Script typefaces imitate cursive writing with a pen or brush, with letters that are usually joined together. They range from the most formal copperplate, inherited from calligraphy, to freer and more casual styles.
Where to see it
Scripts can be seen on invitations, menus and wine labels, with fonts such as Snell Roundhand and Zapfino. Roger Excoffon's Mistral, created in 1953, is a famous example, and the Coca-Cola logotype uses the Spencerian cursive style.
Why this detail matters
Scripts bring a personal and elegant dimension:
- They evoke the hand, the invitation and the gesture, hence their use for special occasions and exceptional products;
- They are best kept for short texts, as joined writing becomes hard to read at length;
- Set in capitals, they generally lose readability and elegance.
Related term
Handwritten typefaces also imitate hand drawing, but with letters separated from one another.