Playwrite CL

Chilean children call it letra ligada, joined letters, and some start on it as early as 6, sometimes next to print letters and sometimes on its own. At first glance it looks like English roundhand, the 18th-century calligraphic hand, stood upright. Chilean type designers point out the differences though: letra ligada has shorter ascenders and descenders and much plainer capitals, in both type and calligraphy.

Playwrite CL is that hand, slow and rounded. Every letter joins, the medium-length extenders loop, and the shapes are written at an unhurried pace. Some details only a Chilean teacher would spot at once. The o carries a knot. The q finishes with a loop mirrored on its descender. And m, n, v, w, y and z all start on a curved entry stroke.

The capitals are a mixed lot. A and N are plain cursive forms, while Q and T get more decorative, intricate shapes.

Veronika Burian and José Scaglione drew it for TypeTogether’s Playwrite project, which follows the Primarium research into how primary schools teach handwriting. 4 weights, Thin to Regular, a Guides sibling with ruled lines, and coverage for more than 150 Latin-based languages.