{"title":"ABCs of Lettering","description":"\u003cp\u003eScribes and writers have used abbreviations for centuries. They save space and open up new opportunities for design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver his lifetime Marsh has collected, documented and rendered his favorite abbreviations. These include ampersands, et ceteras, \"per\" and others.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"abcs-c-if-for-calligraphy","title":"ABCs - \"C\" is for Calligraphy","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI've posted a couple examples of Church Text back at the end of September (Photos \u0026gt; Lettering Art 2 \u0026gt; \"history\"). Church Text has so many diverse variations I think I will do a series on this style too. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis cap C, shows how by the end of the Victorian period this blackletter-based letterform was stylized into virtual illegibility. Despite this it is quite readable in context and makes for some beautiful \u0026amp; interesting design compositions.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42439451213918,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/C_Is_For_Calligraphy_Sq_Don_Marsh_b482d78d-46a8-4d43-bc0c-b10b247d7a34.jpg?v=1770161572"},{"product_id":"abcs-q-is-for-quill","title":"ABCs - \"Q\" is for Quill","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI've posted a couple examples of Church Text back at the end of September (Photos \u0026gt; Lettering Art 2 \u0026gt; \"history\"). Church Text has so many diverse variations I think I will do a series on this style too. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis cap C, shows how by the end of the Victorian period this blackletter-based letterform was stylized into virtual illegibility. Despite this it is quite readable in context and makes for some beautiful \u0026amp; interesting design compositions.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42439686750302,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/Q_Is_For_Quill_2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770166502"},{"product_id":"abcs-t-is-for-typography","title":"ABCs - \"T\" is for Typography","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn original cap T design I've created within the modern gothic style, a more playful modern (c. 1880–1910) approach than that of classical historic gothic letterforms (c. 1200–1880). The style was popularized by artists like William Morris, et al, of the Arts \u0026amp; Crafts Movement.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42439703461982,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/T_Is_For_Typography_2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770166750"},{"product_id":"abcs-x-is-for-x-height","title":"ABCs - \"X\" is for X-height","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis X is in an American script style called \"Italian Alphabet\" (c. 1880-1900). An adaptation of an older British form (c. 1700) that was called \"Italian Hand.\" Neither name is accurate as neither style was actually Italian. Filigreed \u0026amp; fine lined, it makes for an exotic, elaborate \u0026amp; very beautiful script. An unique feature of this style is the swelled strokes are in places that can only be achieved if the characters are written backwards. It's this feature from which the \"Italian\" moniker arises since an\" Italian letter\" referred to letters where the thicks \u0026amp; thins are reversed from the norm. The size of the bodies of the lowercase letters is the x-height (baseline to the waistline).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt was originally done with a straight holder pulling somewhat away from the body. This technique was called \"third position.\" The paper is rotated slightly more clockwise and the pressure applied at an upward angle. Even though I've known this for 30 years, I create this hand using an oblique holder with no pressure, then go back and add the swells as a retouch.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42439719354462,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/X_Is_For_Xheight_2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770167123"},{"product_id":"abcs-o-is-for-ogee","title":"ABCs - \"O\" is for Ogee","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis X is in an American script style called \"Italian Alphabet\" (c. 1880-1900). An adaptation of an older British form (c. 1700) that was called \"Italian Hand.\" Neither name is accurate as neither style was actually Italian. Filigreed \u0026amp; fine lined, it makes for an exotic, elaborate \u0026amp; very beautiful script. An unique feature of this style is the swelled strokes are in places that can only be achieved if the characters are written backwards. It's this feature from which the \"Italian\" moniker arises since an\" Italian letter\" referred to letters where the thicks \u0026amp; thins are reversed from the norm. The size of the bodies of the lowercase letters is the x-height (baseline to the waistline).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt was originally done with a straight holder pulling somewhat away from the body. This technique was called \"third position.\" The paper is rotated slightly more clockwise and the pressure applied at an upward angle. Even though I've known this for 30 years, I create this hand using an oblique holder with no pressure, then go back and add the swells as a retouch.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42439740719198,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/O_Is_For_Ogee_2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770167575"},{"product_id":"abcs-p-is-for-ogee-palatino","title":"ABCs - \"P\" is for Palatino","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI've been doing a collection of A thru Z unique caps using calligraphic words and letterform parts in my \"X is for letter\" series. I've decided that it might also be fun to do another A thru Z series as a sort of tribute based on names of famous calligraphic \u0026amp; lettering masters showing some unique caps from their works. Yesterday I posted a P of Palatino. Here is another Palatino P to kick off the series.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42439870382174,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/P_Is_For_Palatino_2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770174354"},{"product_id":"abcs-s-is-for-scribe","title":"ABCs - \"S\" is for Scribe","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis S is one more example of a Mercantile cap from Renaissance Italy. A lot of folks today would probably interpret this as a G. But at least the form of the S is present, unlike the M. The cap S along with the M, T and occasionally the A were the most abstract characters of the Renaissance Mercantile alphabet. The rest, though very stylistic, can still be easily read today.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42439877099614,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/S_Is_For_Scribe_2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770174547"},{"product_id":"abcs-p-is-for-pen","title":"ABCs - \"P\" is for Pen","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn interesting cap \"P\" used consistently by a clerk that I found in an English 1759 acccount book.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2018, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2018 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42439880573022,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/P_Is_For_Pen_Scriptt_2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770175639"},{"product_id":"abcs-p-is-for-pen-1","title":"ABCs - \"P\" is for Pen","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis P was done in a Modern Gothic style based on principals made popular within the Arts \u0026amp; Crafts Movement (c. 1880s through about 1910). A blackletter based on the shapes of historic pen-made styles, but Modern Gothics were hand-drawn, more playful \u0026amp; highly stylistic. I especially like the storybook feel of this style.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2018, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2018 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42439916421214,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/P_Is_For_Pen_2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770175942"},{"product_id":"abcs-a-is-for-alphabet","title":"ABCs - \"A\" is for Alphabet","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cspan\u003eJohn Ayres was a scribe \u0026amp; writing teacher c. 1680. While his work was derivative of the styles popular in France at the time, he was instrumental in popularizing Round Hand (script writing) in England. This led to script superseding the older gothic styles of writing In England. Ayres work was a key steppingstone in the evolution of the business script English Roundhand, which evolved into our common script of today. In his day Ayres was respected, well liked and rather famous. Besides his published work he ran his own writing school. This \"Italian Hand\" Bastarda Script cap A is based on his style.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42439923695710,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/A_Is_For_Alphabet_2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770176566"},{"product_id":"abcs-a-is-for-artistry","title":"ABCs - \"A\" is for Artistry","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMy favorite of the 5 designs I created for this week and actually the first design of the series. While working on the \"A\" design I kept thinking \"A is for…\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42439932641374,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/A_Is_For_Artistry_2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770176765"},{"product_id":"abcs-b-is-for-baseline","title":"ABCs - \"B\" is for Baseline","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMy favorite of the 5 designs I created for this week and actually the first design of the series. While working on the \"A\" design I kept thinking \"A is for…\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42439937359966,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/B_Is_For_Baseline_2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770176967"},{"product_id":"abcs-b-is-for-blackletter","title":"ABCs - \"B\" is for Blackletter","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOne more B for the series. While B may be for blackletter this is not a true pen created blackletter, but rather is an ornamental Victorian gothic letter. Letterforms in the Victorian era were often elaborate, overdone \u0026amp; highly contrived. Often incorporating motifs unnatural to letterforms such as arrows, fleur-de-lis, bells, stars etc, these designs meant to gild the lily and dazzle the eye often lead to a lot of bad lettering \u0026amp; typography. But it also resulted in some beautiful \u0026amp; impressive designs such as this example.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42439943028830,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/B_Is_For_Blackletter_2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770177164"},{"product_id":"abcs-e-is-for-exemplar","title":"ABCs - \"E\" is for Exemplar","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Victorian Era produced some of the most elaborate letterforms in history. This fanciful E is a good example. The design is rendered as might be found in old railroad lettering of the 1880s. Despite all the typographic experts admonitions, I'm afraid Victorian lettering is one of my guilty pleasures due to the playful \u0026amp; boundless design imagination of the period.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42439946862686,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/E_Is_For_Fine_Exemplar__2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770177400"},{"product_id":"abcs-f-is-for-fine-art","title":"ABCs - \"F\" is for Fine Art","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI haven't done an \"interesting caps\" post in awhile, so I've created a few more for that series. Today, the letter F.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42439949254750,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/F_Is_For_Fine_Arts__2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770177537"},{"product_id":"abcs-g-is-for-graphic","title":"ABCs - \"G\" is for Graphic","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eStylistically playful \u0026amp; graphic, I've chosen a style based on hand lettering in advertising from the 1930's which seems perfect to represent the word \"Graphic.\" Over the last 600 years or so it has not been unusual to use a lowercase character as a cap rendered at cap size to add graphic interest to the composition. The lowercase linked-g is perfect for such a task being one of the more complex shapes.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42439950368862,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/G_Is_For_Graphicl_2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770178137"},{"product_id":"abcs-k-is-for-kalamos","title":"ABCs - \"K\" is for Kalamos","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhile there are plenty more elaborate Ks than this, I find the simplistic shape of this cap K to be one of the more interesting Italic designs I've found. From a 17th c. Italian manuscript, it appears to have some German influences… A kalamos is a pen fashioned from a reed (as opposed to a quill).\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42440009285726,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/K_Is_For_Kalamos_2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770178579"},{"product_id":"abcs-l-is-for-lesgret","title":"ABCs - \"L\" is for Lesgret","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFew folks today would recognize this as an L. Done in an ornamental French script utilizing wavy lines, this rippling shade technique predates the American ornamental Spencerian \"needle-stitch\" script by 190 years. Also, up till now I've only used the names of letter parts \u0026amp; writing tools to represent the characters in this series. But in this instance I picked a little known French writing master Nicolas Lesgret who used to employ such writing. Next I will next post this cap with an example of the matching lowercase script.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42440058404958,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/L_Is_For_Lesgret__2010_Don_Marsh_5abcedae-9106-4f0f-9fc3-1ac717606e62.jpg?v=1770180233"},{"product_id":"abcs-l-is-for-letters","title":"ABCs - \"L\" is for Letters","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003eFrench scripts of the 1600's are greatly under appreciated and seldom studied. The French scripts are the precursors to English Roundhand upon which our modern scripts are based. Though devised as a hand for business \u0026amp; finance these scripts possess a wonderfully elegant \u0026amp; graphic presence, often greater than most other scripts. For this series I've been rendering extreme \u0026amp; unusual characters. This L, as with many exotic caps, has legibility issues and today could easily be mistaken for a Z.\"\u003c\/span\u003e~\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42440100872286,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/L_Is_For_Letters__2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770180269"},{"product_id":"abcs-m-is-for-masterful","title":"ABCs - \"M\" is for Masterful","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFamous cartographer Gerhard Kremer, better know as Mercator, is essential the father of the modern map. He also loved the new style (at the time) of writing known as Chancery Cursive, better known today as Italic which he learned for the purpose of lettering his maps. He became so good at it that in 1541 he published his own manual on how to write Italic hand. This M follows the style espoused by Mercator.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42440212611166,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/M_Is_For_Masterful_2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770179345"},{"product_id":"abcs-m-is-for-mercantile","title":"ABCs - \"M\" is for Mercantile","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMercantile Hands developed during the Renaissance and were used for all business purposes throughout Italy. Existing \u0026amp; evolving along with the Italic Hand, merchantile cursives were a \"bastard\" form of script that bridge the evolutionary gap between the old gothic print styles and the later business scripts of the 1600s. Consequently they straddled traits of both gothic style and the new italic sensibility. Early on styles of mercantile cursives varied from one major city to the next (e.g., Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice, etc). Italic eventually won out as the hand of choice, but other forms of merchant class scripts continued to develop as well eventually leading to our common writing of today.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42440476393566,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/M_Is_For_Merchantile_2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770179928"},{"product_id":"abcs-o-is-for-ornate","title":"ABCs - \"O\" is for Ornate","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eThe O is usually a simple character. So I wanted to do something fancy for my series without resorting to the simple course of using a gothic blackletter. Consequently I thought creating the O in Ornamental German Text was the way to go.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e~2010, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e©2010 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42440540160094,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/O_Is_For_Ornate_2010_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770180192"},{"product_id":"a-is-for-atelier","title":"\"A\" is for Atelier","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI was playing around with an idea for an original lowercase \"a\" design and this is how it turned out. An atelier is an artist's workshop or studio, and it is also the name for a secular scriptorium.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e~2011, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©2011 Don Marsh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42467467231326,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/A_Is_For__2011_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1771195818"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/collections\/C_Is_For_Calligraphy_Sq_Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1770160598","url":"https:\/\/donmarsharchive.com\/collections\/abcs-of-lettering.oembed","provider":"Don Marsh","version":"1.0","type":"link"}