Is Cursive Dead?
A look at the enduring relevance of script letterforms
Despite having years of Catholic school penmanship classes under my belt, I actually write in all capital block letters. And with fewer schools requiring cursive instruction, it’s easy to imagine the style is fading away. Yet surprisingly, script remains one of the most popular and recognizable genres in hand-lettering today.
Cursive handwriting by yours truly using the Palmer Method, circa 1983
Everyday cursive handwriting traces back to English Roundhand, an elegant script from the late 1600s. A few centuries later, a simplified version became a fixture in American business correspondence, bookkeeping, and classroom instruction. Borrowing the warmth and familiarity of cursive, advertisers created a unique heavyweight variation to bring attention to logos, packaging, and signage.
Hand-drawn cursive from W. A. Thompson’s Modern Show Card Lettering, 1906
Today, bold script lettering is everywhere. Contemporary brands rely on it to project warmth and personality, which can be challenging to capture with other genres. In fact, heavy commercial script continues to be a go-to style when artists want expressive yet approachable lettering.
Modern brands continue to lean on friendly and familiar classic script styles
If you want to learn to draw this quintessential cursive style, our upcoming online Classic Script lettering workshop has you covered. Every student receives a FREE 40-page PDF guide, the option to add a 22-page workbook, and access to the full class recording. Ideal for eager artists of all skill levels. Registration is now open!
See you there!
Ken and Lynn
Type & Lettering
@typelettering