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O in Old English Letters

By Maya Chen, lettering designer and type educator · Checked by Jordan Hale · · How we review content

Capital O
Lowercase o

Rendered in the UnifrakturMaguntia typeface, an open-source font. It is a reference shape, not a hand-drawn letter.

In blackletter, O is not a circle. It is drawn as a pair of curved sides with pointed tops and bottoms, which is why the letter looks like a lozenge or a pinched oval. The capital is a heavier version with a small ornament, and the lowercase is a compact pair of mirrored curves that fills the x-height exactly.

Outline version to colour or trace

Open in the Old English text generator →

How to draw a Old English capital O

  1. 1Draw the left curve as a thick stroke at about 45 degrees, bulging slightly outward and ending in a diamond foot.
  2. 2Draw the right curve as a mirrored stroke, starting at the top and bending outward, so the two sides leave a pointed gap at the top and bottom.
  3. 3Add hairlines at the top and bottom that join the curves into a closed shape.
  4. 4Place a small decorative cut on the left side and check that the counter forms a clear, pointed oval.

Tip: Think of the O as two parentheses with their tips joined, not as a ring. That image keeps the thick sides on the left and right and the thin joins at top and bottom.

How to draw a Old English lowercase o

  1. 1Draw the left curve as a short stroke in two facets, starting at the upper right and finishing at the baseline.
  2. 2Draw the right curve as a second stroke that mirrors the first, closing the shape.
  3. 3Join the tops and bottoms with fine hairlines, using only the corner of the nib.
  4. 4Check that the shape touches both the baseline and the x-height, with no gap.

Tip: Write o between two n's. If the o is darker or wider than the stems on each side, your curves are too heavy.

What makes O awkward or easy

The O is awkward because a pen-written curve should have thick sides and thin tops, which results in a shape quite different from a geometric circle. Many beginners over-round it, which breaks the angular rhythm of the surrounding letters.

Variations

Textura o is the most angular, with strongly pointed tops and bottoms. Fraktur o is a little rounder, and Rotunda o is the roundest of the three. Note that these are general tendencies, since scribes varied.

Common mistakes with Old English O

  • The O is a perfect circle that looks out of place.

    Draw the sides as two facets with pointed ends, so the shape matches the angled rhythm of the other letters.

  • The thin joins at top and bottom disappear.

    Pull the hairlines with the nib corner and a firm touch so they stay visible.

  • The lowercase o is wider than the neighbouring letters.

    Keep the width close to an n's inner space plus two stems, and compare after each word.

Ideas for Old English O

O is a strong initial for names like Olivia, Oscar or Odette, and a single gothic O makes a bold, symmetrical emblem for a badge or a drop cap. The lowercase o repeats so often that it gives a word a distinct texture, which is useful to bear in mind for a tattoo.

Printable Old English O sheet

Trace the outlines, then fill the empty rows with your own letters.

Old English letter O o Name: ____________________ · coolletteringgenerator.com

Old English O you can copy and paste

Both the capital O and the lowercase o have normal mathematical Fraktur forms. Fraktur: 𝔒 (U+1D512) and 𝔬 (U+1D52C). Bold Fraktur: 𝕺 (U+1D57A) and 𝖔 (U+1D594).

Old English O: questions

Why is the Old English O not round?
It is drawn with a broad-edge pen at a fixed angle, which gives thick sides and thin tops, and scribes added angled facets. The result is a pointed oval. A round O would look out of place beside the angular letters.
How do I draw the lowercase o with a marker?
Draw two curved sides with pointed tops and bottoms, then thicken the left and right edges with a second pass. Keep the inside open. The shape will read as blackletter even without pen contrast. Squeeze the top and bottom to points rather than rounding them, and the letter will sit comfortably in a line.
Is the capital O the same as the lowercase o?
They share a shape, but the capital is larger and more ornate. In some styles it is only a bigger o with a small embellishment. Keep a clear size difference so it works as a capital. In a name like Otto, the capital and lowercase forms next to each other show the difference clearly.

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