ABCs - "X" is for X-height

"This 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 & fine lined, it makes for an exotic, elaborate & 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 & thins are reversed from the norm. The size of the bodies of the lowercase letters is the x-height (baseline to the waistline).

It 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."

~2010, Don Marsh~
©2010 Don Marsh