TLE

2. What is Lettering?
LETTERING STYLE is also called Typeface (Type).
• It is a set of characters of the same design or family.
These characters include letters, numbers, punctuation
marks, and symbols.
Courier New
Lettering style/Typeface
Century
Lettering style/Typeface

3. Brief History
• In ancient history the Egyptians used picture words to
communicate with each other.
• It was called hieroglyphics.
• Hieroglyphics is a very old form of writing that the ancient
Egyptians started using as early as 3000 B.C.
• It was a very complicated way of writing and involved about
1000 different symbols.

4. • Examples of Egyptian Hieroglyphics

5. There are two (2) major families of Lettering types:
1. SERIF
2. SANS SERIF
Lettering Styles/Typeface

6. SERIF letters:
• They are made up of curved strokes or hooks at the end of
the letters (called extensions). They are also called tails.
• They have thick and thin strokes.
This is a serif letter
A
Thick stroke
Thin stroke
Hook

7. SANS SERIF letters:
• The word “sans” means “without” which means that these
letters do not have any hooks or extensions.
• They appear bigger and bolder.
This is a Sans serif letter

8. Lettering Styles/Typeface
From these two (2) major families all other lettering
styles/typefaces are created.
There are five (5) basic lettering styles
• Italic
• Script
• Roman
• Gothic
• Block

9. 1. ITALIC LETTERS
• Originated in Italy.
• It was designed by Aldus Manutius in Venice in 1500. Hence the name
‘Italic’.
• Its marked characteristic is that it is constructed on a slant to the right
usually at an angle of 45˚.
• It can be created or drawn as serif or sans serif.
Italic letters XYZ
Italic letters XYZ

11. 2. SCRIPT OR CURSIVE LETTERS
• This lettering style was created from handwriting.
• ‘Script’ comes from the Latin word “Scriptum” which means ‘writing’.
• It is sometimes called “Cursive”. Cursive comes from the Latin word
“Cursus” which means ‘running’. This describes the flowing manner in
which the letters run from one another into the other.
Script letters XYZ
Cursive letters
XYZ

12. • The difference between Script and Cursive is that Script letters are
joined together while Cursive letters are slightly separated (they
appear to be joining).

13. 3. ROMAN LETTERS
• The regular lettering style where the vertical lines of the letters are straight
up and not at an angle.
• It was created by a french man, Nicholas Jenson in 1470.
• Roman letters are serif letters with the curves and hooks at the top and
bottom part of the letters (serifs).
• The letters have thick and thin strokes; the vertical strokes are usually thick
and the horizontal strokes are usually thin.
ROMAN LETTERS
Roman letters

15. 4. GOTHIC LETTERS
• Is one of the oldest forms of lettering styles.
• Also known as ‘Old English’ or ‘Blackletter style’.
• It resembles illuminated manuscripts type writing.
• Used in formal situations –
• Is weak for legibility, readability and casual messages.
GOTHIC LETTERS XYZ
Gothic letters
XYZ

17. 5. BLOCK LETTERS
• A sans-serif lettering style
• Simple uppercase and lowercase letters composed of strokes of uniform
thickness.
• Can be written as Serif and Sans serif as well as Italic.
BLOCK LETTERS
block letters

19. Lettering style/Typeface
LETTER CASE is the distinction between the letters.
There are TWO types:
1. UPPERCASE:
• Are capital letters.
• Bigger and taller.
• Letters that represents
the beginning of a
sentence or proper
noun.
1. LOWERCASE:
• All other letters which are not
in uppercase.
• Smaller and shorter.
Uppercase
Lowercase

20. Lettering styles: Typography
TYPOGRAPHY is the arrangement and presentation of
printed lettering styles/typeface to make a written
language legible, readable and appealing when it is
displayed.
• It involves arranging a lettering style/typeface in various
combinations of font, size, and spacing as well as colour.

21. The Essentials of Good Lettering / Typography
The Essentials of good lettering are:
1. Legibility 2. Spacing 3. Colour
1. LEGIBILITY
For words to be readable:-
• the letters must be equally spaced so that each letter is identifiable.
• Usually letters should be of the same size and family.

22. 2. SPACING
• There should be enough space between each letter to make identifiable.
• There should be enough space between each word.
• There should be enough space between each line of text.
KERNING is the space between a
pair of letters.
LEADING is the space between
lines of text, commonly called
line spacing.
TRACKING is the space between
letters in a line.

23. 3. COLOUR
• Choose a colour which fits or suits the operation which
will make the words legible, readable and appealing.
• Attention should be paid to the background colour on
which the words will be placed.

24. Lettering styles can be designed in varying weights:
• Light
• Regular
• Bold
• Black
• Light is the thinner or ‘lighter’ version of
the regular typeface. Also called thin.
• Regular is the standard size or weight of
the typeface. Also called normal.
• Bold is a thicker or heavier version of the
regular typeface.
• Black is an extra heavy version of the
regular typeface.

25. Lettering styles can also be designed in varying sizes: •
•
•
•

26. References & Image Courtesies
• Saikat Basu (2022 ). How to choose the best font for powerpoint presentation.
Go Skills https://www.goskills.com/Microsoft-Office/Resources/Best-font-for-
PowerPoint-presentation
• De Leon, Mye. (2009-2022). The difference between kerning leading and
tracking. https://myedeleon.com/kerning-leading-tracking/
• Fairchild Art Studios. (2022). Art of typography.
https://fairchildartstudios.com/art-of-typography/
• The Los Angeles Film School. How to make your typography stand out.
https://www.lafilm.edu/blog/make-your-typography-stand-out/
• https://creativepro.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/C.-Legibility.png