generous

descender.

cross

srroke

lends

itself

to

The

ex/

tcllslon.

e

f

f

Even the small

size requires

two

strokes

to

write

it

properly.

lo+)

(v


49/98

C

is a well wide

rounded letter.

The upper arm

tends

to

flatness.

The short

vertical

stroke

should

A medium

to

wide

symmetrical

letter

which

must

be

precisely

proportioned

to

avoid

dullness.

This letter

may be

thought of as

a

small

o with

a

looped

tail. Keep

all counters

open and make the

loop

slightly wider than

the

bowl.

Keep

the arch

firm

Almost

an

n

with

first

stroke.

and round.

an

extended

The italica

is

virtually

a c with

an

added

vertical

which

swings

bc,

neath the

bowl

to

form a loop.

{5

As with

all the

italic

letters-

llarrower

than

the

roman.

The

itsccnder

may be

flourished.

Iso1


50/98

J

was

unknown to

the Romans.

J

was,

and is,

made

by adding

a

curved

tail to

an I.

K is

a

medium

to

wide letter.

The

two arms meet

at

a

point

on

the contour

of

the

stem;

do

not

allow

them

to break into

the

stem

which

makes

a clumsy

join.

t1

These letters are

so

straight

for,

ward

as to

need

little

comment.

Avoid

a large

tail.

1)

tJ

The

above remarks

apply also

to

the minuscule.

Both

armi may be

prolonged

into

a fourish.

,a

tI

Both

simple

letters.

I[

the

j

is on

the bottom line

or

otherwise

has

much

space

below

it,

the

tail

ma1

be

fourished.

Again

let the arms meet

the

stem

irt a

point.

The

stem and lower

irlrn

may

be extended

into

e

Ilourish.

,/

,/

U


51/98

L

is

a

narrow

letter

but on occa/

sion

both

stem

and arm

may

be

lengthened and

flourished.

It is

a wide

letter

and

should

never

be unduly

compressed.

The

rst,

znd

and

4th

strokes

lend

them,

selves

to extension

and

fourishing.

?

---

Keep

the

arches

well

rounded,

particularly

in

the

counters.

No

comment

is necessary.

il[

The

italic I

may

asccnd

(if there

is

ample

room)

into

a

flourish.

mm

Narrower

than the

Roman,

but

llrc last

stroke may

sometimes end

with a

flourish.

Sets

the

rhythm

o['a particular

hand.

I

rr

rum

roo]

--


52/98

N

is a medium

to

wide

letter and

any

temptation

to

make

it

nartow

should

be

resisted.

The

angle

of the

pen

dictates

the

angle

of

the

axis

of

the

O.

Keep

the counter

as open

as

possible.

As with

the

m-keep

the

arch

well

rounded

and

fairly

wide.

Virtually the

same

as the

capital

but

written

smaller.

nn

oo

Virtually

part

similar

rhythm

tIOn.

of an tll

with

and arch

forma,

'l'hc

italic,

being narrower

makes

tlrc o

eliptical

rather

than circular.

l

)o

not

exaggerate the

slope.

Iroz]

nru

.-.


53/98

P

is a narrow

letter.

Looks

vulgar

if

the

bowl

is made too

wide.

The

bowl

meets

the stem

at

th

top

at

a

point

but is thicker

as

it

rejoins the stem

lower

down.

Qis

like

an

O

with

a tail

which

should

not

normally

brcak

into

the

courlter.

The

bowl

is

thick

when

it

joins

the

stem

ar the

rop

but

pointed

as

it rejoins

the

stem

just

lbove

the

line.

May be thought of

as an o

with

.r

stem

on

the

left.

May

be

thought

of as

an o

with

a

tlcscending

stem.

PygrTq

ro+]


54/98

R is

a

medium

to

narrow

letter.

The

bowl

should

not be made too

wide

but

the

tail

may

be

extended.

S

is

a narrow letter

and not

as

difficult

as

many

bcginners

sup,

pose.

Definitely a

two

stroke

letter.

Virtually the

same

as

the

cap-a

three

stroke

letter.

This may be

made

in

one

strokc.

The litde

arm

may

be

extended

at

the end

ofa

line.

'l'he

small sizes

otrc stroke.

may

be made in

Iroo]

r'r


55/98

T

is

a

medium

width

letter. The

arms may be

extended.

Do

not

turn the

stem

into

an

ascender.

U

is

a

medium to wide

letter.

Keep the curve

rounded.

The

same

as

the

capital

letter.

The

cross stroke

may

be

pro,

longed

to

join

the next

letter

or

fourished at

the end

of a

line.

tLu

t----

Almost, but not

quite, an

n

upz

siclc down.

LU

ro8]


56/98

V

is

a medium,width

letter,

and

should

not

be made narrow

with,

out

good reason.

The

same as

the capital.

Obviously

a

wide

letter

made

up

of

two

V's.

Sometimes

they crois

over

making

four

serifs

at

the

top.

Also

a

four

stroke

letter.

VY

The

small

size

one

stroke.

may

be

madc in

'l'hc

small

size

ollc

stroke.

may

be

made

in

Ir

ro]

yr


57/98

A medium,width letter.

The

arms

may be

flourished.

Be

careful

of

the angle

the first

stroke makes.

A

medium letter.

Same as above.

The

tail lends itself

to

lengthening

and flourishing.

XX

Is

sometimes

a

r with

half

an

o

tu

front.

xx

'l'lrc

italic

lends

itselfeven

more

ro

lLrurishing.

Ir

rz]

.3-_


58/98

A medium

to

wide

letter.

The

pen

makes the

diagonal

thin

but

in

type

it

is usually

thick.

&

is derived

from et

meaning

and.

The word ampersand

is

probably

flrom

'et

per

se

and'.

'fhere

are

many

versions,

some of

thcm

pretty.

Virtually

the

capital

written

smaller.

77

^L

^L--

The lower arm

may be

extendccl

into

a

flourish

at

the end

of

a

line.

In

some versions

the

E

and the

T

,rrc

casily discernible.

Irr+]

-

-

//.

-

'---


59/98

Sometimes

difficult to

distinguish

from lower,case

1.

All

the

figures

are

of Arabic

origin-not

Roman.

ltr

The

stem

may

resr

on

the

line

or

it

can be

a

descender.

Keep the

neck gracelully

rounded.

Avoid

an abrupt

turn

into thc

diagonal.

Is

generally

best

with

a

fairly

long

'n.ik'

"r,d

a

fairly

small

'beily'.

"

Thc

flat

top

is

perhaps

too

likc

a

r

-btrt

is a

usc

l

version

all

tli.

SAMC.

Mrry

range

u,ith

the

other

lerters

or

ttsc

into

an

ascender.

66

Ir

ro]


60/98

Often narrowet

than an

O.ay

rar-rge

with other

lcttcrs or

extcnd

into a dcscer-rder.

7J

Not

two

O's on top

of

one

anl

other-it

is

almost

ar-r S with thc

arms

curled

round

to

join

the stem.

Avoid a serpentine curve.

8?

?

and avoid

f

im

at

I rrssiness.

simplicity

own. Ma1,

9

Almost

a

o

upsidc

be a desccnder.

Ir

r8]


61/98

Freely

written

with

a

reed

pen.

About seuen

nib

widths

high.

:rlPen'Aboutseuen

?fr\

,,,

,

BCD

huj'

V

uK

I

]

12


62/98

A

freely

adapted

uncial letter

that is

tending

n

jnd

more

Jauour

with young

designus.

AB

rG

LM

QB

VW


63/98

bew

jtfr*,

'

I

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t

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$r;ril,t

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I

W

y

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ti

recn(t

*rrt*y

lt

mt

f"i,*',1,

y

h'wa'vh

n*c

h

*ff*

n

I

thl.

frr""

ttr*

h

oec4lb,

bilt

lfu

^Itrf

fffi

h**

irwol*vl

u*fr

nwrh-

jat

n'ru'

'

I

(44"4

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fwwt'

%ry\

h

cmll*a

ow

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y

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leaaorry brofu

n I

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'

ABOUT

HANDWRITING

Handwriting

has been

called

'Everyman's

Crafi'

because

it is

the

craft

practised

by all literate

people. Some

people

find

creative

expression in

pottery, needlework,

metalrwork,

wood,work

etc.,

*hich

in

alrnost

every

case

will

be

dillerent

from their

daily

occupation.

Most

people earn

their

living

in

jobs

that

give little

or no

opportunity

for

se1f,&pression-artistic

or

otherwise.

They

rar^ely

pioduce anything

ofwliich

they

can

say'I

did

it,'

or'I

made

it'

or

feel

ihat

something

of themselves

is contained or

refected

in the

thing.

But it ri

possible

in

handwriting.

Everybody

who writes

with

care

and

consideration

for

his

readers

can achieve

a

degree of satisfaaion

and

a feeling of

some

attistic

accomplishment.

Crafts

li[


64/98


65/98


66/98

THE CRAFT

OF

2,

(a


67/98

\l

u)

A'

\r

q

b,

ki

H:

\

L

5

s

B

o

si

\l

v

\t

\3

i

S-

s

s

\

\t

o

- a

o

a.

o

,-l

x

s

(J

\3

>*

\

z

THE

CRAFT

OF

The

word

'script'

is.oft

forms.

that

Tly

bf

thin

chunky,

and

bold

on

t

to signify

the form

of le

plate is

a

logical

descr

during

the_

sixteenth

ce

number

of instruction

o

for which

were

engrave

on the

shapes

o[ the le

remembered

when

stu

seventeenrh/

and

eighte

ness

ofthe

hair,lines,

the

of

the shading

is

as

mu

The

pen,men

were

a

some

of

their

copy,boo

their

language

as

in

th

Excellencie;

The Pen's

T

Penman's

Paradise;

The

U

Beauty

and

Extent

.are

a

rhe

texts

of two

dlls,pag


68/98


69/98


70/98

The

Principal

or

Basic Strokes

/,

Slnrt stem

J

'//?,0

Loop

Long

stem

All letters

are

mode

up

fron

combinations

of the

aboue

strokes.

hrsl

,/

Pot.hook


71/98

The

oual

counters

of

loweucase

a,

b, c,

d, g, o, p,

q

should be

kept as

equal

in

shape and

size as possible. See

below.

t op

The

ascenders and

descenders are ofle

x

height

each.

BorroM

The

ascenders

and descenders are tuo

x

heights.

Ir+o]

T

I

I

iQ

I

I

Wl:u: letters

-are

joine

with

the

np

of the

follo

the

centre

line

similar,

The. shapes

enclos_ed

w

of

the

ktterc as

shown

hi1

ain at

uniftrmity

hauing.

a

stryilqr

upswin

d,

:

h,.i, k,-1,

m, n,

p

uniformity

of the

shapei


72/98

Grid.ouer

which-

to

lay

base.line,

mean,line,

ei

Endeduour

to

join

letters

at

about,

or aboue,

half.way

between

mean,line

and base.line. In

a

tightly syaced line it may be necessary to

join

lower

down-but

do not

join

at a point

lower

than a

third of

the height

of a letter

i,

otherwise

the characteristic elegance of copperylate script will

be

lost.

/

lmogine a sma.ll circle

as the

ll

r':,;ff;fi,'xr,iit',fi',,,,

Do

NoT turnfrom

stem to hair.line as

sharply

as this.

lr+rl

--1

--'

_-{

-

-

t

-

_1

_

-L-

_L


73/98

777?7777?77

e00c

0

b, or d,

Try ruritirtg tlrcse

sintple

strofus

frccly

and

rlrytlnricelly.

Join

tlrcse

strokes

into

o

contirurorlr

-\'r,'ir,i

of

u.clrti.

Make

a

sirtrilor

rlrythnical

series

ruith

the

arch

at

the

Joot

follouedby

a

conl ;ination of

tlte truo

wl:icb nralie

n,

u, ut, w.

Conrbiue it ruitlt a

slrcrt o

After sonrc

proctic

The

oual may be made ruit

e0

It slnuld

be

practised

assid

0/oo

Repeat

often-but

stop beJore bdng bored

l'++l

.--


74/98


75/98

Direction

oJ

nouement

of

tlrc

pen

/,7

The

size of the

letter

df

letters

nay

be made iith

liable

to splutter

ofi upz

'It

is therefore

often

bet

double,hearled

arrow

ind

Ir+s]


76/98

[rso]


77/98

[,

sr]


78/98

,

s+]


79/98

[,

so]


80/98

rsa]


81/98

I

roo]


82/98

e,

g,

o, p, q.

Aim at

ge

The

point

of maximum

Ligatures should

jo

the halOway

line

(pa

'pot,hooks'ihould

be

insle

where the

stem

the"next

letter.

Make

imagining

a

small

circ

strofe

firit, going

ro

through

into-the

-nex

the

stlm

next,

taking

where

it

touches

the

Follow

through

fro

It

is clearly

ne..Is"ry

t

should

be'as

few as

is

Keep

the

stems

of l

stroke

^of

,r,

't

,

w,

y, a

dve

version

ofp.

Thes

curve

instead of

bei.rg

Trv to

keep

all ste

distarice

,pri.

Th.

soace

ofn

or o.

'

The

length

of

asce

stances

"rri

p.ttoorl

legibiliry

is piramoun

fie

d.ic.t

ders may

loss

of

legibility

or

ii

mav

be

t#o,

thi..,

or

too,

-ry

be

extende

one's

disposal.

Iroz]


83/98

ro+]


84/98


85/98

ro8]


86/98

rzo]


87/98

rzrl


88/98

rt+l


89/98


90/98

o


91/98

/

a

Ir8o]

Flourishir-rg

is pe

conspicuous charac

loquent

displays of

is

magnificent;

at i

flourishes

can

be

e

have

a

formal auste

mands

admiration.

like othcr

forms

of

itsclf but

a kind

conveying

a messa

should

therefore

b

designed

to

enhanc

Nevertheless

the

lantasy

is

appropriat

inver-riion

ind

the

e

the scventeenth,

an

only

virtuosi

of pu

of

fish, birds,

hoisc

angels,

labulous

be

slickncss

of a

circu

makcr.

After

practising

try

invenii

Lettercraft by John R. Biggs

Documents

Transcript of Lettercraft by John R. Biggs