Spring 2021 ︎︎︎ SUNY Purchase ︎︎︎ (DES3440) Typographic Investigations

Blackletter Majuscules & Decoration

Background

For homework, you have to take one of our previous examples of calligraphy alphabets / letterforms and you’ll refine a quote, lyric or pangram. To that end we’ll look at the amount of variation there is in blackletter and different methods of decoration thaty ou can use.

Guides for Blackletter Majuscules

Guides and ideas for decoration

Borders + Patterns You’ll commonly see more complex or ornate decoration with copperplate calligraphy due to the nature of how that pen works, but you can also use the broad edge pen we’re using to create patterns and borders.

Ascenders and Descenders You can use guides to determine the basic forms but don’t be afraid to extend your descenders and ascenders, as well as mixing and matching sizes.

Cadeaux or CadelsThese are an extremely decorative form of capitals akin to drop caps. They are not typically as defined the same way that the alphabets they are more about expressive flourishes.

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