Featured Articles
Art Deco Font Collection
Our new Art Deco font collection includes a remarkable selectiion of fonts from the design movements of the 1920s and 1930s, focusing on the kinds of fonts which were generally associated with the decorative arts movement which developed out of the Arts and Crafts movement. More...Wild West Fonts
Our Wild West font collection features 14 fonts based on designs from the classic days of the American West (1870-1890). They are typical of the type and lettering styles used in signs, circulars, posters and newspapers during that era. The selection includes both decorative, display and text fonts. All the fonts are historically accurate and they are not available from any other source. While they are basically fonts of the Victorian era, they represent a subset of the typefaces popular in that period particularly slanted to the environmnet of the wild west, frontier newspapers and wild west shows.More...Pre-Raphaelite Collection
The art of the Pre-Raphaelites recreated classical and legendary themes, fascination with architectural elements and realistic drapery, and the use of models who fit a particular style and appearance, usually with thick, curly hair and voluptuous figures. Our Pre-Raphaelite collection features select images from the most prominent artists of the movement in high-resolution suitable for use in print.More...The Baby’s Opera Collection
Or latest collection based on one of Walter Crane's childrens book is our comprehensive presentation of The Baby’s Opera, Crane's compilation of childrens songs (including music and lyrics) with detailed illustrations, hand lettering and clever decorations on every page. Many of the designs and motifs can easily be extracted for use in your own designs. More...Text Fonts Collection
You've got to have text fonts, so wny not make them interesting and unique rather than the same old boring set that come with every computer. Our Text Fonts Collection has more variety and more style than you'll find anywhere else. More...Howard Pyle Fonts and Art
Howard Pyle was one of the most renowned illustrators of the 19th century. His work was widely published in adventure novels, magazines and romances. He was the founder of the Brandywine school and artists colony in Chadd's Ford Pennsylvania, where he taught artists like N. C. Wyeth, Frank Schoonover and Thornton Oakley their craft. Our Pyle collection includes a large selection of Pyle's art and designs plus original fonts based on his hand lettering. More...Medieval Fonts and Art
In the Middle Ages the demand for written documents required new and better forms of writing, styles which were readable, consistent, efficient to produce, and sometimes decorative as well. This package features a selection of fonts and art based on designs from the Middle Ages, emphasizing the years from 1100 to 1400. The 25 fonts include versions of the major popular lettering styles of this period and the art includes beautiful borders, frames and other decorative elements based on medieval designs. DETAILSThe Lady of Shalott
Howard Pyle’s illustrated edition of Tennyson’s Lady of Shalott is probably the single greatest expression of book design in the American arts and crafts movement of the late 19th century. This early Pyle work combines his vivid illustrative style with exceptional decoration and lettering into a modern illuminated masterpiece. Our Lady of Shalott CD package has every page from the book in high resolution format, including the decorated verses, the full-page illustrations and the embellished titles and flyleaves. It also includes extracted and instantly usable versions of the initials, illustrations background patterns, borders and frames from the book. DETAILSArt Nouveau Collection
This collection brings together all of our best fonts based on Art Nouveau period designs into an extensive collection, with over 30 unique fonts, including text, title faces and even decorative initials. This includes new fonts created just for this package plus classics in the Art Nouveau tradition. It also features a bonus collection of frames and borders based on designs from magazines and books of the period. Altogether it makes the ultimate resource for Art Nouveau style design. DETAILS2009 Sampler
About once a year we release a special sampler package with a collection of selected fonts and art from our most recent and forthcoming packages, including some unique items not available anywhere else, all brought together as an overview of what we've been up to at the Scriptorium during the past year at a special, extremely low price. This latest sampler has four complete new fonts, 15 demo fonts and a special selection of art and graphics which includes a special set of illustrations of Celtic mythology by Katherine Cameron. DETAILSViking Fonts and Art
This collection presents calligraphy and art based on the traditions of historic Germanic cultures. It draws on the broad scope of early Germanic design, from the pre-Christian era through the early middle ages, including not just Scandinavia, but other elements of Germanic culture from the Franks to the Saxons to the Normans and beyond. The main component is a collection of historic fonts which is complemented by a unique set of historic borders and motifs, plus art based on Viking myth and legend. DETAILS.Gothic Fonts
A collection of our best fonts based on gothic type and late medieval calligraphy. It covers the range from the historical styles in which gothic printing had its inspiration to the ornate heights of complex gothic fonts from 19th century Germany. This includes fonts in the style sometimes called 'Old English', as well as what calligraphers sometimes call 'Black Letter'. If you like your fonts dark, angular and complex, this is your dream collection. DETAILS
Calligraphy Fonts Collection
 When scribes first put pen to page they began the long struggle to control the written form of language and balance the demands of form and function. From humble beginnings adapting inscriptive lettering to other media, the stylistic and functional demands on written language have grown and changed and over the centuries writing has become an art form as well as a vital tool.
To order by phone call 1-800-797-8973. To get an idea of what our calligraphic fonts are like, try out the shareware version of Offenbach Chancery. It doesn’t have all of the punctuation and special characters, but should give you a good idea of what calligraphic fonts can look like on your computer.
Download Offenbach for Windows (PKZip). Download Offenbach for MacOS (StuffIt). |
Selected fonts in this collection. Click on name to see sample. Allegheny |
Early writing was often carved in stone or wood, which imposed a certain angularity of style. In the Roman period, as more and more written records were kept on vellum and papyrus, the scribes faced different restrictions and the shapes and characters of the letters began to change, becoming more
After the decline of Rome the focus of learning and of the written arts moved to the north and west, with much of the cultural tradition of the ancient world being preserved in the cloisters of Ireland and the British Isles. Irish monastic culture spread through Europe in the so-called Dark Ages, taking with it new styles of lettering derived from the insular minuscule and uncial styles.
With the rise in ascendancy of the Church of Rome more formal and elaborate lettering styles began to become popular. Putting aside the somewhat paganistic ornamentation of the Celtic period, the gothic styles began to emerge, with more rigid and angular character forms and elaborate majuscule letters, taking on some of the character of the complex architectural style of the high middle ages.
Gothic styles remained popular until the advent of printing, and even into the modern era in printed form in Germany and other parts of Northern Europe.
By the 14th century diversity began to reemerge in writing styles. With the growth of the middle class in England and the lowland countries, secular literacy began to increase, and a demand developed for calligraphic styles which were legible, attractive and also efficient enough to allow manuscripts to be reproduced rapidly and commercially. This period saw the emergency of court and chancery hands, informal gothic variations and the growth of the popular Bastarda or Lettres Batarde hybrid lettering style which became the standard for secular writing.
Even with printing on the horizon, the Renaissance saw the emergence of new lettering styles as widespread literacy created great demand for easy to read and quick to write styles, such as the humanist cursives of Renaissance Italy.
Early printing emerged in a variety of styles based on the diversity of calligraphic styles popular in the early modern period, but even as printing became more standardized, calligraphy did not disappear. Hand lettering remained the standard for decorative titles, captions, posters, maps and many other uses, but moved more and more into the realm of the artist. Illustrators and poster artists of the 19th century produced a diversity of unique lettering styles, from the radical slavic excesses of Alphons Mucha to the playful pseudo-uncials of Howard Pyle and Charles Folkard.
The Scriptorium’s collection of historic calligraphy is unrivaled. We offer over 140 fonts based on specific historical or artistic styles, from Roman to Medieval to modern times. All of these fonts come in TrueType or Postscript format for Macintosh and PC-compatible computers. They are available singly for between $12 and $24 each, or as a collection in a highly discounted package. The new fourth edition of our calligraphic fonts CD package is only $169. It includes all of our calligraphic fonts (over 140 at last count), plus parchment and vellum textures to simulate the look of antique papers and other surfaces.
Our single fonts complete calligraphic fonts CD can be ordered online, by mail or by phone for delivery online or by mail. To order our Complete Calligraphic Fonts collection with over 140 fonts online go to 
Fantasy Fonts and Art Package
Our classic Fantasy Fonts & Art collection is a great resource for artists, designers, roleplayers and world builders who want to create visual aids for any kind of fantasy world or project. The collection includes 30 original fonts and over 100 images by outstanding artists, all collected together for download or on CD at a very reasonable price.
The fonts in this collection include a variety of historical calligraphy fonts from the Roman era through the middle ages and into the early modern era. All sorts of different styles of formal and informal hand lettering are represented. The selection is perfect for making decorative visual aids, posters, newsletters, official documents, antique-looking manuscripts and even grimoire p ages. The collection also includes a selection of ancient language fonts and a number of fantasy language fonts from the world of Ysgarth. And finally, there are several fantasy art fonts with decorative images of fantasy creatures and characters.
In addition to the fonts the package also includes a large selection of fantasy art by classic artists like Howard Pyle, N. C. Wyeth, Edmund Dulac and Arthur Rackham. Both color and black and white art is included and they cover a wide range of fantasy subjects, from fairytale creatures to legendary heroes to knights, kings, queens, gods, giants, dragons, monsters and all the elements of a fantasy world. All images are high-resolution and suitable for printing.
Our Fantasy Fonts & Art collection is compatible for both MacOS and Windows and is an extraordinary value at just $59. You can order the CD from our toll-free number at 1-800-797-8973 or order online from our Online store.
Arthur Rackham Fonts and Art
Arthur Rackham may be the single best-known book illustrator of the late 19th and early 20th century. In the early 1900s Rackham was in constant demand to illustrate childrens books and fantastic novels in his detailed and meticulous style. Rackham’s most famous illustrations are probably his plates for Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream and his various illustrations for classic English fairytales. Rackham’s style is striking and unique, and his use of color and shading compensate brilliantly for the limitations of color printing of the period. He has been imitated by many later artists and was the primary influence on many contemporary illustrators, particularly Brian Froud.
We have updated and expanded this package a number of times and the latest edition of our Rackham collection features a large selection of images, focusing on celtic, fairy tale, mythological and fantastic themes, a variety of borders and decorative emblems, plus a collection of fonts based on Rackham’s calligraphy and decorative ornaments. All of the fonts are in TrueType and Postscript format for the Macintosh and Wndows compatible computers.
The package features art from books like Undine, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Ring of the Nibelungs, Goblin Market, English Fairy Tales and several other books. Recent additions to the collection include unique Rackham Celtic art, as well as a selection of Rackham borders and illustrations in black and white. The art selection is varied, including not only the great fairy illustrations for which Rackham is best known, but also more unusual, darker mythological pieces such as his illustrations for Wagner’s Ring Saga and Mallory’s Morte d’Arthur.
Rackham also designed his own frontispieces and book bindings, as well as filling many of his books with whimsical marginal decorations. We’ve taken Rackhams title lettering and his marginalia and put them together into an excellent collection of fonts which are included in the package. The fonts are in Postscript and TrueType format and in versions for both the MacOS and Windows. The fonts include our Rackham Italic and Rackham text fonts, plus Sangrael, Florissant, Silhouettes, Fairies, Rackham Holiday Ornament and Goblins which are all based on Rackham’s marginal decorations.
Since we first released our Rackham Font & Art package we’ve been continually acquiring more sources for Rackham’s art and doing additional development work with fonts based on his lettering and marginalia. As a result the package keeps getting bigger and better. Whenever we do an update we contact those with older versions of the CD make the new version avaialable to them at a special upgrade price. We’re currently on our 5th version of the CD and it keeps growing and improving.
Our new edition of the Rackham package includes over 100 illustrations and graphics, plus 8 fonts based on Rackham’s calligraphy and a selection of black and white borders, headers and footers. The complete collection including all the new fonts and art is only $69. To order visit our online ordering page — ONLINE ORDERING
If you want to try out one of our Rackham fonts, try out the demo of our goblins font which features Rackham’s marginal illustrations of goblins as characters.
Yes, You CAN Have It All!Complete Fonts Release 23 is Here!
In the littany of amazing bargains there are few to compare with our Complete Fonts Collection. It includes every font we’ve produced from Abaddon to Zothique, which adds up to a total of close to 600 fonts. It includes our calligraphic, text, display, initials and art fonts plus other quirky and specialty fonts. To get an idea of what’s in the package the best thing is to take a look at our PDF catalog.
The latest release is version 23 of the complete fonts package and it’s a phenomenal bargain at less than $1 per font. You can also get it bundled with a subscription to our Font Club for an even better deal. The total cost for the Complete Fonts is only $499. With the Font Club membership added (normally $79 by itself) the total is only $549. You can even get it with a two year Font Club membership for $579. Try these links to get more info or buy online: Complete Fonts Collection or Complete Fonts with 1 Font Club Year or Complete Fonts with 2 Year Font Club.
If you already have an earlier edition of the complete fonts you can update to release 23 at a great price too. To uodate from release 22 is only $99. To update from release 21 is only $159. A complete update from any other earlier release is only $299.
Alphons Mucha Package Video Preview
This is a short video presentation I put together on our Alphons Mucha font and art package:
Alphons Mucha Fonts and Art
Alphonse Mucha was born in what is now the Czech Republic in 1860 and moved to Paris in 1890 where he became the star of the poster-art movement under the patronage of the Sarah Bernhardt, socializing with the greatest of the impressionists and moving in the highest circles of the salons of the intellectual elite of Paris. After World War I he returned to Czechoslovakia and became the father of a slavic arts and crafts movement which combined elements of art nouveau with classic national themes.
In addition to commercial art, jewelry design, interior decoration, sculpture and stage design, Mucha experimented with lettering and calligraphy to produce excellent source material for unique typefaces. Mucha’s style is virtually synonymous with French Art Nouveau and he is one of the most imitated artists and designers of all time.
The Scriptorium’s Mucha collection features a selection of rare images taken from 19th century sources, focusing on seasonal postcard art and theatrical posters, plus a disk of fonts based on Mucha’s poster lettering, including seven original typefaces in both TrueType and Postscript Format. Samples of both the art and the typefaces are provided here.
We have recently expanded our Mucha collection with new art and several additional fonts. The Mucha Collection is only $49 including shipping. It is also available in a retail package ideal for sale in museums and bookstores. Send email for information on wholesale terms and availability. To order your own Mucha collection just visit our online ordering page — ORDER YOUR MUCHA!
Wild West Fonts
Our Wild West font collection features 14 fonts based on designs from the classic days of the American West (1870-1890). They are typical of the type and lettering styles used in signs, circulars, posters and newspapers during that era. The selection includes both decorative, display and text fonts. All the fonts are historically accurate and they are not available from any other source. While they are basically fonts of the Victorian era, they represent a subset of the typefaces popular in that period particularly slanted to the environmnet of the wild west, frontier newspapers and wild west shows.
The package is available for Windows or the MacOS, and includes both TrueType and Postscript fonts. It’s available for only $59 for all the fonts. You can order our Wild West fonts directly for delivery on CD or online from 1-800-797-8973, or you can purchase the package online. Just CLICK HERE TO ORDER
Plowright is a new font based on hand lettering from the 1880s. It’s a great example of the style we often associate with signmaking in the old west, with a lot of quirks and original character. Plowright is the first of a family of related fonts, and is also part of our soon to be released Wild West Fonts package. Click here to download the working trial version of Plowright for either WINDOWS or MacOS. Or you can purchase this font online and get it quickly by email, including all the alternate and additional characters – BUY IT NOW
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New Font: BigBlok
A great many years ago when working in game publishing I had a real fascination with doing titles in a strong, super-bold font called Bolt Bold. The truth is I rather overused it. In doing some research I find it on more than a dozen different game books I wrote in the early 80s, all quite collectable and out of print today.
