Free calligraphy glyph fonts how to#

Riq’a is a style that evolved from Nasakh and Thuluth. Nasakh, meaning “copy,” is one of the earliest scripts with a comprehensive system of proportion. Kufi (or Kufic) is noted for its proportional measurements, angularity and squareness. The six primary styles in Arabic calligraphy fall into two categories: geometric (Kufic and its variations) or cursive (Naskh, Ruq’ah, Thuluth, etc.). An imaginary circle, whose diameter is the length of the letter Alīf, is a circle within which all Arabic letters could fit. Alīf is basically a straight vertical stroke, the height of which varies from 3 to 12 dots, depending on the calligrapher and style of script. In so doing, Ibn Muqla was able to construct a canon of proportions. The next step was to standardize the individual letters of the scripts by giving each letter a proportional relation to the Alīf. Placing dots vertex to vertex, Ibn Muqla then proceeded to straighten the Kufic Alīf, the first letter of the alphabet, which had been previously bent to the right, and adopt it as his standard of written measurement. The size of the dot affected only the size of the writing the relative proportions of letters remained constant for each individual script. However, its role as the measuring unit for Alīf (later also for other letter parts) and the sole measuring unit for all letters is the most significant one for modern calligraphy. It appeared in the shape of a circle, a parallelogram, a small dash, a square, and a rhomboid. It was used as a verse marker, a diacritic mark, and a punctuation mark. The rhomboid dot had many forms and applications in the context of Arabic calligraphy and layout. This produced a square on edge, or a rhombus. It was formed by pressing the nib of a reed pen on paper until it opened to its fullest extent, after which it was released evenly and rapidly. The dot was one of the simplest shapes a square-nibbed pen could make. Ibn Muqla’s system of proportion was based on the rhomboid dot, which served as a measuring unit. He gained fame chiefly for inventing an overarching system of proportions for Arabic script inspired by Pythagorean theory. Ibn Muqla, known as a master of the proportioned script, contributed to the integration of geometry into the cursive rule of writing. The six main types of calligraphy were formed with the appearance of alphabets: Far Eastern or East Asian (including Chinese, Korean, and Japanese scripts), Armenian and Georgian, Arabic, European, Indian, and Hebrew.Īrabic calligraphy centers on proportional writing based on the principles of geometric design. The term “calligraphy” itself appeared much later in ancient Greece from the Greek word “Καλλιγραφία” which means “beautiful handwriting.” The history of calligraphy goes back to pictographic script, schematic drawings, Sumerian cuneiform, and hieroglyphic writing in ancient Egypt and China. Important Concepts from Arabic Calligraphy Masters of c alligraphy work with defined font faces rather than writing free-hand. Think of it as a typographic embellishment on more standard fonts. On the other hand, c alligraphy aims at the perfection of style. Hand lettering can be used on any type of design, but is particularly popular on wedding invitations. They draw unique hand lettered pieces for every project, working across a broad range of styles and adding a personal, hand-crafted feel. Masters of hand lettering are not constrained by specific styles of font faces. Each letter or word is almost an individual, unique illustration. Hand lettering is popular because it allows for more freedom in the presentation. Think of hand lettering as the art of letter drawing, whereas calligraphy is the art of letter writing. While calligraphy and hand lettering fonts both replicate handwriting, they have their differences. Make Designs with Calligraphy Fonts in Picsart.

Free calligraphy glyph fonts how to#

How to Choose the Best Calligraphy Fonts.Important Concepts from Arabic Calligraphy.