Script to generate with DrawBot a grid to practice blackletter calligraphy

blackletter_grid.py

'''
Blackletter grid generator
Generador de retícula para letra gótica
-
Eduardo Aire Torres 2020
'''

# Size of your pen / Tamaño de tu pluma

mmPen = 7 # Size in mm / Tamaño en mm
pen = mmPen * 2.83465 # Transform to points / Transforma a puntos

# Set your page's margin / Prepara el margen de tu página

marginTop, marginBottom, marginLeft, marginRight = 5 * 2.83465, 10 * 2.83465, 5 * 2.83465, 5 * 2.83465

# Line setting / Creación de renglón

lines = [
    2, # Ascender line / Línea de las ascendentes
    4, # X base / Base de x
    1.5, # Descender line / Línea de las descendentes
    0.5, # Space between lines / Espacio entre renglones
    ]

fullLine = 0
for eachLine in lines:
    fullLine += eachLine * pen


def writtingLine():
    stroke(0)
    strokeWidth(0.5)
    
    lineSize = 0
    while lineSize < height() - marginBottom:
        for eachLine in lines:
            with savedState():
                translate(0, -lineSize)
                line(
                    (marginLeft, height() - marginTop),
                    (width() - marginRight, height() - marginTop)
                    )
            lineSize += eachLine * pen
        if lineSize + fullLine > height() - marginBottom:
            break
    
    verticalLines = 0
    while verticalLines < width() - marginRight - marginLeft:
        lineDash(4, 4)
        with savedState():
            translate(verticalLines, 0)
            line(
                (marginLeft, height() - lineSize),
                (marginLeft, height() - marginTop)
                )
        if width() > height():
            verticalLines += (width() - marginRight - marginLeft) /12
        else:
            verticalLines += (width() - marginRight - marginLeft) /6
    line(
        (width() - marginRight, height() - lineSize),
        (width() - marginRight, height() - marginTop)
        )
    
# Setting the page / Preparando la hoja

def blackletterGrid(size):
    newPage(size)
    lineSize = 0
    while lineSize < height() - marginBottom:
        for eachLine in lines:
            lineSize += eachLine * pen
        if lineSize + fullLine > height() - marginBottom:
            break
    stroke(None)
    lineDash(None)
    font("ProximaNova-Regular", 6)
    fallbackFont('Helvetica')
    text("Eduardo Aire Torres 2020", (marginLeft, marginBottom/2))
    with savedState():
        translate(0, -(height() - marginBottom - lineSize) / 2)
        writtingLine()
    
    # Export and reset / Exportar y resetear
    saveImage('~/Desktop/blackletter_grid_{0}_{1}_mm.pdf'.format(size.lower(), mmPen))
    newDrawing()
    
# Design your pages / Diseña tus páginas

blackletterGrid(size = 'TabloidLandscape')
blackletterGrid(size = 'Tabloid')
blackletterGrid(size = 'Letter')
blackletterGrid(size = 'LetterLandscape')

# eduairet.com