c c

Table of Contents

History of Calligraphy 2
Basic Strokes 6
Vertical Roman 7
Italic Cursive 8
Gothic or Black Letter 9
Uncial 10
Practice Paper 11
Works Cited/ About the Authors 17

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Copyright ©2010 Ben Clarke and Moriah Sanford
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Tel: 480-883-5078
E-mail: [email protected]

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the readers’ use.

History of Calligraphy 11
History of Calligraphy for everyday letters, formal correspondence and invita-
tions. As the arts flourish during Europe’s Renaissance,
he art of calligraphy as we know it today so too did the art of calligraphy. Italians during this
actually finds its origins in cave paintings. time invented the italic script, which became popular
Back in the days when communication was throughout most of Europe. But calligraphers were
a series of grunts, the written word was a threatened once again with the advent of engraved
mere pictorial representation of significant events in a copperplates in the 17th century, which permitted the
caveman’s life. As humans developed, the art of draw- printing of finer lines more attuned to italic script. One
ing pictures became quite highly hundred years later, artistic penman-
developed and reached great heights ship was in a steep decline.
under the direction of the Egyptians. To further complicate matters for
About 3500 BC, the Egyptians cre- artistic scribes, by the 19th cen-
ated the highly stylized hieroglyph- tury the steel pen and fountain pen
ics for which they are so well known. replaced the flat-edged pen. The
These symbols were incised inside rounded tip of these new pens made
tombs or painted with brushes the special curves of calligraphy
across papyrus paper. A few thou- more difficult to achieve. The art
sand years later, around 1000 BC, the itself might have seen its extinction
Phoenicians went a step further and if it weren’t for the British poet and
developed what is believed to be artist William Morris. In the mid-19th
one of the first alphabets and writing century William Morris spearheaded
systems. Luckily the Phoenicians a calligraphic revival, reintroducing
were sea faring types and they read- the flat edged pen and elevating the
ily passed along their new talents act of writing to the art form of its
to every seaport through which they past.
passed. They most likely influenced It might appear that the art of cal-
the Greeks who later developed their ligraphy couldn’t possibly withstand
own form of writing, which by 850 BC An example of Egyptian calligraphy, the competition from the 20th cen-
the Romans had adapted to suit the known as Hieroglyphics tury’s most important invention – the
Latin language. computer. With a click of the mouse,
It just so happens that Latin was the lingua franca a list of various scripts are generated electronically and
of the churches of Europe in the Middle Ages and the lasered onto bleached paper in an instant – the art of
monks (and a smattering of nobility) constituted the script preserved in an electronic pulse. But calligraphy
only literate members of society. Since nothing could is flourishing more than ever with calligraphic societies
be more glorious than the word of God, the monks throughout the United States and Europe. According
began to carefully scribe ancient texts into decora- to noted calligrapher, Julian Waters during a lecture at
tive books used by high-ranking church members and Washington’s Sidwell Friends School in 1997, true cal-
royalty. Paper was expensive during the Middle Ages, ligraphy is the art of producing letters that capture the
so scribing monks developed a writing style that was spirit of the text they represent. For many artists, much
narrower allowing more words to fit on a single line. mental pre-planning is necessary to fully understand
This style came to be known as Gothic and lasted as the text before deciding how to display it in its full
a popular scribing technique throughout much of the beauty. This type of emotion can not always be gener-
Middle Ages. ated from a computer, which for Julian Waters is ‘simply
By the mid 15th century, however, Johannes another tool’ to be manipulated by the artist.
Gutenberg had invented the printing press based upon Calligraphy is a popular art form whose boundar-
the Gothic lettering of the monks. This new technique ies are not restricted to Europe and the United States.
allowed for faster printing of Bibles and threatened the Around 1500 BC the Chinese developed a complicated
métier of the monks. Although the use of the printing writing technique using more than 1500 characters.
press spread worldwide, handwriting skills were still in Today the Chinese consider calligraphy to be one
high demand. The bulky printing press was too coarse of their most respected art forms. Master Chinese

2 2 History of Calligraphy
calligraphers may appear to be spontaneously stroking half-uncial (from the Latin “uncia,” or “inch”) devel-
a brush over the paper, but many meditate extensively oped from a variety of Roman book hands. The 7th-9th
before designing. The Arabs are also noted for their centuries in northern Europe were the heyday of Celtic
history of calligraphy. Their cursive is written from right illuminated manuscripts, such as the Book of Durrow,
to left and formed by eighteen distinct shapes, the Lindisfarne Gospels and the Book of Kells.
various combinations of which produce twenty-eight Charlemagne’s devotion to improved scholarship
letters. Arabic script appears highly distinctive from the resulted in the recruiting of “a crowd of scribes”, ac-
lettering used throughout most of cording to Alcuin, the Abbot of York.
Europe, but Arabic calligraphy has Alcuin developed the style known
had many of the same Greek and as the Caroline or Carolingian
Phoenician influences. In Arabic minuscule. The first manuscript
calligraphy there are six major in this hand was the Godescalc
scripts (Farsi, Naskh, Kufi, Deewani, Evangelistary (finished 783) — a
Req’aa, and Thuluth) representing Gospel book written by the scribe
various artistic styles. Godescalc. Carolingian remains
For true calligraphers, the art of the one progenitor hand from
penmanship will always be alive as which modern book type descends.
long as there is at least one artist Blackletter (also known as Gothic)
willing to carry on the tradition. and its variation Rotunda, gradu-
Despite super fast computers that ally developed from the Carolingian
can produce a myriad of different The Phoenician alphabet. This alphabet hand during the 12th century.
fonts, real calligraphy comes from was spread throughout the Mediterranean Over the next three centuries, the
deep within the artist who strives to scribes in northern Europe used
evoke the true emotion of the script through the words an ever more compressed and spiky form of Gothic.
they draw. Calligraphy has survived throughout history Those in Italy and Spain preferred the rounder but
despite printing presses and copperplate engravings, still heavy-looking Rotunda. During the 15th century,
and dedicated followers of the art expect it to outlast Italian scribes returned to the Roman and Carolingian
the next big invention of the 21st century. models of writing and designed the Italic hand, also
This passage was taken from: http://www.essortment.com/all/ called Chancery cursive, and Roman book hand. These
calligraphyhist_reyt.htm three hands — Gothic, Italic, and Roman book hand
— became the models for printed letters. Johannes
Development of Western Style Calligraphy Gutenberg used Gothic to print his famous Bible, but
Western calligraphy is the calligraphy of the Latin the lighter-weight Italic and Roman book hand have
writing system, and to a lesser degree the Greek and since become the standard.
Cyrillic writing systems.[ Early alphabets had evolved During the Middle Ages, hundreds of thousands of
by about 3000 BC. From the Etruscan alphabet evolved manuscripts were produced: some illuminated with
the Latin alphabet. Capital letters (majuscules) gold and fine painting, some illustrated with line draw-
emerged first, followed by the invention of lower case ings, and some just textbooks.
letters (minuscules) in the Carolingian period. The his-
tory of lettering records many excursions into historical Development of Western Style Calligraphy
obscurity and disuse as well as elaborating the story of Western calligraphy is the calligraphy of the Latin
what gave rise to contemporary print. writing system, and to a lesser degree the Greek and
Long, heavy rolls of papyrus were replaced by the Cyrillic writing systems. Early alphabets had evolved by
Romans with the first books, initially simply folded about 3000 BC. From the Etruscan alphabet evolved the
pages of parchment made from animal skins. Reed Latin alphabet. Capital letters (majuscules) emerged
pens were replaced by quill pens. first, followed by the invention of lower case letters
Christian churches promoted the development (minuscules) in the Carolingian period. The history of
of writing through the prolific copying of the Bible, lettering records many excursions into historical obscu-
particularly the New Testament and other sacred texts. rity and disuse as well as elaborating the story of what
[11] Two distinct styles of writing known as uncial and gave rise to contemporary print.

History of Calligraphy 33
 Long, heavy rolls of papyrus were replaced by the of Copperplate hands have represented such writing
Romans with the first books, initially simply folded to have been with a sharp pointed nib instead of the
pages of parchment made from animal skins. Reed broad-edged one used in most calligraphic writing. This
pens were replaced by quill pens. so called “Copperplate Myth” represents the name to
Christian churches promoted the development of come from the sharp lines of the writing style resem-
writing through the prolific copying of the Bible, par- bling the etches of engraved copper printing plates. It
ticularly the New Testament and other sacred texts. Two is unlikely that this picture represents the historical ori-
distinct styles of writing known as uncial and half-un- gins of the term accurately, but is rather more reflective
cial (from the Latin “uncia,” or “inch”) developed from a of later 19th and 20th century antipecuniary comfort of
variety of Roman book hands. The 7th-9th centuries in the Arts and Crafts movement participants. It is most
northern Europe were the heyday of Celtic illuminated likely that what is today written with pointed steel nibs
manuscripts, such as the Book of Durrow, Lindisfarne began stylistic life before the 1820s with a broad edged
Gospels and the Book of Kells. quill and a number of period pen hold, posture and arm
Charlemagne’s devotion to improved scholarship position variations to facilitate the fine lines. Hence
resulted in the recruiting of there was likely a gradual
“a crowd of scribes”, accord- change in historic writing
ing to Alcuin, the Abbot of practices and a reorientation
York. Alcuin developed the of the vocation and place of
style known as the Caroline writing rather than the elimi-
or Carolingian minuscule. nation of the art.
The first manuscript in this At the end of the 19th
hand was the Godescalc century, the aesthetics and
Evangelistary (finished 783) philosophy of William Morris
— a Gospel book written An example of traditional western style and the Arts and Crafts
by the scribe Godescalc. calligraphy with hint of Gothic style. movement appealed to many
Carolingian remains the calligraphers, including
one progenitor hand from which modern book type Englishmen Edward Johnston and Eric Gill. Johnston
descends. Blackletter(also known as Gothic) and its was introduced to 10th-century manuscripts, at the
variation Rotunda, gradually developed from the Fitzherbert Museum by Sir Sidney Cockerell and based
Carolingian hand during the 12th century. Over the next his own calligraphy on them. Johnston and his students
three centuries, the scribes in northern Europe used were to redefine, revive and popularize English broad-
an ever more compressed and spiky form of Gothic. pen calligraphy.
Those in Italy and Spain preferred the rounder but The legacy of the Arts and Crafts movement includes
still heavy-looking Rotunda. During the 15th century, considerable myth. Published in 1906, Johnston’s best
Italian scribes returned to the Roman and Carolingian known work Writing, Illuminating & Lettering never
models of writing and designed the Italic hand, also used the terms “Foundational” or “Foundational Hand”
called Chancery cursive, and Roman book hand. These for which he is most remembered. Johnston initially
three hands — Gothic, Italic, and Roman book hand taught his students an uncial hand using a flat pen
— became the models for printed letters. Johannes angle, but later taught his “foundational hand” using
Gutenberg used Gothic to print his famous Bible, but a slanted pen angle. He first referred to this hand as
the lighter-weight Italic and Roman book hand have “Foundational Hand” in Plate 6 of his 1909 publica-
since become the standard. tion, Manuscript & Inscription Letters for Schools and
During the Middle Ages, hundreds of thousands of Classes and for the Use of Craftsmen. The Johnston
manuscripts were produced: some illuminated with Typeface (commissioned in 1916) became the basis for
gold and fine painting, some illustrated with line draw- the London Underground signage and continues today
ings, and some just textbooks. in the New Johnston typeface, revised in 1988.
At about the same time as Johnston, Austrian Rudolf
Resurgence of Western Calligraphy Larisch was teaching lettering at the Vienna School
The rise of printing from movable type in the mid- of Art and published six lettering books that greatly
15th century did not mean the end of calligraphy. influenced German-speaking calligraphers. Because
Illuminated manuscripts declined, however, after print- German-speaking countries had not abandoned the
ing became ubiquitous. Conventionally the histories

4 4 History of Calligraphy
Gothic hand in printing, Gothic also had a powerful to this nothing can be added; all Rules must give way
effect on their styles. Rudolf Koch was a friend and to Truth and Freedom.”
younger contemporary of Larisch. Koch’s books, type The multi-million dollar Saint John’s Bible project
designs, and teaching made him one of the most in- for the 21st century has engaged Donald Jackson with
fluential calligraphers of the 20th century in northern an international scriptorium and is nearing comple-
Europe and later in the U.S. Larisch and Koch taught tion. It is designed as a 21st century illuminated Bible,
and inspired many European executed with both ancient and
calligraphers, notably Friedrich modern tools and techniques.
Neugebauer, Karlgeorg Hoefer, The earlier 20th-century “Bulley
and Hermann Zapf. Bible” was executed by a student
Graily Hewitt was most re- of Edward Johnston’s, Edward
sponsible for the revival of the Bulley.
art of gilding, both by contribut- The digital era has facilitated
ing to Writing, Illuminating and the creation and dissemination
Lettering (Chapter 9 Appendix) of thousands of new and histori-
and through his own publica- cally styled fonts. Calligraphy
tions, most notably Lettering for gives unique expression to every
Students & Craftsmen (1930). individual letter form within a
Hewitt is not without both Calligraphy in a Latin Bible of AD 1407 on design layout which is not the
critics and supporters in his strength of typeface technolo-
display in Malmesbury Abbey,
rendering of Cennino Cennini’s gies no matter their sophistica-
medieval gesso recipes. Donald Wiltshire, England. tion. The usefulness of the digi-
Jackson, a British calligrapher, tal medium to the calligrapher
has sourced his gesso recipes from earlier centuries a is not limited to the computer layout of the new Saint
number of which are not presently in English transla- John’s Bible prior to working by hand. Writing directly
tion. Graily Hewitt created the patent announcing the in the digital medium is facilitated via graphics tablets
award to Prince Philip of the title of Duke of Edinburgh (e.g. Wacom and Toshiba) and is expected to grow in
on November 19 1947, the day before his marriage to use with the introduction of Microsoft Windows Vista
Queen Elizabeth. operating system (“Vista Pen Flicks”) in 2007. Apple Inc.
Many typefaces are based on historical hands, such introduced a similar “shorthand” facility in their Tiger
as Blackletter (including Fraktur), Lombardic, Uncial, operating system in 2005. Graphics tablets facilitate
Italic, and Round hand. calligraphic design work more than large size art pieces.
The internet supports a number of online communities
Calligraphy Today of calligraphers and hand lettering artists.
Calligraphy today finds diverse applications. These
include graphic design, logo design, type design, paint- [Excerpt taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
ings, scholarship, maps, menus, greeting cards, invita- Western_calligraphy]
tions, legal documents, diplomas, cut stone inscrip-
tions, memorial documents, props and moving images
for film and television, business cards, and handmade
presentations. Many calligraphers make their liveli-
hood in the addressing of envelopes and invitations
for public and private events including wedding statio-
nery. Entry points exist for both children and adults via
classes and instruction books.
The scope of the calligraphic art is more than
pure antiquarian interest. Johnston’s legacy remains
pivotal to the ambitions of perhaps most Western Calligraphy of the German word “Urkunde” which trans-
calligraphers: lates to “deed.”
“It is possible even now to go back to the child’s -
something like the early calligrapher’s - point of view,
and this is the only healthy one for any fine beginning:

History of Calligraphy 55
 Basic Strokes
Probably the first thing you would do as a beginner calligrapher is practice the
basic elements of letters — vertical and horizontal stems, round strokes, slanted
stems. Here are some letter elements for the Roman hand:

More Tips
1. Intentionally make time to practice. I've found that if you actually schedule
practice time, it becomes a part of your routine. It is the routine that will help
make you a better calligrapher.
2. Consistently practice your craft. Setting a schedule to practice once per month
will not help you learn how to write calligraphy. Consistent, scheduled practice
makes for beautiful works of this amazing art. Let's say at least once per week.
3. Share your practice works with others. Sharing what you create is a powerful way
to gain momentum in the learning process. Praise and constructive criticism is
always helpful for the mind and the spirit.

Now try your hand at performing basic strokes using the lins below (Note that none of
these basic strokes will be used as ascenders or descenders yet).

6 6 History of Calligraphy
Vertical Roman
Vertical is the most common type of calligraphy. It’s shape is created from a
rectangle with serifs on the ends of the letters. A serif is a small line on the
beginning of a stroke and the end of a stroke.

Practice: trace the letters with a paint brush or pen.

History of Calligraphy 77
 Italic or Cursive
This font is slanted rather then straight, it is also flowing and free. Be sure to ease
up on your grip when using this font.

Practice:

8 8 History of Calligraphy
Gothic or Black Letter
A more formal font but it is difficult to read. It is one of the first fonts of calligraphy
ever used. It is also the most recognized of all fonts.

Practice:

History of Calligraphy 99
 Uncial
Uncial is a combination of upper case letters and lower case letters. It shows
stregnth and intensity with elegnce.

Practice:

1010 History of Calligraphy

History of Calligraphy 1111
1212 History of Calligraphy
 13
History of Calligraphy 13
1414 History of Calligraphy
 15
History of Calligraphy 15
 Works Cited
History of Calligraphy- http://www.essortment.com/all/calligraphyhist_reyt.htm

Calligraphy- http://www.martinfrost.ws/htmlfiles/calligraphy.html

Phoenician Alphabet- http://www.phoenician.org/alphabet_phoenician.GIF

Western Calligraphy- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_calligraphy

How to Write Calligraphy- http://www.squidoo.com/howtowritecalligraphy

Inkscape Tutorial: Calligraphy- http://www.inkscape.org/doc/calligraphy/tutorial-calligraphy.html

About the Authors

Ben Clarke
Ben Clarke is a student at Hamilton High School in Chandler,
Arizona. He enjoys spending his time hanging out with his friends,
watching TV, and playing video games. For this book, he set the type,
did research on the history of calligraphy, and formatted the book.

Moriah Sanford
Moriah Sanford is a junior at Hamilton High School in Chandler,
Arizona. She enjoys her spare time playing video games, hanging out
with friends, and playing with her ferrets. For this book she did all the
calligraphy and created the background and covers.

1616 History of Calligraphy

 17
History of Calligraphy 17