Scripts: Elegant Lettering from Design's Golden Age

by Steven Heller, Louise Fili

From wedding announcements to IOUs, there are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of scripts—some “classic,” others eccentric. Derived from handwriting, these are typefaces that are stylized to suggest, imply, or symbolize certain traits linked to writing. Their fundamental characteristic is that all the letters, more or less, touch each other.


Scripts tend to fall in and out of fashion, but they are most definitely part of the typographic landscape today, and the more curious and distinctive they are, the better. Drawn from the Golden Age of Scripts, from the nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century, this is the first compilation of popular, rare, and forgotten scripts from the United States, Germany, France, England, and Italy.


Filled with examples from a broad spectrum of sources—advertising, street signs, invitations, type-specimen books, personal letters—the book is a delightful and invaluable trove of long-overlooked material.

Genres: Design, Art, Nonfiction, Art Design, Reference, History

352 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2011

About the author

Steven Heller writes a monthly column on graphic design books for The New York Times Book Review and is co-chair of MFA Design at the School of Visual Arts. He has written more than 100 books on graphic design, illustration and political art, including Paul Rand, Merz to Emigre and Beyond: Avant Garde Magazine Design of the Twentieth Century, Design Literacy: Understanding Graphic Design Second Edition, Handwritten: Expressive Lettering in the Digital Age, Graphic Design History, Citizen Designer, Seymour Chwast: The Left Handed Designer, The Push Pin Graphic: Twenty Five Years of Design and Illustration, Stylepedia: A Guide to Graphic Design Mannerisms, Quirks, and Conceits, The Anatomy of Design: Uncovering the Influences and Inspirations in Modern Graphic Design. He edits VOICE: The AIGA Online Journal of Graphic Design, and writes for Baseline, Design Observer, Eye, Grafik, I.D., Metropolis, Print, and Step. Steven is the recipient of the Art Directors Club Special Educators Award, the AIGA Medal for Lifetime Achievement, and the School of Visual Arts' Masters Series Award.

Reviews

[Christine Neo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great reference for anyone interested in typography and graphic design in general. I'm an illustrator interested in hand lettering and calligraphy, and this book has come in handy. Even though the collection is made up of mostly sources from the past century, it is not difficult to adapt them for contemporary use.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was little I developed a fascination with Holy Cards. I collected them like my brother collected baseball cards. Looking back I realize now it was more an indication of my obsession with design rather than a study of the saints. Everything about them was beautiful to me, especially the type setting on the back. How I longed to write with that kind of delicate flourish.

What's the point of this story? None other than this book is a collection of script typefaces and is almost as beautiful as those old holy cards.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book for anyone who loves type, design and calligraphy. So inspiring and lovely to flip through or study . This is a great book to set out on your coffee table and enjoy! would make a beautiful gift. it certainly made me more aware of looking at all the print, signage, type, labelling, and advertising I come across in my daily life. Loved, loved, loved it!

[Greta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pure eye candy if you are a font enthusiast, if you enjoy lovely design, handwriting and vintage products and especially if you're fascinated by various cultures' (French, British, German, Italian, American) versions of those things.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of eye candy! Not only the scripts, but also the gorgeous ephemera they're printed on.

[Jocelin · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is nothing more perfect than the beautiful swirl of elegant script. This is a lost art form that will probably not exist in the next few years, except on computer fonts. It is such a shame.

[Corina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an album of amazing ephemera lettering pieces.
It doesn't contain much informational text but its one of the best sources of inspiration out there.
I love all books by Louise Fili and S.Heller - they are a great source of inspiration for many graphic design projects

[Camello · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best calligraphy reference books I own which I keep coming back to.

[Eling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a ton of information here, but what there is is great, and the photos/illustrations more than make up for it. Amazing collection of lettering & vintage ephemera. Gorgeous. I will be returning to this often.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

As advertised in terms of quality and depth.

[RW Press · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful collection of script typography. Great for those days when inspiration is lacking.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a beautifully designed book. Its giving me a lot of inspiration for calligraphy ideas

[Odoublegood · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautiful to look at; ideas and examples from several countries and several eras

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drool. J'aime the French ones beaucoup.

[Susan Bin · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is the sexiest thing i have ever

[Judy Egnew Ness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book with many excellent examples of advertising and formal use of each font.