Initial
An initial or an initial (Latin initium " beginning, commencement "; plural: the initial → initials or the Initial → the initial) is a minute decorative initial letter, which is used in the factory set as the first letter of chapters or sections.
Initials is called also the first letters of a name. In this connection there is only the plural form. Artists, for example, use their initials to unobtrusively identify a plant. Most letters are then also features artwork (eg Albrecht Dürer).
Use
In the past initials were richly decorated. In today's typography uppercase is mostly used as initials of larger font sizes that can be placed one or more lines and style should match the base font. After their placement in the text column Forssmann / de Jong ( 2004) differ in their book detail typography following types of initials: detached initials, initials built overhanging initials, set-in initials and Cassette initials. Furthermore, there are the initials on the basis of their shape divided into: initials of a typeface, decorated initials and illustrated initials.
If the text starts with, for example, a citation and thus a quotation mark is the first character, this character and the next letter will be used as initials. Restrictive but formulate Forssman / de Jong to detail in typography (p. 288 ): " the text begins with the use of built-in initials with a citation, it is not necessary. Only freestanding initials, whether they start or dull after moving, you can put the citation from the base font before the initials, and indeed, as shown in the size of the base font. "
Examples
- First letter
Inhabited Initial: characters act in the initial, the initial body is often formed of tendrils. Picture: Initial P in Malmesbury Abbey, Wiltshire.
Figure initial: The initial body is made up of figures. Example: The N from a fantastic alphabet.
- Name initials
Carved Initials, probably from the year 1953 in the bark of an old tree
Initials of " Jesus Nazarene, Rex Iudaeorum " (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews ): INRI