Script: the personal touch · Typographic North

Script: the personal touch

Here lives the ghost of handwriting – from formal copperplate engravings to casual café chalkboards. Script typefaces preserve humanity's most intimate form of communication.

Some echo the disciplined strokes of 18th-century writing masters. Others capture the spontaneous flow of brush and pen. All carry the warmth of human gesture.

They often retain the joining strokes from formal handwriting, the cursive. Some designs feature a distinct contrast between thick and thin strokes, mimicking the appearance of broad pens and brushes. Others trend towards decorative styles seen on signs and posters. They’re heavily influenced by time periods and culture.

It’s a bit of a paradox how these handwriting styles have migrated over into computer pixels. But I’m glad they’re there, because I can’t write like this.

Do you use script faces in your work? I know some of you here actually work with your hands to achieve these letterforms. And I'm impressed!

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