｢‍｣ Lingenic Compose: Engraving In Development

Copperplate font format

GitHub: lingenic-compose-engraving · lingenic-compose-chisel-path

The .engraving format defines copperplate and metal engraving fonts. Unlike lapidary (struck chisel into stone), engraving uses a pushed burin through ductile metal, giving continuous control over line width through pressure.

This creates the characteristic swelling lines of copperplate scripts — thin entries, swelling middles, tapered exits with flicks.

Format Overview

.font-begin Copperplate
  units-per-em 1000
  ascender 800

  .plate-begin copper
    material Copper
  .plate-end

  .burin-begin fine
    profile Lozenge
    angle 45
    face-width 10
  .burin-end

  .glyph-begin A U+0041
    advance-width 600
    engrave fine 50,0 ◊20 ⏤ 300,720 ◊80 ⏤ 550,0 ◊20
  .glyph-end

.font-end

Burin Profiles

The burin (graver) tip shape determines line character:

Profile	Description	Use
`Lozenge { angle }`	Diamond-shaped tip	Most versatile, classic copperplate
`Square`	Square tip	Broader lines, bold work
`Round`	Round tip (scorper)	Dots, stippling, curved cuts
`Flat`	Flat tip	Clearing areas, tint lines
`Spitsticker`	Very pointed	Finest detail work
`Onglette { angle }`	Angled face	Script and flourishes

.burin-begin fine
  profile Lozenge
  angle 45           .* included angle at point
  face-width 10      .* width at cutting face
  belly 50           .* belly length (affects rocking)
.burin-end

Plate Materials

Metal substrates for engraving (all ductile, pushed technique):

Material	Hardness	Ductility	Use
`Copper`	35	90	Classic intaglio printing
`Zinc`	30	85	Softer, easy to work
`Steel`	80	70	Long print runs, dies
`Silver`	40	95	Jewelry engraving
`Gold`	30	98	Fine jewelry
`WoodEndGrain`	40	15	Wood engraving (boxwood)

.plate-begin copper
  material Copper
  hardness 35
  ductility 90
.plate-end

Pressure Control

The ◊ symbol (U+25CA) indicates pressure at a point (0-100). Pressure controls:

Line width — More pressure = wider line
Cut depth — More pressure = deeper cut
Ink holding — Deeper cuts hold more ink

.* Swelling line: thin entry, swell middle, thin exit
engrave fine 0,500 ◊20 ⏤ 200,500 ◊80 ⏤ 400,500 ◊20

Path Symbols

Symbol	Unicode	Meaning
`⏤`	U+23E4	Straight line
`⌒`	U+2312	Smooth curve
`∠`	U+2220	Corner / angle
`↻`	U+21BB	Close path
`◊`	U+25CA	Pressure at point
`⤴`	U+2934	Flick exit

Engraving Actions

Action	Description
`Entry`	Burin enters plate
`Continue`	Continue at current pressure
`Swell`	Increase pressure for wider line
`Taper`	Decrease pressure for narrower line
`Flick`	Quick exit leaving characteristic tail
`Exit`	Burin leaves plate

The Burr

When a burin cuts metal, it displaces material to the sides — the burr. Treatment affects print quality:

Treatment	Effect
`None`	Burr scraped away — clean engraved line
`Light`	Some burr left — subtle softness
`Heavy`	Burr preserved — rich drypoint effect, velvety lines

.glyph-begin l U+006C
  advance-width 250
  engrave fine 125,0 ◊30 ⏤ 125,500 ◊50 ⏤ 125,720 ◊30 burr Light
.glyph-end

Example: Copperplate A

.glyph-begin A U+0041
  advance-width 600

  .* Left stroke: thin entry, swell, taper
  engrave fine 50,0 ◊20 ⌒ 200,400 ◊70 ⌒ 300,720 ◊30

  .* Right stroke: heavy down, flick exit
  engrave fine 300,720 ◊30 ⌒ 400,400 ◊80 ⌒ 550,0 ◊20 ⤴

  .* Crossbar
  engrave fine 150,280 ◊30 ⏤ 450,280 ◊30
.glyph-end

Comparison: Lapidary vs Engraving

Aspect	Lapidary	Engraving
Tool	Chisel	Burin
Technique	Struck with mallet	Pushed by hand
Substrate	Stone (brittle)	Metal (ductile)
Control	Discrete impacts	Continuous pressure
Line width	Set by chisel width	Variable by pressure
Characteristic	Sharp V-shadows	Swelling lines