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T in Old English Letters

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

Capital T
Lowercase t

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

T is the letter that most clearly shows how blackletter turns a simple shape into a decorative one. The capital is a heavy stem with a curved arm that hooks to the left and a swelling at the top, and the lowercase t is a short, narrow stem with a crossbar and no ascender. It is a common letter, so its shape appears across every line of text.

Outline version to colour or trace

Open in the Old English text generator →

How to draw a Old English capital T

  1. 1Draw the thick stem at about 45 degrees, with a diamond head and a flat foot.
  2. 2Add the crossbar as a curved stroke that leaves the top of the stem and sweeps both left and right, thicker in the centre and tapering at the ends.
  3. 3Draw a small hook at the left end of the bar, and a diamond or point at the right end.
  4. 4Check that the bar sits above the stem and that the stem is the heaviest part of the letter.

Tip: Draw the bar with a gentle upward curve. A flat bar gives the T a stiff, mechanical look, and a drooping one resembles a hat.

How to draw a Old English lowercase t

  1. 1Draw a short stem, shorter than the ascender and just above the x-height, starting with a small angled head.
  2. 2Pull the stem straight to the baseline, finishing with a diamond foot or a small outward turn.
  3. 3Cross the stem at the x-height with a short flat bar, extending to both sides.
  4. 4Check that the bar and the top of the stem do not rise above the other letters' ascender line.

Tip: Cross all your t's after finishing the word, in a single motion. The bars line up, and the page looks tidier immediately.

What makes T awkward or easy

The T is awkward because the bar and stem must balance. The lowercase t is also short, so it can be confused with l or f in a small size, particularly if the crossbar is too thin to be seen.

Variations

Textura t is often a compact stem with a short bar, while Fraktur t can have a slightly higher stem. Some Rotunda forms include a curved foot. These are broad tendencies and many typefaces blend the features.

Common mistakes with Old English T

  • The crossbar is so thin it vanishes.

    Pull the bar with the full width of the nib so it keeps visible weight.

  • The lowercase t rises as high as l.

    Cut the stem just above the x-height, so that it reads as a short letter.

  • The capital T arm droops on one side.

    Draw both arms from the centre outward, matching the curve on both sides.

Ideas for Old English T

T is a popular initial for names like Tessa, Theodor or Tobias, and for mastheads such as The Times, which is the best known use of blackletter in the news. A bold capital T anchors a monogram, and the lowercase t is useful as a decorative cross in a tattoo word.

Printable Old English T sheet

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

Old English letter T t Name: ____________________ · coolletteringgenerator.com

Old English T you can copy and paste

Both the capital T and the lowercase t have normal mathematical Fraktur forms. Fraktur: 𝔗 (U+1D517) and 𝔱 (U+1D531). Bold Fraktur: 𝕿 (U+1D57F) and 𝖙 (U+1D599).

Old English T: questions

Why does the lowercase t look so short?
In blackletter it stops just above the x-height, so it does not rise like l or d. This helps to distinguish it from tall letters. The crossbar adds the identifying feature, so make sure it is visible. That small height difference helps the eye pick out tall and short letters in a word.
Is the T on newspaper mastheads the same as Fraktur T?
Newspaper titles such as The Times use blackletter typefaces which are related but not identical to Fraktur. Details such as the shape of the bar and the swelling at the top vary by designer. If you need an exact match, identify the masthead typeface by name and use that font.
How do I draw the bar of a capital T?
Start at the centre of the stem and draw outward, curving both arms slightly upward. Thicken the middle and let the ends taper to points. Add a hook at the left end if you want a more ornate look. A slight curve and a pointed end on each side give a more authentic result than a straight bar.

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