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Vitaly Friedman loves beautiful content and doesn’t like to give in easily. When he is not writing or speaking at a conference, he’s most probably running … More about Vitaly

Beautiful Handwriting Styles, Lettering and Calligraphy

Quick Summary

Handwriting seems to have lost some of its attraction over the last years. Nobody writes beautiful handwritten letters, and uses digital means of communication with smileys, abbreviations and standard lettering instead. And that’s a pity. Since handwriting is unique, it has a tremendous expressive power a standard lettering isn’t able to achieve.

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Handwriting styles seems to have lost some of its attraction over the last years. Nobody writes beautiful handwritten letters, and uses digital means of communication with smileys, abbreviations and standard lettering instead. And that’s a pity. Since handwriting is unique, it has a tremendous expressive power a standard lettering isn’t able to achieve.

More than that, handwritten text can be incredibly gorgeous. In fact, there is nothing more valuable than a beautiful handwritten letter sent to your beloved ones. And this post attempts to prove just that.

In the overview below you’ll find excellent examples of beautiful handwriting, creative lettering and professional calligraphy. It’s really amazing to see what one can create out of simple letters drawn with a pencil on a small piece of paper.

Further Reading on SmashingMag:

Calligraphy

1800s Lettering Sketchbook Journal Beautiful calligraphy from 1800s.

Handwriting Styles - 1800s Lettering Sketchbook

Experiment with photographic paper Written by Marina Marjina, a type designer and letterer from Russia.

Handwriting Styles - Experiment with photographic paper
Lettering and Handwriting - Experiment _process2
Lettering and Handwriting - IMG_8181
Lettering and Handwriting - The sketch_fragment

Claredon Press, Flower A book cover from 1987. Published by Claredon Press. Created by Sheila Waters.

Lettering and Handwriting - Claredon Press, Flower

Cronica de los reyes catolicos, XVI century. A Spanish manuscript from Berkeley, University of California, The Bancroft Library.

Lettering and Handwriting - Cronica de los reyes catolicos, XVI century.

Extra: Natasha Mileshina Natasha Mileshina’s work. Moscow, Russia.

Lettering and Handwriting - Extra: Natasha Mileshina

Daily Type Calligraphy by Vera Evstafieva.

Lettering and Handwriting - Daily Type

Pool Word

Lettering and Handwriting - IMG_8570

Tom Gourdie’s gallery Shakespeare’s Sonnets by Tom Gourdie. Handwriting master’s pieces from 1980s.

Lettering and Handwriting -

French Notarial Handwriting From Michael Twyman’s 26 November 2007 presentation.

Lettering and Handwriting - French Notarial Handwriting

Scripture and Calligraphy By Denis Brown.

Lettering and Handwriting - Scripture, Denis Brown

Erin K. Nolan

Lettering and Handwriting - Digeridoo Festival

Handwriting Styles, Doodling and Lettering

British Ariways B/W Font Alex Trochut’s work for British Airways. Sexy, sweet and beautiful lettering!

Lettering and Handwriting - British Ariways B/W Font

Panasonic Advertisement The design by the agency Lowerporta from Chile. An advertisement for Panasonic digital devices.

Lettering and Handwriting

Art and Life Joei Lau’s project. Beautiful curves.

Lettering and Handwriting - Art and Life

all the best Wishes from Ale Paul.

Lettering and Handwriting - happy holidays and wishes
Lettering and Handwriting - all the best

Estrella Levante Posters Tasty typography!

Lettering and Handwriting - Estrella Levante Posters
Lettering and Handwriting - Estrella Levante Posters

Extraverage x The KDU Karoly Kiralyfalvi, graphic designer from Budapest, Hungary.

Lettering and Handwriting - Extraverage x The KDU
Lettering and Handwriting - Lettering
Lettering and Handwriting - Aquasky flyer

Typography Jeff Finley’s work.

Lettering and Handwriting - Typography

Split in Two Created by Pawel Janczarek.

Lettering and Handwriting - Split in Two

Doodles! Beautiful doodles from Austin, TX.

Lettering and Handwriting - IMG_2809

Handwriting By Yury Ostromentsky.

Lettering and Handwriting - Daily Type

takin’ it Lettering design by Jon Contino.

Lettering and Handwriting - taking it

“R” By Zeptonn, an illustrator from the Netherlands.

Lettering and Handwriting - R

1961 William Mitchell Pen Catalog

Lettering and Handwriting - 1961 William Mitchell Pen Catalog

inspiredology.com | inspiredology.com

Lettering and Handwriting - inspiredology.com | inspiredology.com

Zapf Games 2005 By Alexander Utkin.

Lettering and Handwriting - Zapf Games 2005

Daily Type

Lettering and Handwriting - Daily Type

inspiredology.com

Lettering and Handwriting - inspiredology.com

Sostav.ru

Lettering and Handwriting - Sostav.ru

Unit.nl

Lettering and Handwriting - Unit.nl

Daily Type

Lettering and Handwriting - Daily Type

on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Lettering and Handwriting -

zutto

Lettering and Handwriting - zutto

STEREOTYPE

Lettering and Handwriting - STEREOTYPE

Typography

Lettering and Handwriting - Typography

Arabic calligraphy

Lettering and Handwriting - Arabic calligraphy | creativebits

si scott design

Lettering and Handwriting - si scott design

Rolling Stones: Rolled Gold +

Lettering and Handwriting - Rolling Stones: Rolled Gold +

timeless

Lettering and Handwriting - timeless

on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Lettering and Handwriting -

Marian Bantjes: Yale Alumni Magazine

Lettering and Handwriting - Marian Bantjes: Yale Alumni Magazine

When Love Dies

Lettering and Handwriting - When Love Dies

Libertyland grand selection

Lettering and Handwriting - Libertyland grand selection

Funeral of the Heart by Leah Hayes - front cover

Lettering and Handwriting - Funeral of the Heart by Leah Hayes - front cover

Experiments with type

Typolight Type with light.

Lettering and Handwriting - Typolight

Feliz Natal | Merry Christmas By Marina Chaccur. “The 2006 online christmas card started being very real. In the beginning the letters were drawn by hand, then after the final layout was chosen, the white beads were arranged onto a paper with a very pale outline of the lettering. In the end, the paper was photographed, the image was altered in Photoshop, and the beads went back to the package.”

Lettering and Handwriting - Feliz Natal | Merry Christmas
Lettering and Handwriting - Feliz Natal | Merry Christmas
Flickr in Lights 2
Lettering and Handwriting - Flickr in Lights 3
Lettering and Handwriting - Flickr in Lights 2
Arabic Poesie Type and light.
Lettering and Handwriting - Poesie
Caligrafia na pele Calligraphy on the body.
Lettering and Handwriting - La Grafía: Caligrafia na pele
Daily Type Hmmm, tasty!
Lettering and Handwriting - Daily Type
Stephanie DeArmond - Gallery Typographic sculptures.
Lettering and Handwriting - Stephanie DeArmond - Gallery
Lettering and Handwriting - Stephanie DeArmond - Gallery
Lettering and Handwriting - Stephanie DeArmond - Gallery
Lettering and Handwriting - Stephanie DeArmond - Gallery

Sources and Resources