Blackletter, a venerable style of Latin script, has captivated the artistic and scholarly communities for centuries. Its ornate, intricate forms evoke a sense of medieval grandeur, making it a favourite among calligraphers, typeface designers, and lettering artists. Known also as Gothic, this name was initially termed by Renaissance humanists who found its dense, angular forms starkly different from the scripts they favoured (Dowding 1998, p. 5). Another common name for blackletter is 'Old English', a term possibly derived from a specific font called 'Old English Text' produced by Monotype.
Blackletter is not just a single style but a broad family of scripts, each with its unique adaptations and uses. As Robert Bringhurst eloquently puts it, “Blackletter is to typography what Gothic is to architecture: a general name for a wide variety of forms that arose predominantly in the north of Europe, spread southward, and lasted far into the Renaissance" (Bringhurst 2012, p. 337). Today, blackletter’s influence can still be seen in various applications, from newspaper titles to certificates, signs, logos, and more, signalling their enduring appeal and versatility.
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In this blog, readers will embark on a journey through the history, styles, and techniques of blackletter. We will explore how traditional tools and methods shaped its development and how modern digital tools like LTTR/INK enable artists and designers to continue this storied tradition in their contemporary works. Prepare to delve into the captivating world of blackletter and discover how this ancient script can enhance and inspire your creative projects.
A Mirror to Medieval Minds
In the dense tapestry of European medieval history, blackletter emerges as a distinctive script, first seen around the 12th century. This script, rooted in the Carolingian minuscule, quickly spread throughout Western Europe, finding its place in the annals of time and on the pages of countless manuscripts.
Ewan Clayton, in The Golden Thread: The Story of Writing, vividly describes the emergence of blackletter. Just before the year 1100, a novel artefact—the glossed book—appeared. This book featured main texts surrounded by commentaries written in smaller scripts in separate columns. From the mid-twelfth century onwards, there was a noticeable compression in the forms of the main text hand, such as the lowercase m and n, which began to adopt a more graceful, pointed arch. By the end of the century, this pointedness turned angular, and by the 13th century, these letters had shed their curves for abrupt changes in direction, crafted from straight or subtly curved strokes. The counters under the arches of m and n shifted from resembling a Gothic cathedral's arch to mimicking the triangular roof of a townhouse (Clayton 2013, pp. 80-82). Clayton explains this transformation as a reflection of the period's scholastic achievements:
“At first sight, one wonders where this fashionable form comes from until one realizes it is expressing, in calligraphic terms, the same breaking down of structures into clearly defined logical components in which the age of scholasticism excelled.” (Clayton 2013, pp. 81–82)
Blackletter was not only a script but a representation of an era’s intellectual spirit. Across the breadth of Europe, the most meticulously crafted script of this period was known as textus prescisse, or 'cut-off letters', where the formal finishing touches to the feet of letters were drawn with the corner of the nib to finish flat and flush with the baseline (Clayton 2013, p. 82). The blackletter style became so integral to manuscript writing that it naturally transitioned into the newly invented printing techniques around 1440. Johann Gutenberg's first types, including those used to print his famed Bibles, were in blackletter (Bringhurst 2012, p. 274).
Thus, blackletter's journey through history is not just a tale of a script's evolution but a mirror reflecting broader cultural and intellectual shifts in medieval Europe. This profound lineage makes blackletter not merely a style of writing but a storied artefact of human ingenuity and artistic expression.
The Many Faces of Blackletter
Blackletter, known for its angular and compressed form, is a script that embodies the rigours of medieval scriptoriums and the meticulousness of the scribes who crafted it. This script is not a singular style but a diverse family of letterforms that vary significantly across different regions and periods.
Blackletter includes four widely recognized families:
- Textura (Tutorial)
- Fraktur
- Bastarda
- Rotunda
Textura
Characterized by its vertical orientation and dense, grid-like structure, Textura is reminiscent of the textured fabric of a tightly woven tapestry. This script is marked by its uniformity and precision, commonly found in formal manuscripts of high craftsmanship.
Fraktur
Noted for its vigorous broken strokes and sharp angles, Fraktur emerged prominently in Germany and became synonymous with German print and script culture. Its robust and clear form made it a preferred choice for books and newspapers, influencing a wide range of printed materials.
Bastarda
An adaptive script that merges the formal strictness of Textura with fluid, cursive elements. Bastarda offered a more accessible and quicker-to-write form, making it suitable for both literary texts and pragmatic documents. It often served as a bridge between the ornate scripts used in formal manuscripts and the practical needs of administrative writing.
Rotunda
Known for its rounded and open letterforms, Rotunda was softer and less rigid compared to its Blackletter counterparts. Popular in the Mediterranean regions of Europe, its gentle curves and clear legibility made it a favoured choice for literary works and semi-formal documents.
These four major styles are distinguishable by their treatment of the lowercase o, among other characteristics. The differences are many and complex, reflecting a rich history of regional variations and stylistic nuances (Bringhurst 2012, p. 274).
In addition to these primary forms, there were grades of gothic book hands that varied in their precision and use, from the highly precise and most expensive Prescisse to the more common Textus Quadratus and Semi-Quadratus. Moreover, beyond these formal styles, there were also simpler versions for glosses and other annotations, as well as styles like the Secretary, Bastard, and Cursive hands used by notaries and secretaries (Clayton 2013, p. 83–84).
The Scribe’s Arsenal
The crafting of blackletter, steeped in the traditions of the medieval scriptorium, required specific tools that influenced its characteristic angularity and dense strokes. The primary instrument of this venerable art was the square-cut nib, which dictated the stark, precise shapes that defined the blackletter's form.
The quill was the preferred tool for cursive hands. As Ewan Clayton notes, the transition from reed pens to quill pens in medieval Europe was significant not just for the evolution of writing implements but for the stylistic developments in script as well. The quill, with its greater flexibility and finer point, allowed for a nuanced interplay of thick and thin strokes—characteristics that are emblematic of blackletter, particularly in its more cursive variants (Clayton 2013, p. 83).
This nuanced capability of the quill is particularly important for understanding the medieval cursive styles of blackletter. The flexibility of the quill enabled scribes to create dynamic contrasts in their lettering, which were essential for the aesthetic and functional aspects of the script. These strokes could be mimicked to swell long s and loop heavy d, adding a visual rhythm and texture to the page that was both practical and pleasing to the eye.
In the realm of digital tools, LTTR/INK harnesses modern technology to replicate these traditional effects. Its sophisticated algorithms and stroke style features allow designers to recreate the varied stroke weights and textures that were once achieved by the careful manipulation of a quill. With LTTR/INK, users can adjust settings to emulate the play of light and heavy strokes that give cursive blackletter its distinctive look, thereby bridging centuries of typographic tradition with the efficiency of contemporary design software.
Foundations of Form
The essence of blackletter lies in its visual distinctiveness and the meticulous techniques required to execute its form. Fundamental to this style is the rhythmic density of its vertical strokes, which contribute to its overall narrow and compact appearance. This characteristic makes blackletter particularly suited for settings where space is at a premium yet where a strong visual impact is desired.
When wielding the pen, scribes traditionally held the nib at an angle of approximately 35 to 45 degrees. Different scripts within the blackletter family might require slight variations in angle to accentuate specific stylistic nuances, further demonstrating the skill and precision required in this craft.
For those beginning their journey into the world of blackletter, it is essential to understand and master the basic strokes, which include:
- Quadrata
- Lozenge
- Downstroke
We have prepared tutorial on how to draw Blackletter textura with LTTR/INK
Paul Antonio’s “PAScribe Geometric Textualis Quadrata” provides an excellent starting point for practitioners. His method simplified the structure of letters in textura, thus making it easier for beginners to grasp the complexities of other blackletter scripts as they progress. His teachings can be explored further through resources such as his instructional videos available online (see YouTube link).
By mastering these basic strokes and understanding the pen angles required, enthusiasts can start to experiment with creating their own blackletter compositions, discovering the rich textures and rhythmic beauty that this script offers.
Lines and Alignment
In the disciplined world of Blackletter, the alignment of letters is meticulously guided by a structured grid. This system utilises four critical lines: the baseline, x-height line, ascender line, and descender line. The primary function of this grid is to ensure their horizontal alignment, which is crucial for maintaining the script's characteristic uniform and rhythmic appearance.
The width of the nib primarily determines the x-height in blackletter compositions. Historical scripts varied in size but typically ranged from 3 to 6 nib widths for regular text, with display letters potentially reaching up to 12 nib widths. It is imperative that the grid be tailored to the specific script being used.
Furthermore, each letter must sit on the baseline and align with the x-height, ensuring a uniform look across the text. The internal space of letters, take textura as an example, is often measured with one nib width, helps maintain the tight, dense feel of Blackletter writing.
This structured approach to lettering composition in blackletter not only aids in the creation of aesthetically pleasing texts but also reflects the historical precision and discipline that were hallmarks of medieval scribes. With modern tools like LTTR/INK, this meticulousness can be efficiently replicated, allowing today's designers to explore the historic art of blackletter with both ease and authenticity.
Beyond the Quill
As our exploration of blackletter concludes, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to those who have journeyed with us through the rich tapestry of this venerable script. From its historical roots in the monasteries of medieval Europe to its modern applications in art and designs, blackletter remains a potent symbol of tradition and craftsmanship.
Through this blog, we have traversed the historical evolution, distinctive styles, and the precise techniques that define blackletter. We have delved into the traditional tools and materials that shaped its development and explored how contemporary digital tools like LTTR/INK aid in a revival of these ancient styles in today’s graphic design.
We invite you, the ‘letter-heads’, to continue experimenting with blackletter within your own work. Utilise the capabilities of LTTR/INK to harness the aesthetic power of blackletter, infusing your projects with a sense of history, elegance, and profound artistic expression.
Thank you for dedicating your time to rediscovering this historic art form with us. Embrace the challenge and the beauty of blackletter, and let it inspire your creative endeavours.
So let it be written, so let it be done!
References
Bringhurst, R (2012). The elements of typographic style (4th ed.). Hartley & Marks.
Clayton, E (2013). The golden thread: The story of writing. Atlantic Books.
Dowding, G (1998). An introduction to the history of printing types. The British Library & Oak Knoll Press.