Calligraphy Alphabet 13+ lettering Styles and Historical Scripts
Calligraphy alphabet, So if you are a newbie or pro artist doesn’t matter.
This is something that is most important for everyone who is attached to this community.
Today we will be here to help you and tell you about it in this post we will discuss different calligraphy alphabets their history and the types of the alphabet.
So, stick around and read this post till the end if you are really interested in hand lettering and calligraphy.
in this post, we will explain the 13 most famous lettering styles and their historical scripts in detail.
We start this post from scratch to the advance. So let’s start from the basics.
Calligraphy Alphabet Important Terms
Here we will explain the related and most important terms that use in lettering.
So, Calligraphy has its own set of wording.
For example, here are a few of them:-
Lettering – writing or printing letters.
Calligraphy – An art of drawing letters in a beautiful manner.
Majuscules – “capital” letters
Minuscules – “small” letters
Ascenders – parts of the letters above the main writing line.
For example; h, l, k, etc.
Hairline – The thinnest stroke made
Serif – small strokes with letters
Counter – the inside letters
Anatomy of Letters
Here is the full flash practical view you can see everything in detail about what the Anatomy of letters looks like…
Baseline- Invisible line used to anchor letter.
Stem- Single vertical strokes upwards
Crossbar- Connects one stem to another
Ascender strokes- Upward stroke
Descender strokes- Stroke extended after baseline.
Family Styles
There are three main types of calligraphy: western, eastern, and Arabic.
So Each type reflects the different languages and handwriting of different regions.
Western-Special pens with broad ends are mainly used for writing Western calligraphy.
It is the art of calligraphy, especially using the Latin Calligraphy alphabet.
Eastern – Also known as East Asian calligraphy was invented in China and holds a central place in the cultural history in East Asia.
Arabic – Is linked to Islamic culture and society. It became famous and respected after its contribution to QURAN.
Serif –
A serif is a small extra stroke found at the end of the main vertical and horizontal strokes of some letters.
Sans Serif –
Sans serif typefaces are more modern than serif typefaces.
They lack the strokes that differentiate serif typeface, and the use of the French word “sans,” with meaning “without.
Script –
Script fonts are designed to capture the creativity and artistry of classic hand lettering and calligraphy, usually as if written with a pen, brush, or marker.
Display –
Display type of style mainly focused on decoration and a good design these alphabets look like neat and clean.
Making Variations in Letters
So there are many types of variations in letters let’s see how you can play with these variations.
Weight
Weight is something related to the spacing of the letters.
it will tell you the value of the spacing among the letters.
Contrast
Contrast is all related to the thickness or thinness of the alphabet.
it will tell you the value of the thick stroke and the thin stroke.
Spacing
As simple as that the spacing is all related to the spacing among the letters.
And it will tell you can value of spacing among the alphabet.
Angle
Again very easy to understand that is related to the various angles that you used during the lettering.
Decorations
Decorations are all related to the different types of decorative styles like flowers, swashes flourishes, or curls and angles.
you can use the embellishments for giving a unique touch to your calligraphy alphabets.
Related Post:
What Is The Difference Between Calligraphy and Hand Lettering?
How to Start Your Own Calligraphy Business?
Calligraphy Alphabet Historical Script
So here is the most famous 13 style of calligraphy alphabets below.
There are many more alphabets are available but today we will mainly focus on these calligraphy alphabets.
So now let’s jump in the brief explanations here I’m going to explain all these famous alphabets.
So let’s get into it.
1) Imperial Capitals
Imperial capitals were developed during the Roman Empire and were used for monument notes and writing throughout the ancient and Medieval periods.
2) Rustic Capitals
Rustic capital is an ancient Roman calligraphic script.
So, The scripts written in rustic capitals utilize punctus marks (dots which are placed between the words).
3) Square Capitals
Square capitals are slightly heavier downstrokes and lighter upstrokes than others, and their use of serifs, that is the short lines stemming at right angles from the upper line.
4) Insular Majuscule
The insular Majuscule script system developed from Ireland that spread to Anglo-Saxon England and continental Europe under the influence of Irish Christianity.
Insular majuscule, preferably in Uncial form, but can also be found in minuscule form with a straight shaft.
5) Caroline Minuscule
Caroline Minuscule is the script that survives as the basis of the present-day Roman upper- and lowercase type.
6) Foundational Hand
The Foundational Hand are the lower-case letters beside Roman Capitals. It is the best calligraphy for beginners.
7) Textura Quadrata
This is used basically for the Gothic language. Also known as Old English script, Blackletter, Gothic style.
It was invented around the 4th century AD by Bishop Wulfila.
8) Gothic Capitals
Gothic calligraphy is a style of beautiful hand lettering that’s been around since the Medival Ages.
It is written by Placing your pen tip at a 45-degree angle at the bottom of your first series of lines.
9) Bastard Secretary
The bastard was a blackletter script used in France, the Burgundian Netherlands, and Germany during the 14th and 15th centuries.
The Burgundian variant of the script was used to produce some of the most magnificent manuscripts during the 15th century.
British typeface creator Jonathan Barnbrook has designed an interpretation titled Bastard.
10) Rotunda
Rotunda originated in Italy and is considered to be the textualism sibling of Southern Europe.
The rotunda script became known all over Europe during the 14th century with the popularity of glossed treatises on civil law produced by the universities of Bologna and Padua.
11) Humanist Minuscule
Humanist minuscule is handwriting or style of script that was invented in secular circles in Italy, at the beginning of the 15th century.
The humanist alphabet was connected to humanistic lives.
12) Italic
We can say Italic script as semi-cursive.
Italic script is the most popular contemporary calligraphy alphabet.
This is also known as Chancery cursive.
13) Copperplate
Copperplate calligraphy is well known and most appreciated today.
It is made by using a pointed pen 55 degrees from horizontal as it has a steep slope.
Everything in copperplate is a game of strokes, thin upstrokes, and thick downstrokes.
Copperplate is one of the most popular calligraphy alphabet styles.
Widely used by artists.
Calligraphy Alphabet Examples
Here are some examples of the handwriting alphabet you can see below.
Amelia Giovani Alphabet
“Amelia Giovani” is a modern calligraphy font with classic and cultured accents.
It is perfect for branding, wedding invites, and cards.
It includes a full set of uppercase and lowercase letters and numerals, punctuation, and ligatures.
Autogate Calligraphy Alphabet
Autogate Font Duo is a pair of script and sans font that pairs perfectly with a classical vibe.
The script version is very similar to a sign painter.
Bellatrone Alphabet
Bellatrone is a script that contains a lowercase, uppercase, symbol, and also supports multi-language.
The Bellatrone is a modern script font widely used in the west.
It’s perfect for adding a luxury touch to your logos, handwritten quotes, and much more!
Betania Calligraphy Alphabet
Betania Alphabet is a mixture of modern calligraphy letters and sign-painters lettering styles.
It is a great font for displaying text.
This Font consists of 619 glyphs, covers the alternate character.
Halosense Alphabet
Halosense alphabet is a modern calligraphy font that has a natural handmade feel, created with a small touch of digital to make them flow like flowers in water.
Kitsor Rauttie
Kitsor Rauttie Font is right for watermarks on photography, signature or signature logo design, quotes, album covers, business cards, and many other design projects.
From business cards to photo watermarks.
Magdaline Alphabet
Magdaline Script is a lovely modern calligraphy alphabet that contains a lowercase, uppercase, symbol, and also supports different languages.
Octavia Alphabet
Octavia Script is a lovely, modern style typeface design of calligraphy.
Amberlight Alphabet
Amberlight is a fresh & modern script font with a modern calligraphy alphabet style of letters, decorative characters, and a dancing baseline.
Sophia Alphabet
Sophia Alphabet features three different weights and many alternates, ending strokes, and beautiful flourishes.
It is a very unique and creative style of font.
Mozart Script Calligraphy Alphabet
So, Mozart’s Script is with four weights: thin and regular, bold, and black with an extra thin mainline.
Use this option for headings and large texts. So It has high contrast between ultra-thin and bold lines.
Laandbrau Alphabet
So Laandbrau is a clean black-letter typeface, it’s perfect to start trying your fingers into a more Gothic style of letters.
Tatertot Alphabet
Tatertot is a very playful and childish perfect alphabet to practice a more relaxed style of letters that are not calligraphy.
Create Your Own Calligraphy Alphabet
So now you have knowledge of all of the best Calligraphy alphabets styles and examples.
You can create the variation using these methods.
You can also give your personal touch in hand lettering using flourishing or any other techniques that are given in this post.
So, Use these things and create your own Alphabet and have fun!!
Conclusion
So, In the end, I would say Calligraphy is an art.
Art is always a gift from God and if you own it, remember that it’s a gift from God.
So Explore this talent and work on it, make it sharp, and admire the best gift of society.
Calligraphy develops self-discipline and patience so exert it for your self-growth.
It has also many medical and spiritual benefits you will get to know while practicing calligraphy Alphabets.
