Hand to Type

Hand to Type is a stunning compilation of hand-made and digital scripts that showcases the beauty of handwritten letterforms. The book features work by some of today’s most successful and original calligraphers and lettering artists. In addition to fonts and lettering using the Latin alphabet, it introduces artists who explore Cyrillic, Arabic, and Greek scripts.

The book’s rich visual examples are complemented by in-depth interviews with outstanding calligraphers and type designers conducted by editor Jan Middendorp. Hand to Type also offers a revealing glimpse into processes by which hand-made letters may be turned into digital files. Prominent guest authors introduce the workings of scripts with which many readers may be less familiar—from Arabic and Indian writing systems to the amazing scripts found in pre-war German schoolbooks and on Amsterdam pub windows.

Contains the essay "What Arabic Is and What It Is Not" by Nadine Chahine, an interview with Reza Abedini "From calligraphy to graphic design", and work examples using Arabic script from Hassan Massoudy, El Seed, Wissam Shawkat, and Iman Raad.