Calligraphy

thumb|Animation of a half-turn ambigram of the word ambigram, with 180-degree rotational symmetry An ambigram is a calligraphic composition of glyphs (letters, numbers, symbols or other shapes) that can yield different meanings depending on the orientation of observation. Most ambigrams are visual palindromes that rely on some kind of symmetry, and they can often be interpreted as visual puns. Although the concept is older, the term "ambigram" was coined by Douglas Hofstadter in 1983–1984.

thumb|right|400px| Magna Carta, written in Latin on vellum, held at the [[British Library]] thumb|right|267px|A vellum deed dated 1638, with pendent seal attached

thumb|Example of classic American business cursive handwriting known as Spencerian script, from 1884

thumb|Calligram in French by Guillaume Apollinaire describing and visually representing his lover. Parts of the face's image (such as the hat, eye, nose, mouth, neck) each use words associated specifically with that part.

thumb|Custom lettering on the spine of a 1960s book Lettering or handlettering is a term for artfully drawing letters, instead of writing them simply. Each letter is created with attention to detail and has a unique role within a composition. Lettering is created as an image, with letters that are meant to be used in a unique configuration. Lettering words do not always translate into alphabets that can later be used in a typeface, since they are created with a specific word in mind.

thumb|Example of classic American business cursive handwriting known as [[Spencerian script from 1884]] thumb|A thin object (pen), held with three fingers, allows one to draw thin lines. Penmanship is the technique of writing with the hand using a writing instrument. Today, this is most commonly done with a pen, or pencil, but throughout history has included many different implements. The various generic and formal historical styles of writing are called "hands" while an individual's style of penmanship is referred to as "handwriting".

class of typefaces inspired by handwriting

Practice of calligraphy in India

Slavonic calligraphy, where letters merge or fuse in a continuous ornamental strip

script

powder used to prevent ink from spreading and to blot up excess ink

thumb|Calligraffiti at Port de Pêche de Sayada, February, 2017 Calligraffiti is an art form that combines calligraphy, typography, and graffiti. It can be classified as either abstract expressionism or abstract vandalism. It is defined as a visual art that integrates letters into compositions that attempt to communicate a broader message through writing that has been aesthetically altered to move beyond the literal meaning. Simply put, it is the conscious effort of making a word or group of words into a visual composition. As such it is meant to be both an aesthetic experience and provocative