Printed letters are a basic form of handwriting, often learned in elementary school before cursive writing. Block letters, without serifs, are traditionally cut from wood blocks. Printed letters are still important for typography and visual art, and can be used in craft projects with stencils.
Printed letters constitute a certain type of basic handwriting that is usually seen as an initial form of writing. These printed letters have a simple look and are usually made without the trailing tails known in typography as serifs. Young children often learn to print during their first two years of elementary school, and mastering these basic letters is often a prerequisite for learning cursive writing in the upper grades. The term block letters is generally attributed to typesetting methods that predate word processing fonts. Letters cut from wood blocks are traditionally carved into the simpler shapes as a departure from more intricate typefaces.
The ability to form neat and correct printed letters is usually a skill to be learned before connecting letters for cursive writing. Some young learners find the transition more challenging than others, as cursive letters often have rounder, more flowing shapes than many capital letters. While handprinting is taught in schools in many countries, some countries’ school systems choose to skip this step and focus on teaching cursive handwriting starting in the initial elementary grades.
Due to the prevalence of word processing, the importance of printed and cursive handwriting is sometimes open to debate. Some people argue that learning this skill is less important than it used to be, although others argue that printed letters serve a specific purpose in specific areas such as typography. Without a working visual knowledge of the basic shapes of block letters, font designers generally wouldn’t be able to continue creating the wide variety of font choices available in modern word processing software programs.
The use of capital letters can also be found in some fundamentals of art. Beginning visual artists often practice drawing these types of letters with three-dimensional effects and shadows to hone their skills in accurate perspective drawing. Some may go on to create text for web-based or print graphics projects. The ability to make capital letters visually pleasing by hand or with design software is often considered essential in this creative career field.
Stamped letters can also be found in some craft projects. Customizing various items, such as backpacks or handbags, with block letters stencils can usually be done quickly and in different colors or designs. A letter stencil is typically placed flat on top of the object’s surface and then covered with a coat of fabric paint.
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