calligraphy

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"the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"Calligraphy ranges from functional inscriptions and hand lettering to fine art pieces where the expression of the handwritten mark may take precedence over the legibility of the letters (Media villa 1996). Well-crafted calligraphy differs from typography and non-classical hand-lettering; characters are historically disciplined yet fluid and spontaneous, improvised at the moment of writing (Pott 2005; Zapf 2006). To use 20th century master Edward Johnston's words, "all Rules must give way to Truth and Freedom" (1909: contents page). Calligraphy continues to flourish in the forms of wedding and event invitations, font design/ typography, original hand-lettered logo design, commissioned calligraphic art, testimonials, maps, and other works involving writing (for example Letter Arts Review).