Italic

_Overview of function and history
_Compilation of design patterns and investigation of shape properties
_Developing a definition for today
_With numerous writing examples

The use of italic fonts for markup has become common practice in the digital age. Italics convey movement and momentum, appeal to the sensory experience of reading, and are reminiscent of handwriting. This vibrant quality, once a result of the writing motion, is increasingly lost when words are simply slanted with a mouse click.

To convey basic knowledge of this typographic feature and develop a general definition as a writing style, the author has compiled design patterns of cursive typefaces and presents the specific formal characteristics, features, and functions of cursive type. He also delves deeply into the historical development of cursive fonts, from handwriting to digital typesetting. This monograph is the first comprehensive treatise on this typographic topic and is aimed particularly at anyone who enjoys working with letters.