Letterform
Encyclopedia
A letterform, letter-form or letter form, is a term used especially in typography
, paleography, calligraphy
and epigraphy
to mean a letter's
shape.
In one sense, letterform applies strictly to the design of individual letters. In typography, "letterforms" is often used to describe the study and design of individual letters while typography applies to the design and use with letterforms. As such, "letterform" applies not only to letters but to any graphic elements of a script, typeface or font (including numbers, symbols and punctuation).
In another sense letterform applies to the individual shapes of letters that gives a text an aesthetic. In this way, medieval scholars, for instance, may discuss the particular features of a script that give it distinction and definition among other scripts. (http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/medievalbook/letterforms.htm)
Depending on context, similar terms are sometimes used interchangeably - especially character but also sign, glyph
and grapheme.
The history of letterforms is discussed in fields of study relating to materials used in writing. Epigraphy
includes the study of letterforms carved in stone or other permanent materials. Paleography is the study of writing in ancient and medieval manuscripts. Calligraphy
treats the letterforms of decorative writing, usually in ink. Typography
includes the arrangement of letterforms designed for metal print or computer. More broadly letterforms may be discussed wherever letters appear stylistically - in graffiti
for example.
Typography
Typography is the art and technique of arranging type in order to make language visible. The arrangement of type involves the selection of typefaces, point size, line length, leading , adjusting the spaces between groups of letters and adjusting the space between pairs of letters...
, paleography, calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
and epigraphy
Epigraphy
Epigraphy Epigraphy Epigraphy (from the , literally "on-writing", is the study of inscriptions or epigraphs as writing; that is, the science of identifying the graphemes and of classifying their use as to cultural context and date, elucidating their meaning and assessing what conclusions can be...
to mean a letter's
Letter (alphabet)
A letter is a grapheme in an alphabetic system of writing, such as the Greek alphabet and its descendants. Letters compose phonemes and each phoneme represents a phone in the spoken form of the language....
shape.
In one sense, letterform applies strictly to the design of individual letters. In typography, "letterforms" is often used to describe the study and design of individual letters while typography applies to the design and use with letterforms. As such, "letterform" applies not only to letters but to any graphic elements of a script, typeface or font (including numbers, symbols and punctuation).
In another sense letterform applies to the individual shapes of letters that gives a text an aesthetic. In this way, medieval scholars, for instance, may discuss the particular features of a script that give it distinction and definition among other scripts. (http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/medievalbook/letterforms.htm)
Depending on context, similar terms are sometimes used interchangeably - especially character but also sign, glyph
Glyph
A glyph is an element of writing: an individual mark on a written medium that contributes to the meaning of what is written. A glyph is made up of one or more graphemes....
and grapheme.
The history of letterforms is discussed in fields of study relating to materials used in writing. Epigraphy
Epigraphy
Epigraphy Epigraphy Epigraphy (from the , literally "on-writing", is the study of inscriptions or epigraphs as writing; that is, the science of identifying the graphemes and of classifying their use as to cultural context and date, elucidating their meaning and assessing what conclusions can be...
includes the study of letterforms carved in stone or other permanent materials. Paleography is the study of writing in ancient and medieval manuscripts. Calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
treats the letterforms of decorative writing, usually in ink. Typography
Typography
Typography is the art and technique of arranging type in order to make language visible. The arrangement of type involves the selection of typefaces, point size, line length, leading , adjusting the spaces between groups of letters and adjusting the space between pairs of letters...
includes the arrangement of letterforms designed for metal print or computer. More broadly letterforms may be discussed wherever letters appear stylistically - in graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
for example.