Instead of fonts, calligraphers use the terms 'alphabet' or 'hand' to describe the different styles in which they write.

Below is the selection of hands that Ariela uses for most work along with the price per word.  (Note that the price per word is not the only cost associated with custom calligraphy, so your total will not be just the number of words multiplied by the cost per word.)

English Hands

Italic - $1.50/word

Italic is a highly readable modern hand characterised by the springing arch.

Geek Calligraphy Italic Sample

Half Uncial - $1.50/word

This is a modified Half Uncial, inspired by early calligraphic hands like those of the Lindesfarne Gospel, and has a Celtic association.

Geek Calligraphy Half Uncial Sample

Gothic - $1.50/word with hyphen-breaks in words, $2.00 without and fully justified

Gothic is a later hand but still thought of as "Ye Olde English Fonte." As with all old texts, it was originally used in formats that allowed words to break off in the middle at the end of a line with a hyphen and then continue on the next line. The rigid regularity of Gothic letters makes it much more difficult to adapt to the new standard of keeping words whole and instead adjusting the width and spacing of letters in order to maintain equal line widths, irrespective of the number of letters involved. As such, it is more expensive to write a text without any breaks in words.

Geek Calligraphy Gothic Sample
 

Hebrew Hands

Angular - $1.50/word

A readable, modern Hebrew hand.

Angular Hebrew Hand Sample - Geek Calligraphy

Rounded - $1.50/word

Another readable, modern Hebrew Hand.

Rounded Hebrew Hand Sample - Geek Calligraphy

Script - $1.50/word

A stylized version of modern Hebrew handwriting.

Script Hebrew Hand Sample - Geek Calligraphy

S&P, Plain - $1.50/Word

The scribal hand used by Spanish and Portuguese Jews in their Torah scrolls and other safrut.

S&P with Taggin - $1.60/word

The same scribal hand but with the triple taggin or 'crowns' on the letters ג,ז,ט,נ,ע,צ,ש and singles on the letters ב,ד,ה,ח,י,ק

Spanish and Portuguese Hand with Taggin Sample - Geek Calligraphy

Ashkenazic Square Book Hand (Body) - $1.85/word

Based on the hand used in medieval Hebrew manuscripts such as the  Bird's Head Haggadah from Germany, c. 1300.

AshkenazicSquareBookHand.png

Ashkenazic Square Book Hand (Display) - $2.25/word

Based on the hand used in medieval Hebrew manuscripts, with a narrower line and more pointed embellishments than the body text version. This hand is best suited for large text in relatively small amounts.

Hebrew Birds Head Hand - Geek Calligraphy
 

Don't see your favorite hand here?

Ariela can learn new alphabets on request. New hands start at $2.00/word and up based on difficulty.