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W in Old English Letters

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

Capital W
Lowercase w

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

W is built from two V shapes, and in blackletter it is the widest letter in the alphabet after M. The capital is often drawn with a crossing in the middle or a looping ornament, and the lowercase w repeats the zigzag of the v. Because of its width, the main challenge is to keep it from dominating a word.

Outline version to colour or trace

Open in the Old English text generator →

How to draw a Old English capital W

  1. 1Draw the first heavy diagonal at about 45 degrees, bowing slightly outward and ending in a point at the baseline.
  2. 2Add a thin diagonal rising from that point to the middle top, using the corner of the nib.
  3. 3Repeat both strokes to form the second V, overlapping the middle point so the two shapes share a single stroke.
  4. 4Add a small crossing or curl at the centre and a diamond head at the top left, then check that the two points sit on the baseline.

Tip: Plan the width as about one and a half times a V. A letter wider than that eats into the word and breaks the rhythm.

How to draw a Old English lowercase w

  1. 1Draw the first stroke as a short diagonal from the x-height down to the baseline.
  2. 2Add the thin stroke that rises to the middle, forming the first V.
  3. 3Repeat to make the second V, overlapping at the middle without a gap.
  4. 4Check that the two bottoms touch the baseline and the three tops are level.

Tip: Write the word wow. The w should be about the same width as two o's, and if it is wider, tighten the angles.

What makes W awkward or easy

W is awkward because it uses four diagonal strokes in a script built on verticals, and it takes a lot of horizontal space. In older printing it was often written as two Vs, as the name double-u suggests, and some manuscripts show a crossing in the middle.

Variations

In English the letter W began as two Vs or two Us joined, and medieval scribes experimented with crossed forms. Textura W is relatively compact, while Fraktur W is more open. The details are uncertain, so check a specimen for a particular alphabet.

Common mistakes with Old English W

  • The W is too wide and breaks the word apart.

    Narrow the angles and tuck the neighbouring letters closer.

  • The middle point sits higher than the tops of the outer strokes.

    Level the three tops with a ruled line before inking.

  • The strokes are all the same weight.

    Make the left stroke of each V heavy and the right stroke thin, so the letter has blackletter contrast.

Ideas for Old English W

W is a good initial for names like Wren, William or Wilhelmina, and for place names such as Windsor on a crest. A wide gothic W works well as a headline letter, and fits a short tattoo word where its width can be balanced with narrow letters.

Printable Old English W sheet

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

Old English letter W w Name: ____________________ · coolletteringgenerator.com

Old English W you can copy and paste

Both the capital W and the lowercase w have normal mathematical Fraktur forms. Fraktur: 𝔚 (U+1D51A) and 𝔴 (U+1D534). Bold Fraktur: 𝖂 (U+1D582) and 𝖜 (U+1D59C).

Old English W: questions

Why is W called double-u?
In the Latin alphabet there was no letter W. Medieval scribes wrote two Us or two Vs side by side, and the name stuck even though the shape is made of V's. In blackletter the shape is still two linked V forms. If the word is short, such as Wolf, letting the capital carry the ornament and the rest stay plain helps readability.
Is the blackletter W hard to read?
It can be, since the capital is wide and has many strokes. Keep the middle strokes distinct and avoid heavy ornaments. In a word, use a lowercase w where possible. For tight spaces, narrow the inner angle first, then close up the neighbours. Measuring against two o shapes keeps the proportions honest.
How wide should lowercase w be?
About the width of two o's, though it varies between scripts. If it looks too wide, reduce the angle between the strokes. Check the spacing in a word such as wow. Measuring against two o shapes is a quick, reliable check for the proportions.

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