106 Little Kid

Little kids see the world differently as they grow and change, and they construct their drawings according to an internal logic. Little Kid alphabet letters here reflect one stage in this evolving perspective.  

105 Versals in circles

These letters, Versals in Circles,* add structure to the Versals we saw a week ago [April 29] and echo the circular strokes of yesterday's King Arthur.  While the letter bodies may seem organic, they are shaped by their intended use as frames for scenes from the Bible.  Here you can see the circles that underlie their structure.   
*Circles in Versals might be just as descriptive. 

This early 16th century illumination shows how a letter G has been turned into a frame for a detailed scene depicting the birth of the Virgin Mary.  The white tracery on blue is extremely fine: the whole letter measures about 4 1/2 " [11 cm] square.  

Calligraphy Circles Project

I'm fond of letters laid out in a ring. The design gives whatever quote you choose an air of completeness, and the form is satisfying to the eye.  

Below: The swashed ascenders will look better if they all extend to the same height, and also extend sideways to evenly fill up the ring without gaps or clumps. 

If you think your readers need help, break the quote into two parts so that none of the words need to be read upside down.  

Using several kinds of letters in concentric rings will give intriguing contrast.
  

[See also February 3, Calligraphy in a Ring.] 

The month of May means we are coming up on wedding season.  You can choose more uplifting text,  a favorite scripture,, or the couple's names to arrange in one circle--or interlocking circles--for a "signature" motif for a wedding.   

104 King Arthur

King Arthur is adapted from a typeface.  It has a medieval flavor though it's hard to pin down.  Simple to write and a pleasure to read, it is a very useful alphabet.  

Beginners can enjoy the rounded letter body that underlies many of the figures. 

103 Minimalist

Now, for relief from all those ornamental dots and dashes, here is Minimalist.  Not only does it strip away everything extra but it also takes off some strokes we normally think of as necessary.  I like the way it forces us to think about how the future of the alphabet might look.* 

Does anyone else remember Palm Pilot Graffiti, for writing right on the screen?  

102 Dürer

These letters are based on Dürer Capitals from the 15th century.  Built out of almost the same elements as yesterday's Morse code--dashes and dots--they testify to the infinite variability of calligraphy.  

101 Morse Code for May Day . . . _ _ _ . . .

Today we honor Morse Code.  Why today?  When people in trouble used to call out for help, it was actually a phonetic version of "M'aidez," which meant "Help me!" in French, the common international language of the 19th century. "May Day" became a phrase understood everywhere. 

Morse Code was a vital long-distance alphabet, from its introduction in 1837 until 1997 when it went out of official use.  The dots and dashes that substituted for the May Day call make use of the code's most distinctive letters, S O S.  It was understood around the world.  The first of May seems like a good day to feature it.    

Maybe because I'm married to a former ham radio operator who seems to have Morse Code in his DNA,  I love the way Morse Code looks.  Even though there's a typo in the title.    
 

The alphabet at left is based on calligraphic dots and dashes. They touch each other, rather than being separated by the width of one dot as Morse rules require, and can be used for decoration and subtle double meanings. 

Here at right is a Morse alphabet in brush strokes, a design by scribe Rick Cusick, which I included on page 178 of Learn World Calligraphy.