Handwriting and Calligraphy

We refer to books as “print media” because they were traditionally produced by the mechanical process of the printing press. While the pages of Cartonera books are printed, the covers are handcrafted. The lettering sometimes is written by hand in styles meant to attract readers. This harkens back to calligraphy (Greek for “beautiful writing”), handwriting as a decorative or artistic practice. Interestingly, the lettering on some covers is almost illegible, prioritizing visual expression over intelligibility.