The Dwarven or Rúmilian numerals.
Above Tolkien's manuscript. Below my interpretation in Tengwar Grotesk Medium.
#elvishtypography
So I am developing OpenType Fonts of the Tengwar (the script Tolkien invented).
The stylistic alternates of the "mode of Beleriand". A mode especially used for the Sindarin language.
How to choose the tengwa using QuarkXPress.
The tengwa "a" can have a square dot or not.
The tengwa "i" can be without the dot.
The tengwa "y" (pronounced like the German ü) has 2 shapes.
Tolkien often used the dot with 2 denotations (meanings).
A dot could have a typographical usage (to make the Elvish letter more visible) or a dot could have a "meaning".
In order to help the reader, in my font, the square dot = typographical usage; round dot "meaning".
Tolkien's explanation & presentation of the mode of Beleriand and opposite my font Tengwar Grotesque Medium.
Two tengwar are missing. I'm still working on them.
I have also decided to not include the variant adew (n° 41) with a light stroke (very unpractical to design with a police without serif like my Tengwar Grotesque), but instead I propose an adew with a dot, a variant also used by Tolkien in this mode.
Comments are welcome!
So I have re-worked to re-arrange the glyphs and put "rules" in Tengwar Typography.
These are the 2 "styles" of "Tengwar Sans" I am working on right now.
I have some idea for a 3rd one. Will show in a few days.
Feedback is welcome!
Don't be shy.
Say what you think.
Tolkien did coin many of the Elvish words of Elvish typography.
And as there is plenty of unpublished stuff on Elvish by Tolkien we might get to know the words we miss today, like "spur" or "counter".
Tolkien's Elvish writing systems have an inner history (paleography) and a complex terminology.
From my dictionary of Quenya (still a work in progress).
‽ = an Elvish word not published but logically deduced by me.
In Europe early "German" printed books matched the style of handwritten manuscripts.
It is thanks to the "crazy Italian" eyes, minds and hands that Typography was born by drinking Roman's monumental capitals.
Tolkien fortunately did experiment a lot and he left us with plenty of paths to follow in making Tengwar Fonts.
Tolkien imagined a complex set of names for each letter or Tengwa: alphabetic names, different in each languages and modes, and a 'full name' a Quenya word used in every languages as a loanword to designate the letter.
The full name of hwá was hwesta "breeze" in Quenya.
The letter called hwá in Quenya was named chwae in Sindarin (Noldorin), and in real Common Speech it was akha, later aha (as in Rohan).
#tolkien #tengwa #elvishtypography
I am changing and adjusting the position of some of the diacritical marks (called tehtar in Quenya).
Also Toshi decided to have two forms for the Tengwa rómen, a special one when having under dots. I prefer when only one single form is used.
The sa-rince (= + s) used with the Tengwar leaves open the door for typographical interpretation(s).
I reworked the glyph for 11 in duodecimal trying to make it looking less like a Tengwa (letter) and more like a 'number' (abstract).
Comments welcome. I am still learning! 🤓
I spent a few hours on the Elvish Zero.
I am rather happy with it as it is now.
My new Elvish question marks.
Up to last year we only had 1 example of such a mark in 1 text/calligraphy by Tolkien, published in "The Road Goes Ever On".
Last year (at last) a text by Tolkien provided the definitive explanation of its origin showing that my hypothesis was the right one. It is a reshaped/reduced Tengwa M.
Note: Parmaquesta is a normalized written form of Quenya, using a standardized spelling.
The Plan:
In order to learn to design tengwar I am using Toshi's work.
Red are the tengwar I designed this month in the style of Alcarin Tengwar by Toshi Omagari.
Blue tengwa, I reassigned it.
After mastering the design of the Tengwar and doing the 15 or about Open Type Fonts for each mode Tolkien imagined, I will finish designing my Tengwar Sans Serif, then open a site dedicated to the Tengwar, and then do the "Middle-earth Dingbats Fonts".
On the left my design of the Tengwa called in Noldorin ydew, next to its variant, called in Quenya silma.
Tolkien wrote about this in Appendix E: "The West-gate inscription illustrates a mode of ‘full writing’ with the vowels represented by separate letters. All the vocalic letters used in Sindarin are shown. The use of No. 30 as a sign for vocalic y may be noted".
Toshi Omagari designed "silma" in Alcarin Tengwar.
Comments are welcome! I'm still learning.
Another forgotten Tengwa on the left (it does not appear in any of free Tengwar Fonts available today). It is this variant "rómen" (shown on the right) that I have drawn in the style of Alcarin Tengwar by Toshi.
This glyph does not have a special Elvish name. It might be called "variant rómen".
Below the glyphs, Tolkien's explanation showing his calligraphy of the ('forgotten') glyph.
I changed just a little this Elvish glyph
( previously: https://typo.social/@e_kloczko/114409064965850694 )
I think a more 'modern' design is better for this glyph. And you what do you think?
( my first design of this glyph: https://typo.social/@e_kloczko/114398216648962504 )
#tengwar #tolkien #elvishtypography
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