Design English Roundhand Typeface

Abstract

This project is to design English round hand style typeface based on the study of the seventeenth century French writing master Lucas Materot’s writing by calligrapher’s interpretation. English round hand was developed from the mid sixteenth century from the Italic hand. However it has not been considered as a calligraphic hand until recently. One of the purposes of this project is to extend my study so that it can be used in practical way. There are many calligraphic typefaces on the market. Although many of them are beautifully designed, they have not designed from the real writing done by hand. They have supposedly been made from the designers’ sketches or copy of old manuscripts or writing manuals of the time. Calligraphers do use the typefaces for their work and business. When they design the artwork it is convenient because it can be done in much shorter time than writing the text by hand. However when calligraphers follow the computer made samples they often find it does not go well. What often happens is, the strange conjunctions, incorrect spacing– often it is too tight, and incorrectly placed thicks and thins. English round hand is one of the most popular scripts for a calligraphy business. This project is to solve this prolonged problem in my work as a calligrapher and to produce something unique out of my study.