
6
Stencil writing is one of oldest methods of making ad hoc typefaces. The
rudimentary technology is accessible to all and is as simple as cutting
letterforms (however imprecisely) out of heavy paper or board, then painting
over the cutouts. The distinctive look of stencil type—the gaps between
horizontal and vertical portions of the letters—derives from adherence to a
single, overriding requirement: durability. When divided in this way, the
segments of a single letter endure longer than if the cutout were seamless.
Stencils were not originally designed as fine typography but rather served more
routine functions, that of reproducing marks, letters, words, ...