Penroom.co.uk

Museum and Learning Centre of Writing and Pen Trade Memorabilia
Home     Pen Museum     Shop     Newsletter     Calligraphy     Copperplate     Learning Centre     For Schools     Live Space Blog      
The Secretary Hand
Required Tools
How To
Nibs Gallery
The Alphabet
Fountain Pens
The Scales
Nibs Slide Show
Calligraphy v Copperplate
PC Fonts

Explicatio Formarum Litterarum

(Explanation of Letterforms)

 

Hints at writing the letters of the alphabet, minuscules, majuscules, and numbers.

N.B.: In order to maintain a constant column width, the size of each image in the table below is fixed at 150 pixels in width. Consequently, the height is not fixed and for this reason the letters appear in different sizes. In practice, they are all about 5mm x-height.  This is also shown by the image background which shows a different magnification of the page pattern. 

Each image shows  the letterform followed by its ductus, viz. the number, order and direction of the stroke or strokes.

 

LetterIMAGEExplicatio Formarum Litterarum

 a 

 

First draw the  letter "o" (stroke 3) inclusive of the swirl, then commence

the downstroke tangential to the right side of the "o" using Stroke-4b.  

 b

 

This letter is drawn in the same way as the letter "l" described in the "How To"

page, paragraph Stroke-2.  The difference is that the tail of the letter "l" is changed

to the right hand side part of the letter "o" inclusive of the little swirl.

 c

 

The letter "c" is just an incomplete letter "o". Start about 1/4 way down from the

waist line and move upwards in an anti-clockwise direction; continue downwards to form

a good crescent.

 d

 

The letter "d" is formed by writing the letter "o" with or without the swirl plus a long Stroke-4b tangential to the right hand side of the letter "o".  Alternatively, you can form the letter "c" first and then finish with Stroke-4b, as shown here.

 e

 

The letter "e" is formed by writing an upward leading line using Stroke-2 starting around midway the x-height, or 1/4 away from the base line, and continuing to form the letter "c" that cuts the leading line.  In this way you create the loop for the letter "e".

 f

 

The letter "f" is formed using Stroke-5.

 g

 

 

 h

 

 

 i

 

 

 j

 

 

 k

 

 

 l

 

 

 m

 

 

 n

 

 

 o

 

 

 p

 

 

 q

 

 

 r

 

 

 s

 

 

 t

 

 

 u

 

 

 v

 

 

 w

 

 

 x

 

 

 y

 

 

 z

 

 

 

 

 

A

 

 

B

 

 

C

 

 

D

 

 

E

 

 

F

 

 

G

 

 

H

 

 

I

 

 

J

 

 

K

 

 

L

 

 

M

 

 

N

 

 

O

 

 

P

 

 

Q

 

 

R

 

 

S

 

 

T

 

 

U

 

 

V

 

 

W

 

 

X

 

 

Y

 

 

Z

 

 

 

 

 

 1

 

 

 2

 

 

 3

 

 

 4