Cursive R, uppercase and lowercase
Capital RSmall rR in wordsPrintable practice sheet
The guide lines work like this: red is the baseline, dashed is the midline where short letters end, and the top blue line is capital height. Each letter is set from the outlines of the same school-cursive typeface, so the numbers in the size table are read from the letters, not guessed.
Neither letter has numbered stroke steps on this page. The old manuals say little in words about capital R, and for small r they lean on printed pictures. So each letter is shown as a picture with the manuals' own words under it: the 1915 Palmer Method for both letters and the 1866 Spencerian Key for the capital and for a note on small r.
Uppercase cursive R: what the manuals say
Palmer's note on capital R asks for a close look at the proportions and at the direction of every stroke, gives a pace, and names the word to practice. It does not say where the pen starts or which way it turns. The last block below is from the Spencerian Key, which describes the Italian capital R in a sentence and then says what the script form keeps; the quotation begins in the middle of that sentence.
“Be sure to fix in mind the image of the letter before attempting it. Study closely the proportions and the direction of every stroke. Make about fifty capital R’s to the minute, as given in the next page.”
“Write line after line of the word “Running” with a light, quick motion, and compare with the copy frequently. Twelve to fourteen words should be written to the minute.”
“The capitals should occupy only from two-thirds to three-fourths the distance between the ruled lines, assuming that they are about three-eighths of an inch apart.”
“a slanting straight line on the left, and a section of an oval and a compound curve on the right. In the script form, curves are substituted for the straight line, and the oval and compound curve on the right are retained.”
These words describe the models in those books. The typeface here, Playwrite US Trad, is a modern school-cursive face, and its R may differ in detail. When you practice, follow the words rather than the drawn letter.
Lowercase cursive r: what the manuals say
Palmer gives small r a lesson of its own and shows it in a slower form and a faster form. His text names some parts of each form and sends the reader to the pictures for the rest, so no pen path is written out here.
The shape
“The small r given in the first line in drill forty cannot be made at a high rate of speed, as the form requires a checking of movement at the top to form the shoulder. Study the parts of the letter shown before the first completed form.”
“The form in the second line can be made at much higher speed, and, while somewhat difficult to learn, is much easier in execution when mastered. The first part of it is just like the first part of small m or n. The downward stroke is retraced to a point about one-fourth of a space above the first part; a stop (hardly noticeable) and a dot are made before the swinging curve to the next letter.”
“The count for this small r in drill forty-one for each group of five is 1–2, 3–4, 5–6, 7–8, 9–10; or one-dot, two-dot, three-dot, four-dot, five-dot; or one-stop, two-stop, three-stop, four-stop, five-stop.”
“How long, do you stop, at the top? Not long, but you stop, every time at the top. What for, what for, what for? To make a dot, to make a dot, to make a dot, etc.”
“Be careful to make distinct movements in forming the dot and shoulder. Do not make them as if a part of the upward or downward line.”
How tall small r is
“The small r and s are in the same class, but are made a quarter space higher than the others.”
“As before mentioned, small r and s are companion letters, and both may be made one-fourth higher than other letters of the minimum class; not because of any technical rule, but rather because it generally is agreed that they look better so made.”
Joining small r, and the slip to avoid
“If the connective lines between letters of this style are made with too much under-curve, perhaps touching the base line, they will more nearly resemble small x than r. Guard against this fault.”
“In writing the word “Drumming” do not lift the pen from the beginning stroke in small r to the ending stroke of small g. Regularity and continuity of motion are very essential. Keep the pen on the paper.”
These words describe Palmer's and Spencer's models. The typeface here is a modern school-cursive face and may differ in detail, so when you practice, follow their words rather than the drawn letter.
R in joined words
A capital R that starts a word hands over to the small letters after it. Running is the practice word Palmer sets for capital R. Each word below is typeset with the same font, which supplies the joins between letters.
- Running
- Rose
- Ruby
- Ray
- or
- car
How tall each letter sits on the lines
| Letter | Top of the letter | Bottom | Width |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowercase r | 115% of the midline height (575 vs 500 units) | on the baseline (17 units below it at the lowest point) | 737 units including the exit stroke |
| Uppercase R | 101% of capital height (1015 vs 1000 units) | on the baseline (19 units below it at the lowest point) | 886 units including the finishing stroke |
Units are the typeface's own grid. Read from the font file of Playwrite US Trad; see how these are made. Palmer makes small r a quarter space higher than the other short letters (quoted above); measured in this typeface, the r reaches 115% of the midline height.
Practice sheet
A single page that fits US Letter and A4. Each letter gets a model row, which starts with a dark copy to imitate followed by gray letters to trace, and a row that is all tracing. Word rows to trace and empty rows for writing alone come after.