CALLIGRAPHY

& LETTERING
DESIGN
ByArthurNewhall

Publishing
FOSTER
WALTER
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 D ESI G N
A N D L E TTERING

BY ART NEWHALL

WalterFosterPublishing,
Inc.
23062La CadenaDrive,LagunaHills,CA92653

@ 1989,WalterFosterPublishing, Inc.All rightsreserved.

This book has been publishedto aid the aspiringartist. Reproductionof the work for
study or finishedart is permissible.Any photomechanical reproductionof art from the
publication or art drawnfrom the publication for commercialpurposesis prohibitedwith-
out writtenconsentfrom the publisher.
l ntr od u ction.... 3
Materials 4
Basiclnstruction b

BasicSan SerifStyle . 7
ExplodedViewAnd StrokeSequence B
Nu m e r als..... I
BasicChanceryCursive 10
ChanceryStrokeSequence 11
ChanceryStyles 12
ChancerySamples 19
U ncia l 20
Flourishes& Swashes 23
The BlackLetter 24
Ro m a n 30
Spencerian
Script 36
Aw ar d s-S pencerian.. 39
Renaissance. . . 40
Ba tar d e ....42
Ver sa ls ....44
Gr e e ti ngCards ... 46
l nlin e . ..... 49
Lo g o &SymbolDesign ........50
Th e SteelB rush . . .. . .. . 55
LettersAt Work . .. 56
Co n clu sion ...... 64
Thetremendousinterestand popularityof calligraphyamongthe general
publicin recentyearshasincreased the scopeandthe useof thisbeautiful
letteringform. Asidefrom its obviousplacein the productionof diplomas,
awards,testimonials and verses; a contemporary use of calligraphyhas
developed, creatinga new,excitingdemand for it in the designof logos,
movie titles, book jackets,album covers,sign design,menus, labels,
posters,type designand advertising- to namejust a few.

This book offersthe readera comprehensivereferenceguide and study

to study
manual.lt presentsa myriadof alphabetsand their applicat¡ons
and to copy. Beginnersshould alwayshave good examplesin front of
them while practicing.More advancedcalligrapherscan use the letter
stylesamplesfor reference.

It is imporantto first learnthe basicsand to becomecomfortablewith

your tools,but try to be adventurous and creative.Practicewith different
pens, papersand techniques.Developyour own stylesof letteringor
changeestablished letterstylesto makethem your own.

The BroadPen is availablein
varietyof shapesand sizes.
FinePointNibsfor detail
lettering.
PENSAND INK
Ca llig ra p h ic le t t e rin g is d o n e
primarilywith a broadpen.There
are two types of broad pens: dip
pensand fountainpens.Bothhave
interchangeable nibs. There are
many brandson the market.The
main advantageof foqntainpens
is t h e ir a b ilit y t o h o ld a la rg e
supply of ink, but they have a
limit e dn u mb e ro f n ib s iz e sa n d d o
n o t u t iliz e p e rma n e n tin k . Dip
pens produce a cleaner,crisper
line than fountain pens, but are
slightly more difficultto master.
You will need a jar of black india
ink for usewith a dip pen.lt is very
importantto keep both types of
pens clean.A small jar of water
k e p t n e a rb y f o r d ip p in g t h e
p e n a n d wip in g it c le a n is
recommended.

Extr a - F in e
Po ¡ n t

|-l.-- -e
Su p e r - F in ePo in t

A wide,smalljar securedto a piece

\:Z
---*: Fine Point
of heavycardor plastickeepsthe ink
containerstable.The ink levelshould
, \
a;-7 be just highenoughfor a dippedpen
ExtraSuper-FinePo¡nt load.
PAPER
Thereare manytypesof paperand boardssuitablefor calligraphy.
The choicedependson the qualityandtypeof work you aredoing.A
20 lb. ledger bond is good for practice.For all-purposelettering,
1000/o rag bristol board is favored.Bristol board comes in two
fi nish e s,kid and plate.The kid finishis t h e b e t t e ro f t h e t wo a s it h a s
a slight"tooth."For the final "one of a kind"job, a parchmentpaper
madespecificallyfor calligraphyis available. Show card boardalso
takesink beautifully. Giveit a try.

M I S CEL L A N E O U S
You r e q u ipmentcan be quite simpleo r v e ry e x t e n s iv eA. d ra win g
ta b le( a b o ut30" x 40"),achairand a go o ds o u rc eo f lig h ta rea mu s t
if you are seriousabout your work. You will also need a t-square,
severaltriangles- 30, 45, and 60 degreeangles- and pencils,
p e n s,pe n cleaner,erasers,a pencils h a rp e n e r,in k , o p a q u ewh it e
paint (forcorrectingmistakes)and a few letteringbrushes'
C allig r a p hic letteringis donewith the b ro a dp e n .T h e a n g let h e p e n is
h e ld i s the key to the beautiful"thic k a n d t h in " s t y le .A s imp le ,b a s ic
letterstylethat is quiteeasyto executewith the broadpen is shownon
page7. The letteris a thick and thin Romanstylewithoutserifs.This
style is beautifuland practical.lt is sometimescalled"Stunt Lydian"
b e ca u sei t is similarto the Lydiantypef a c e .T h e p e n is h e ldf a irlyrig id ,
po in ti ngabovethe right shoulder,he ld a t a 3 5 d e g re ea n g le .T h e
vertical(down)strokesand the horizontalstrokesare madewith a firm
wristaction.The pen is heldat a constantangle- neverrotated.

Use quality bond paper for practice.lt takes ink beautifully,and is

r ela ti velyinexpensive.Usingyour t-sq u a red, ra wg u id e lin e os n a s h e e t
of smoothillustrationboard,then placeit underneatha sheetof bond
pa p e r .( This eliminaieshavingto dr a w g u id e lin e so n e a c h p ie c eo f
bond paper.)Alwayskeepa smallpieceof card or scrappapernearby
to che ckthe ink f low of your pen.A ftere a c hd ip o f t h e p e n ,p u lla s h o rt
strokeon the card to removethe excessink. This is very importantas
too much ink createsa sloppyline.

Try using differentpen anglesto acquaintyourselfwith the results.

Constantpracticeis a must,and it is importantto haveEood copy in
front of you for reference. Also, be sure to cleanyour pen frequently
dip it in a jar of waterand wipe it cleanwith a lint-freerag.At the end
of a session,cleanthe nib with pen cleaner- ammoniaworksfine.

SPACING - The spacingbetweenlettersis as importantas the letters

themselves. Good spacing involvesequalizingthe optical weight or
smoothnessof the word. In uppercase lettersthe narrowestspaceis
betweenround letterssuch as O and C. A slightly wider space is
betweena straightletterand a round letter,like I and O. The widest
spaceis betweentwo straight,verticalletterssuchas H and l. Diagonal
lettersare spacedopticallyto equalizethe open area;no dark or light
sectionsshoulddominate.Properspacingis called"good color."
 Basíc
sansffiñStyle
ABCDEFGH
JKLMNOPQ
RSTUVWXY
L FHá
abcdefgh
rnnoíqr
Jkl
sTuvwxyz
 ABOIDIFAFG
,\K'LMNolP
z -T

llJt
@STUIVM
Ye-L :ify¿rg'F
23

albcd@+állr
fÍ kf rnil,nolffq
F STUVW
1
2
i X2 1_

Y4
1W56789

r2w56789
1234s678q
1ry5678e
-INSTRUCTION-
The Chancery letter is a favorite with calligraphersbecause of its beauty,
functionand speedof execution.lt is greatfor a largeamountof copy.

The ChanceryCursive (italic)letter lends

itselfbeautifullyto the broadpen.The shape
of the lettersare tall ratherthan fat. The pen
angle is 45 degrees,but the pitch of the
stroke is 10-'15degreesoff the vertical.The
pen does mostof the work and littlepressure
is needed.Use one of the larger nibs for
practiceas they are much easierto control.
Followthe strokesequenceas shown.Use
the guidelineboardfor practice.

BODYOF LOWERCASE
5 PENWIDTHS
- Ascenders & Descenders
equal to body height

CAPITALHEIGHT
7-8 PEN WDTHS

10
 STROKESEQUENCE
z,

T6Cf_DtrF
gMTflru UPPER
CASE

Mpe LETTERS

KSTWW
w6c,ffef
\

LOWER
CASE
6qEffi
I LETTERS
Wq{*stw
-
vffi"MpfZ
't1
 C URSI VE
C HANCERY

f f i@E
Fq
O?
TUryW
 CURSIVE
CHANCERY

urumrLo
7wxuz
:/
 CURSIVE
CHANCERY

th
3ffi

kh*
 C URSI VE
C HANCERY

ABWEq
HUKruN
'WSIU
TWWZ
nbc@W,kl
ffinryqrstu
ywxyz
Basíc
15
 CURSIVE
CHANCERY

abcd
hq
n
WJ,

ryrystu
wry7 17
 CURSIVE
CHANCERY
 SAMPLES
CHANCERY

rnrnúm'
urfrn@

rtficntcof
ú.bers@

S
-lNsrRUCTloN
The name"Uncial"is derivedfrom the Romaninch of height- "uncia."

Uncial is an upper case alphabet,but its ascendersand descendersgive it an

upperand lowercaselook.

The Uncialletterform is madewith a pen angleof 35 degrees.The lettersarefull

and rounded with considerableopen areas,so be careful not to overspace'
Uncialshouldfeelthat it can be containedbetweentwo guidelines. The alphabet
can be usedin a varietyof heightsand widths.lt blendswellwith italicalphabets.

20
ffieÓe
Fqhuh
mnoD
qretü
TT?ry
7
,--/

21
 UNCI AL

A Be oe
fgnu¡1
LfDnop
QRsCU
vwxv
7&l ? $
 & SWASHES
FLOURISHES
This "stylishextra"servesa doublepurposeby enhancingthe spaceand
adding unexpectedinterest.

It is important that these strokes be executed with disciplineand

planning.The bold ribbonswashis done with the samebroad pen used
for the lettering.A smallerpen is usedfor narrowerswashesand a fine
point pen is usedfor hairlineflourishes.

23
 la
INSTRUCTION-
The Black Letter,also called"Old English,"is a handsome,strong,condensed
style.lt is a greatform for creatinga feelingof times past.Today, it is often used
for diplomas,awardsand other certificates.

The Black Letteralphabethas many stylesand

weights.The basicsolid weight letteris not as
difficult as it appears because the letters are
quite uniform.The pen is held at a 30 degree
angle.The very ornateOld Englishwith hairline
flourishesmust be drawn carefullywith a sharp,
hard pencil,then inkedin with a pointedpen.

24

\-
 BLACKLETTER

ABgBE
1
rtgífrT
MffiN
@#wB,
$WMry
ffixu7
\
 BLACKLETTER

ffi@Fr,
TFWMUí1.
WFNN
Q)pQIB
s Tuu
urx1{%
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BLACKLETTER

ñg,ng
TsíqT1
I[
op
6,UÚ$
xuz
BLACKLETTER

[8 C D E
T GU IJ
rLnn
0?08
S TU V
rux!z
BLACKLETTER

abc¡efghl
jhtmtropq
rst$xU
4
abs¡tíghl
iUnropq
rgtúuttlxq
 7ít
CM SSIC

INSTRUCTION
The Romanletteris the foundationof many of the letterforms usedtoday.Roman
stonecuttersand scribesdevelopedthe classicform. Thereare manyvariationsof
the Romanletter,but the basicsremainunchanged.

The Romancapitalsare made with a pen angle of 30 degrees.The serifson the

lettersare executedby first makingan almosthorizontalstrokeacrossthe top and
the bottom of the letter.Then the pen is arcedto the right and to the left to finish
the serif.A shortverticalstrokeis madeto finish lettersC, E, F, G, L, T, and S, then
filledin. The detailed,preciseclassiclettersarecarefullydrawnand inkedin with a
fine pen.

'l{'B=
30
$CDE
FGH[IK
OP
BSTU
VWXY
Z &w
ABCDEF
GHI
NOPBS
TUVWX
Y
ABQDE'
FGHTIK
LMNOP
STU
VWXY
33
ROMAN STYLIZED
ab
ghUKm
nopqrs
VWX
-tNSTRUcrloN iS idealfOr
Or "ROundhand,"
ThiS claSsyScript,alSOknOwnaS "COpperplate"
awards,diplomas,testimonials,greeting cards or whenevera sophisticated
feelingis desired.

COppERpLATE- The intricatesinglestrokeletteris written at a slant of 54

degreeswith a flexible,pointed,oblique pen. Copperplateis developedwith
pressureon the nib. The pressureis graduallyincreasedfrom a hairlineto a
swell,then decreasedbackto a hairline.

SPENCERIAN- Used for captions,logos and nameplates,Spencerianis

practicaland beautiful. The copy is carefullylaidout on tracingpaperwith pencil,
somewhatoversize.When the letteringis accurate,it is transferredto illustration
boardand inked in carefullywith a pointedpen.Correctany slipswith opaque
white paint and it's readyfor photo reduction.

FinePoint
 SPENC ERI AN

%%%% /)
l ./

( )///l//'(/4ft//
./'-\.'I ^/ ?

..'r
f
S PENC ERI AN

The weightof the swell

shouldbe well abovethe
g u id e lin e .
AWARDS SPENCERIAN
 INSTRUCTION
whenthe capitals
This decorativeletterstyleadds much classand effectiveness
are usedfor the leadinitialin a paragraphor a verse.

Beingvery ornateand detailed,the lettermust be carefullylaid out on tracing

to the finalstockfor inking.
paper,then transferred

lf usingthe broadpen,usethe smallestnib and buildthe letterup with care.

lf the art is for reproduction, the tracingshouldbe slightlyoversize. Transferit to

b o ardand do the finalinkingw it h a f in ep o in tp e n .S h a rp e nu p t h e a rt
i l l ustr ati on
with opaquewhitepaintand it is readyfor photo reduction.

40
RENAISSANCE

FBdNq,
ffffiF
\el¿ 0P
QB STCI
Y(DXVN
 INSTRUCTION
This beautifulangularalphabetwas developedin Francein the fifteenthcentury.

Batardeis a naturalfor the broadpen.lt is a veryangularform and the strokesare

madewith litiledifficulty.lt is bestto useone of the largernib sizesto createthe
sharpribboneffect.The pen is held at a 45 degreeangle.The uppercaseletters
are quitewide and contrastwell with the tightly-packed lowercaseletters'

Batardecombinesbeautifullywith ChanceryCursiveand otheritalics'

Wwe
Fq6WE
oV
Q13TTTL
07 z-
w
cLit
wyz
-tNSTRUcrloN
"Versals"
The name comesfrom its originaluse as the initialletterof a verse.

Versalsaretall letterswith an angulargrace.The maincharacteristic of this letter

styleis the gentletaperedflaircurvingin at the middleof the stroke.lt is bestto
pencilin the lettershape,then use a pen width that will giveyou one sideof the
stroke,then a differentpen widthto createthe other.Afterthis,the spaceis filled
in to completethe stroke.Then thin serifsare madewith a flat pen angle.The
lettersB, D, G, P, R and U haveraisedand loweredloopsaboveand belowthe
g u id e lin e s.

Buildup the letterwith two Loopsriseaboveand fall

strokes,then fill it in with b e lo wt h e g u id e lin e s .
pen or"brush.

44
ABdnE
FGHIIK
LMNOP
QRSTU
Wg
45
qrcqtng
,s
 ;w
ryWl
A^riÉrr
WE
A
Yf|U
WISH
 illNl Lll lNl
-INSTRUCTION-
The Inlinestyle can be strikinglyeffectivewhen used as a title or as the initial
capitalof a word. lt hasgreat"posterpunch."

The Inlinetechniquerequiressome planningbeforeits executionas the letters

must be wide enoughto containthe stripecomfortably.Each lettershould be
carefullylaid out with the centerline in place.One approachis to use a small
broadpen and lettereachsideof the stroke,leavingthe stripein between.But the
besttechniqueis to letterthe form completelyand then carefullypaintthe inline
with opaquewhitepaintand a smallbrush.This requiresprecisebrushcontrol.

s
 lr,uf
BOLs
A good logo
Logo designis a vital part of promotionaladvertising.
can provideinstantindentificationand recognition.

Th e b e st logosare usuallyquitesi mp lea n d s y mb o lic .Ma n yt ime s

the graphicsymbolalonecreatesthe companysignature.

A powerfuleffectis often achievedby groupingstylizedinitials.

50
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gp
B$!
a$ll
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SUNGLASSES
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 LETTERING
WITHTHE

Brwh
RUCTION
The SteelBrush is an interestingand helpfultool. lt is greatfor largelettering
becauseof itsextrawidth,and you can usethinnedposterpainton it as well as ink.

Steel Brushesrange from 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch wide.They make it possibleto
fashionletters7 to 8 incheshigh.

The SteelBrushis a fine tool for sign or posterwork' Try supportingyour hand
with a sign painter'smahlstick.The flexibletip providesmore control than a
brush.Forinteresting try dippingthe pen intotwo or morecolorsat a time.
results,

55
tut
EXAMPLESOF
LETTERING
USEDIN
ADVERTISING

co
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 ín
It has been my pleasureto share my life-longobsessionwith the
letterform with you. I hope you don't restrictyour letteringto the
broad pen. Try the fine point flexible nibs and the steel brush.
Experimentwith a show card brushand a sign painter'squill.These
will all contributeto your total calligraphicskills.I have demon-
strated many alphabetsand styles;they are here for the taking.
Remember,every minute you spend exploringthis excitingart is
yours to keep.Don't be afraidto be creative!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To RossSarracino-forhis kindnessand understanding.

To SydneySprague-for her professionalhelp and editing.
To my wife,Emma-for her encouragement and patience.
 for
riousInstruction
Artists
Serious
'll'h¿:>nhat the Artist's Library Seriesis all
lürr-'il The booksin this serieswill help you
,us:¿n.Jr-ourcreativity,overcometechnical
nrr:r;-;ies.and explorenew media.Each 64-page
p"*rerhackfocuseson the materialsand meth-
qrrs ,trra specificmedium and providesstep-by-
w':: demonstrations,helpful tips,and plenty of
üÍi:tlr.Iragement.
Thequalityof instructionin this seriesis
Eachbookis writtenandillustrat-
u;ns-irpassed.
artistwhospecializes
r; :r a professional in the
pr:ir"-ularmediumandis uniquelyqualifiedto
s;;e thereaderto a newlevelof expertise.

AL13
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AL15
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I ETi t:3nks by Arthur Nerhall

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 Artist'sLibrary Series

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