_The_ ART & PRACTICE _of_
TYPOGRAPHY
[Illustration:
THE FIRST PRINTED DECLARATION
Fac-simile in reduced size (original type form about twelve by
seventeen inches) of the Declaration of Independence officially
printed about July 5, 1776. It was this setting of the Declaration
that was read before Washington’s army. Reproduced direct from the
original in the Congressional minute book of July 4, 1776
]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
_The_ ART & PRACTICE _of_
TYPOGRAPHY
_A Manual of American Printing_
INCLUDING A BRIEF HISTORY UP TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, WITH
REPRODUCTIONS OF THE WORK OF EARLY MASTERS OF THE CRAFT, AND A PRACTICAL
DISCUSSION AND AN EXTENSIVE DEMONSTRATION OF THE MODERN USE OF
TYPE-FACES AND METHODS OF ARRANGEMENT
Second Edition
[Illustration]
_By_
EDMUND G. GRESS
EDITOR THE AMERICAN PRINTER
AUTHOR THE AMERICAN HANDBOOK OF PRINTING
NEW YORK·OSWALD PUBLISHING COMPANY·1917
[Illustration]
Copyright, 1917, by the
Oswald Publishing Company
[Illustration]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
TO THE TYPOGRAPHERS OF THE PAST WHO
MADE THE ART HONORED AMONG MEN AND
TO THE TYPOGRAPHERS OF THE PRESENT
WHO ARE RESTORING TO PRINTING ITS
ANCIENT DIGNITY THIS BOOK IS
DEDICATED
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
AUTHOR’S PREFACE vii
SYNOPSIS OF CONTENTS ix
LIST OF REPRODUCTIONS xvi
LIST OF DESIGNERS xx
WHEN BOOKS WERE WRITTEN 1
THE ORIGIN OF TYPOGRAPHY 7
THE SPREAD OF TYPOGRAPHY 13
TYPOGRAPHY IN COLONIAL DAYS 19
TYPOGRAPHY IN THE 19TH CENTURY 27
THE “LAYOUT” MAN 35
HARMONY AND APPROPRIATENESS 41
TONE AND CONTRAST 47
PROPORTION, BALANCE AND SPACING 53
ORNAMENTATION 59
THE TYPOGRAPHY OF BOOKS 67
BOOKLETS, PAMPHLETS, BROCHURES, LEAFLETS 75
CATALOGS 83
PROGRAMS 91
ANNOUNCEMENTS 99
TICKETS 107
LETTERHEADS AND ENVELOPS 111
BILLHEADS AND STATEMENTS 119
PACKAGE LABELS 123
BUSINESS CARDS 127
THE BLOTTER 131
POSTERS, CAR CARDS, WINDOW CARDS 135
ADVERTISEMENTS 139
NEWSPAPERS 147
PERIODICALS 151
HOUSE-ORGANS 161
TYPE-FACES 169
IMPRINTS 195
APPENDIX—GREETING CARDS
[Illustration]
AUTHOR’S PREFACE
In the preface to the first edition of “The Art and Practice of
Typography,” the author stated that he did not “anticipate again having
the pleasure of producing a book as elaborate as this one,” but the
favor with which the volume was received made another edition advisable,
and in consequence he has had the additional pleasure of enlarging and
revising it and of producing a volume even more elaborate and with a
better selection of examples.
The task of rewriting and replanning the second edition was near
completion when America entered the war against Germany, and now, a few
months later, the book is presented to the public. The first edition was
published in February, 1910. Work on the new edition was begun by the
author in the latter part of 1913, and so great has been the task, in
addition to his customary editorial labors, that almost four years have
passed.
The extent of the work will be comprehended when it is mentioned that
there are twenty-eight chapters, in which the illustrations or
typographic arrangements, numbering six hundred and fifteen, include
forty full-page specially-printed inserts. Most of these illustrations
or typographic arrangements are in color. The text matter, which makes
direct reference to the examples, totals nearly one hundred thousand
words.
That these examples are mostly high-class and by many of the best
typographers in America (Europe also being represented), is due to the
fact that the author during his connection with _The American Printer_
has received several thousand pieces of printing, from which selections
were made for this work.
Great care was exercised in the choice of examples in order that the
book would not become obsolete, and it is believed that most of the type
arrangements shown will be considered good for a hundred years to come.
That this is possible is proved by the Whittingham titles on page 32,
one of which is sixty-eight and the other seventy-three years old at
this writing. These titles were set up when most typography was poor,
yet few other type arrangements of that time would meet approval today;
which indicates that it is not _when_ printing is done, but _how_ it is
done that makes it good or bad.
Attention should be called to the plan of this volume. There are two
parts, the first having to do with typography of the past and the second
with typography of the present. Good printing of the present has a basic
connection with that of the past, and for this reason one part is
incomplete without the other.
The entire first part should be studied before any of the ideas in the
second part are applied to present-day problems, and especially should
the chapter on Type-Faces be patiently read and studied. The printer
should first know type-faces and then learn how to use them.
In the chapters on Harmony, Tone, Proportion, Ornamentation and other
art principles the author does not intend to advocate that his readers
shall make pictures with type or build pages that are merely beautiful.
The first requirement of typography is that it shall be easy to read;
the second is that it shall be good to look at. The efficient
typographer studies the copy and arranges it so that the reader’s task
is an easy and pleasant one.
* * * * *
In planning the second edition the general style of the first edition
was retained. However, an effort was made to change the style,
especially of the binding, but so satisfactory was the original that it
was again adopted.
The historical chapters in the first part have been revised and slightly
altered, but they are practically as before. Extensive changes have been
made in the second part. The text has been thoroly revised, and better
typographic examples substituted in many cases. These chapters
especially have been greatly altered: Booklets, Catalogs, Announcements,
Letterheads, Billheads, Business Cards, Posters, Advertisements,
Imprints.
The chapter on Type-Faces is all new and has been enlarged from ten to
twenty-four pages. New chapters on the following subjects have been
added: Package Labels, Blotters, Newspapers, Periodicals, House-Organs.
In place of the medley of contest specimens in the appendix of the first
edition, there are halftone reproductions of more than one hundred
attractive holiday greetings.
No one realizes more than does the author the minor defects in
typography, presswork and other details that are present in this volume,
yet the effort of a Hercules and the patience of a Job have been
expended in making everything as correct as possible. As the book now
stands, it is a reaching after the ideal, with human inability to attain
perfection. It is needless to point out imperfections; the reader will
discover them.
In his selection of examples and recommendation of type-faces the author
has been entirely free from pressure from any source. If certain
type-faces are favored, it is because the author believes he is doing
something for the cause of good printing by favoring them. What has been
written has been written with sincerity.
* * * * *
It is well to mention that the “Pilgrim’s Progress” title on page 21 is
not genuine. Having seen the book on exhibition at the New York Public
Library, the author arranged to have it photographed and included in
this work. The sequel to this is interesting and rather humorous. When
the chapter on Type-Faces was being written and Caslon types were being
studied, the author was startled to find that the types used on the
“Pilgrim’s Progress” page were the same as those William Caslon was
supposed to have designed forty-four years later. Greatly puzzled, the
author made a trip to the library and examined the original. He
immediately saw that the type-face used on the body of the book differed
from that on the title. Discovering a note on the fly-leaf signed by
William Pickering, the explanation dawned on him. The book was probably
owned by Pickering in the middle of the last century and the title-page
being missing a new one was set up, printed and inserted when the book
was rebound. It was Whittingham, Pickering’s printer, who revived the
Caslon types about that time, and he naturally used these types as the
nearest approach to the English types of the period, 1678, when
“Pilgrim’s Progress” was first published.
* * * * *
It is impossible to mention by name all of those who have in one way or
another assisted and encouraged the author in the production of this
volume. A list of acknowledgments would include typographers of
international note and typographers-to-be whose prentice hands need
guidance. It would include office associates and those of the workrooms
whose interest and attention to technical details helped much in the
effort to make the work worthy.
There is one, however, were such a list printed, whose name would lead
all the rest, the man who, back in 1903, conceived the idea of this
book; without whose business support this elaborate and costly work
would have been impossible; whose ideals have been an inspiration; whose
confidence and encouragement generated the energy and enthusiasm that
have attended the author during the fourteen years in which this work
has been building. It is a privilege to pay this tribute to John Clyde
Oswald.
EDMUND G. GRESS.
New York, July, 1917.
SYNOPSIS OF CONTENTS
PART ONE
WHEN BOOKS WERE WRITTEN
_Page 1_
The printer and typography—Definitions and derivations of trade words—
Printing with separate types practiced between 1450–1455—Books
previously written by hand or printed from wood—The Middle and Dark
Ages—Latin in written books kept knowledge alive—Meaning of
“manuscript”—Writing materials—Arrow-shaped writing of the Chaldeans—
Papyrus rolls of the Egyptians—Ink, paper and block-printing supposedly
invented by the Chinese—Dressed skins and palm leaves used by Hindoos—
The Hebrews wrote upon stones and animal skins—We owe the present Roman
alphabet to the Phœnicians—The word “alphabet” derived from the first
two letters of the Greek alphabet, Alpha and Beta—The bards of Greece—
Manuscripts written by slaves—Papyrus imported from Egypt—Development of
parchment, and what it is—The great Alexandrian library—Length of rolls—
Story of “Septuagint”—Destruction of the Alexandrian library—Rome
supersedes Alexandria as an intellectual center—Cæsar credited as the
founder of the first newspaper—“Short-hand” writing—The period of
Emperor Augustus a memorable one in literature—Producing large editions
of manuscript rolls—Books were plentiful and cheap—Elaborate parchment
rolls—Origin of flat-sheet books—Hinged waxed tablets—Destruction of the
library at Constantinople—Drift of literature toward the East—
Transcribing and decorating holy writings in the monasteries of Europe—
Monopoly of learning gave power to Church of Rome—Since the seventh
century monastery manuscripts in Latin, the official language of that
church—Translation of Bible into “Vulgar tongue” forbidden—William
Tyndale’s English translation—Martin Luther’s German translation—Making
of manuscript books in the Middle Ages—St. Benedict sets the monks to
work copying manuscripts—Popularity of cloisters—The scriptorium and the
rules governing scribe or copyist—Tools and materials—Rubrics—
Illuminating—The copyist at work—A beautiful Irish book—Illuminators’
colors and binding of manuscript books—Missal, Psalter, Book of Hours—
Donatus, books associated with the Middle Ages—First types were
imitations of current Gothic lettering—Types cut in style of Roman
lettering—Ancient Roman writing all capitals—Evolution of Roman capitals
into small or lower-case letters—The uncial and half-uncial—Minuscule
and majuscule—Development of writing toward both heavy pointed Gothic
and the Roman style used by Nicholas Jenson—Cursive, a “script” letter.
THE ORIGIN OF TYPOGRAPHY
_Page 7_
The invention of typography marked the beginning of a new civilization—
The beginning and end of the Middle Ages—Printing with separate metal
types an evolution—Demand for playing cards and sacred pictures—Engraved
wood blocks—Block books, and method of printing them—Coloring cards and
pictures by means of stencils—The oldest dated specimen of printing—The
first block books probably Latin grammars—The “Art of Dying,” the “Bible
of the Poor,” and the “Mirror of Human Salvation”—When, where and by
whom was typography invented?—The inventor failed to print his name on
his product—Almost every European country claimed the honor—All claims
disproved excepting those of Germany and Holland—Weight of evidence is
with Germany—Typography was practiced by Gutenberg at Mainz some time
during 1450–1455—Claims of priority for Coster of Haarlem—Story of the
invention by Ulrich Zell the earliest testimony on the subject—Dierick
Coornhert’s version—The unfaithful servant—Dignified gray heads point
out the house of “the first printer”—Hadrian Junius and his “Coster
Legend”—Fashioning the bark of a beech tree in the form of letters—
Changing the letters to lead and then to tin—Old wine flagons melted
into type—A workman, John Faust, steals the type-making instruments—
Cornelis, an old book binder—The story dissected—Peter Scriverius has
another version—A clap of thunder—Confusion of dates—A statue erected to
Coster in Haarlem—“True and rational account” by one Leiz—Gerard
Meerman’s story—The sheriff who printed with wooden types—Robbed by a
brother of Johann Gutenberg—Jacob Koning awarded a prize for his essay
on the invention—Makes researches in Haarlem archives—Corroborates some
details in preceding stories—For many years Coster given equal honor
with Gutenberg—Investigations by Dr. Anton Van der Linde—Forgeries and
misrepresentations revealed—Haarlem practically surrenders its claim and
alters its school books—Records of Louwerijs Janszoon and Laurens
Janszoon Coster—Van der Linde goes to Germany, alters his name and
writes a book—Hessels translates the book into English, and afterward
becomes a Haarlem advocate—Coster proofs are weak—Haarlem claimants
unable to agree as to Coster’s identity—Gutenberg a tangible human
being, and probable inventor of the art—Parentage of Gutenberg—The
family removes from Mainz presumably to Strassburg—Was the new art
practiced at Strassburg?—Records of a lawsuit—Gutenberg agreed to teach
Andrew Dritzehen certain trade secrets—Fust lends money to Gutenberg and
takes a mortgage on his printing office—Fust seizes all types, presses
and books—Records of this suit evidence of Gutenberg’s invention—The
famous Forty-two Line Bible—Gutenberg again establishes himself as a
printer—An appointment from the Bishop of Mainz—Dies about 1468—H. Noel
Humphrey’s tribute—Peter Schœffer—Copies books at the University of
Paris—Becomes Gutenberg’s assistant—Assumes charge after his master’s
death—Marries Fust’s daughter—The new firm publishes a Psalter—First
book with a printed date—Features of the book.
THE SPREAD OF TYPOGRAPHY
_Page 13_
The city of Mainz—A conflict between two archbishops—The city is set
afire—Fust and Schœffer’s printing office burned—The workmen flee to
various parts of Europe—A table of the spread of typography from Mainz—
In Germany—John Mentel at Strassburg—Albrecht Pfister at Bamberg—Ulrich
Zell at Cologne never printed a book in the German language—Arnold Ter
Hoorne first to use Arabic numerals—Gunther Zainer at Augsburg first in
Germany to print with Roman characters—Heinrich Keffer at Nuremberg—John
Sensenschmidt at Nuremberg and Bamberg—The Bamberg Missal—Anthony
Koburger at Nuremberg had twenty-four presses in operation—In Italy—
First type printing done in the monastery at Subiaco—Conrad Schweinheim
and Arnold Pannartz brought from Germany—Ulrich Hahn first printer in
city of Rome proper—John de Spira first typographer at Venice and had
exclusive right—Nicholas Jenson comes to Venice and uses a new Roman
type-face—Story of his introduction to the art—The first page of
displayed type composition—J, U and W not in books printed by Jenson—His
office passes to Aldus Manutius—Italic introduced—Aldus reduces the size
of books and suggests the printing of a polyglot Bible—Works of Peter
Paul Porrus and Augustin Justinian—Aldus assisted by scholar-refugees
from Constantinople—His complete name—Venetian printing offices and
their product—Bernardo Cennini at Florence—Johann Numeister at Foligno—
In Switzerland—Bertold Ruppel at Basel—This city gave France its first
typographers—John Froben at Basel—Erasmus has him print his books—In
France—Ulrich Gering, Martin Crantz and Michel Friburger at Paris—Gering
becomes rich—Sectional wood border on book printed by Philip Pigouchet
for Simon Vostre—Henry Estienne at Paris—First of illustrious family of
typographers—Robert Estienne best known and most scholarly—Flees to
Geneva, Switzerland, for safety—Dies there after a labor of love—In the
Netherlands—A press erected at Utrecht—Colard Mansion and William Caxton
at Bruges produce the first book printed in English—Van der Goes at
Antwerp—Christopher Plantin at Antwerp gave renown to that city—His
printing office now a museum—A polyglot Bible his greatest work—Louis
Elzevir, founder of a family of learned printers, at Leyden—The second
Louis Elzevir at Amsterdam—Johannes Andriesson at Haarlem—In England—
William Caxton the first to set type in that country—Apprenticed to a
merchant and goes to Bruges—Becomes Governor—Enters the service of the
Duchess of Burgundy—Translates a “Historie of Troye” and learns how to
print it—Returns to England and sets up a press at Westminster Abbey—
Peculiarities of Caxton’s work—Wynken de Worde succeeds to Caxton’s
business—Introduced the Roman letter into England—Richard Pynson at
London—Richard Grafton as a printer of English Bibles translated by
William Tyndale and Miles Coverdale—Tyndale suffers death—Grafton
imprisoned for printing the “Great Bible”—Edward Whitechurch his
partner—John Daye also imprisoned—Fox’s “Acts and Monuments”—In
Scotland—Androw Myllar and Walter Chepman at Edinburgh—In Ireland—
Humphrey Powell at Dublin—In North America—John Cromberger at Mexico
City—In the United States—Stephen Daye at Cambridge, Mass.
TYPOGRAPHY IN COLONIAL DAYS
_Page 19_
Martyrs in typographic history—Ecclesiastical and political conditions
in Europe from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries—A book of treaties
on the intended marriage of Queen Elizabeth—Oliver Cromwell encourages
printing and literature—First edition of Milton’s “Paradise Lost”—Thomas
Roycroft prints Brian Walton’s Polyglot Bible—The first book published
in England by subscription—Paper for the work allowed to come in duty
free—Cardinal Mazarin discovers a copy of Gutenberg’s Forty-two Line
Bible—Chap-books and something about them—Poor representatives of the
art of typography—Woodcuts and type battered and worn—Peddled by
chapmen—Dicey books—Broadsides—Puritans land at Charlestown and begin to
settle Cambridge and Boston—Rev. Jesse Glover solicits money for press
and types—Contracts with Stephen Daye to come to new country—Rev. Glover
dies—Daye reaches Cambridge with outfit—Begins printing in 1639—The
first work—The first book—Poorly printed—President Dunster of Harvard
College appoints Samuel Green to succeed Daye—Another press and types
added—An inventory—The printing office discontinued—Printing in the
colonies of Massachusetts and Virginia—Pennsylvania second English
colony to have typography—William Bradford prints an almanac—Bradford
arrested in Philadelphia for printing an address—Type pages as evidence—
“Pied” by a juryman—Bradford goes to New York—First printshop there—
Official printer—Publishes the first New York newspaper—Benjamin
Franklin—Indentured to his brother James—The New England “Courant”—James
is imprisoned—Benjamin becomes the publisher—The brothers disagree—
Benjamin ships to New York—Meets William Bradford and goes to
Philadelphia—Secures employment with Samuel Keimer—Leaves for England to
buy printing equipment—Goes to work in London—Returns to Philadelphia
and starts a printing office—One of the first jobs—Publishes “Poor
Richard’s Almanack”—Proverbs widely quoted—Sells his shop to David Hall—
Quaintness of Colonial typography—Comments on reproductions—Page from a
Caslon specimen book of 1764—The work of Bodoni.
TYPOGRAPHY IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
_Page 27_
William Morris’s declaration—The first printed book a testimony to
genius—The first cylinder press and first linotype were crudely
constructed—Typography at its highest point—Italian and German styles
contrasted—These styles blended into the Colonial—Franklin as a
typographer compared to Aldus and Plantin—Beginning of the nineteenth
century—Utility and art—William Nicholson plans a cylinder press—Dr.
Kinsley constructs a model—A new roman type-face designed—Ornaments and
borders discarded—Style of typography becoming uninteresting—Transition
illustrated by four title-pages—Charles Whittingham and William
Pickering—Artistic qualities introduced—Punches of Caslon Oldstyle
recovered—A page in Colonial style—Punctuation marks omitted—Fifty years
ahead of their time—Job printing of modern development—Newspaper, book
and job work—Typography should be based upon art foundations—A Book of
Common Prayer—Title-pages without ornamentation—Job printers take to
fancy typography—Imitations of copperplate engravers’ work—A business
card and a bill of fare—Changing styles applied to commercial headings—
MacKellar, Smiths & Jordan—A card with apologies—A longing for pictures,
color and decoration—Brass rule and tint blocks—Remarkable skill
exhibited—The “Modern Renaissance”—Machinery led typography away from
art—Printers thought they were doing artistic work—Inspiration wrongly
interpreted—Forming of a curious chain of events—The Kelmscott Press—
William Morris, artist, poet, designer and craftsman—Franklin and the
Franklin stove—Morris and the Morris chair—The influence of Morris on
house furnishing and typography—His home—Learned to print and to make
paper—Designs type-faces—“Golden”—“Troy”—Draws decorative initials and
borders—Additional designs by Burne-Jones—Morris criticised—
Revolutionizes typography—Aubrey Beardsley—Will Bradley—A country
printer—Studies art in Chicago—The “Wayside Press”—“Bradley: His Book”—
Inspired by both past and present—A new typography—Combines with the
University Press—Becomes an interesting subject for discussion—An
opinion by George French—Attempts another new style of typography—
Profuse ornamentation—Works rapidly—Bradley and his clients—His
personality—Influence upon the American style of typography—Other
influences-Theodore L. De Vinne—Has a college degree—Apprentice in a
country printshop—Job compositor with Francis Hart—Takes charge of the
business—A writer on printing subjects—Exponent of the conservative and
dignified in typography—Should be no conflict between the styles of
Morris, De Vinne and Bradley—For different purposes—The compositor must
decide—De Vinne a leader in perfecting modern methods—Designs a
type-face—Persuades printers to group wording—Charles T. Jacobi—Has done
much for typography in England—Responsibilities of the modern
typographer—Underrating the value of history—All knowledge is valuable.
[_The chapters following are devoted to the consideration of
typography as practiced in the twentieth century._]
PART TWO
THE “LAYOUT” MAN
_Page 35_
Typography in the twentieth century—Compared with the past—Perfection
not attainable—The spirit of the master craftsman—Inspired work—The
necessity of careful preparation—Every printshop should have a layout
man—When a building is erected—Quality printing is not accidental—Shop
style—Layout men in large and small shops—Please the customer—Typography
essentially a business vocation—Orders obtained thru “dummies”
submitted—Selecting a layout man—Type equipment should be appropriate
and sufficient—A working outfit for the layout man—Portfolio of sample
sheets—Laying out a small booklet—Paper, margins, type page and size of
type—Words to a square inch—Arrangement of title-page—Specimen pages in
available body type—Use of crayon and pencil—Dummy submitted to
customer—Duplicating it in the workrooms—Dummy sheets for periodicals
and large catalogs—Incorporating illustrations in the text matter—
Marking copy for machine composition—The average stationery job—A
patchwork of typographic styles—Different results if handled by a layout
man—Studying color harmony—Determining color combinations—The colder
color should predominate—Indicating the finished result—Proofs in the
colors and on the stock to be used—Blending paper stock—Laying out
advertisements.
HARMONY AND APPROPRIATENESS
_Page 41_
“Leit-motif”—The central idea in composition—Harmony and
appropriateness—Undervaluing their importance—What is appropriate?—
Discriminating judgment required—Discreet selection of type, ink and
paper—It makes a difference—As to type-faces—As to inks—As to papers—
Simplicity synonymous with good typography—The ideal printshop—
Harmonious type-faces, ink colors and paper stock—Certain amount of
contrast desirable—All capitals or all lower-case—Harmony of type-faces
and borders illustrated—Typographic sins—In typography there should be a
motive—“Is it appropriate?”—An architectural motive—In which strength is
the motive—Design suggested by an old lock-plate—Typographic motive
found in woodcut borders and initials of early printers—A millinery
booklet cover—A page severely plain and non-sentimental—A program for a
church service appropriate to the environment—A page in keeping with a
festive spirit—Typographers should give support to artists—The Colonial
arch and a title-page—The better the typographer, the more restraint
will he exercise.
TONE AND CONTRAST
_Page 47_
A story of white and black—A combination popular with writers, printers
and readers—Uniformity of tone or depth of color—A mixture of irregular
gray and black tones inexcusable—Art principles too often ignored—
Contrast necessary, but uniformity should not be sacrificed—Art makes
concession to utility—A right way and a wrong way—Unjust blaming of the
customer—A German example of uniform tone—Practical demonstration of
uniform tone—Four ornaments, upon which four pages are constructed—
Contrast, from the viewpoints of art and utility—Lessening the contrast
between print and paper—A compromise—Impressing the print firmly on
antique paper—Setting the print daintily upon glossy paper—Lack of
artistic feeling responsible for unpleasant contrasts—Great contrast is
eccentricity—Mark Twain and contrasts—Cover-page should be darker than
title-page—The tone of a massed page—Controlled by spacing—Duplicating
the tone of a pen-and-ink illustration—A spotted black tone—Equalizing
the tone by using lighter ink—Spaced capitals and open-line
illustration—A classic interpretation of uniform tone—Characteristics
and tone superbly blended—Initial and headpiece should approach the tone
of the type page—Uniform tone between display line and border—Catalog
illustrations should stand out in relief—Outline type-faces to obtain
gray tone on newspaper page—Letterspacing—All lines should be similarly
spaced—An unusual heading.
PORTION, BALANCE AND SPACING
_Page 53_
Symmetry is necessary to beauty—What has art to do with printing?—Two
views—The book printer and the job printer—Pleasing the few or being all
things to all men—Printing as a business and as an art—Art is essential
to printing—Study of art arouses ambition—Unfolds a new world—
Proportion—Book pages—The width and length of a page—Position of the
page—Margins—The job printer and proportion—Relation of shape of
type-face to page—Condensed types for narrow pages—Extended types for
wide pages—Architecture as an example—Vertical and horizontal lines—The
relation of lines to proportion—A page with ornament, type-face and page
design in proportion—Irregularity and when it may be introduced—A type
line large or small by contrast—The happy medium—Balance, an important
subject—Type lines horizontally centered—Safety from blunders—
Out-of-the-center balance—The point of vertical balance above center—
Testing balance to the limit—Diagonal arrangements show lack of
imagination—Spacing—Its proper apportionment—An important feature when
letters are designed—The capital L—Emphasis by means of spacing—The
effect of separate lines—Should be an even page tone—Distributing
display lines over the entire page—Grouping them at the point of
balance—Spaced words in narrow measures—A good sign when one recognizes
imperfections.
ORNAMENTATION
_Page 59_
The human race has a liking for ornamentation—Natural and artificial
beauty—Nature furnishes motives for man’s work—The average man giving
thought to art—Beautiful things all about—Privileges of museums and art
galleries available to printers—Take less thought of food and raiment
and these things shall be added—Is ornamentation necessary to art
typography?—Paper as embellishment—Covering poor stock with decoration—
Ornaments under lock and key—Revising ideas of art—Abstinence—Using
ornaments with discrimination—Study of significance and appropriateness—
Motive or reason in ornamentation—Italian and German influences—Harmony
because of sympathy between arts and crafts—Inharmonious ideas of
several persons—Relation of typography to architecture shown in
alphabets—Roman and Gothic—Ornamentation both inventive and imitative—
Conventionalized ornament—With or without perspective—Things which have
inspired the decorator—Artists’ work full of meaning—Leaves, mythical
beings, sacred animals—Architectural designs on title-pages—Egg-and-dart
and bead ornaments—Results of observation—Designs thousands of years
old—Typographic borders—Triple division of taste—The severely plain,
Doric—The slightly ornamental, Ionic—The elaborately ornamental,
Corinthian—Sturdiness and grace—Difference in ideals and preferences—
Some delight in magnificence, others in plainness—The three divisions of
taste applied to typography—The style of architecture and home
furnishings influence typography—The “mission” style and straight lines—
The frivolous rococo style and curved lines—Rococo type ornamentation
not successful—A style to please those who like neither the severely
plain nor the elaborately ornamental—Ornament secondary—Should not
distract attention—Excess of embellishment—Chippendale first made
furniture serviceable, then added ornament—Regularity and variety in
repetition—Four classes of ornament—Based upon geometrical lines, upon
foliage, upon the inanimate, and upon the animate—Initials as means of
ornamentation—Corner ornaments—Decoration with a motive—Reversing half
of a design—A page with but a single ornament—Present-day preferences
are for Gothic rather than for Italian type ornaments—The reason—
Ornamentation.
THE TYPOGRAPHY OF BOOKS
_Page 67_
Good taste important in production of books—Judgment perfect in one
respect and erratic in others—Good taste and conservatism—Catering to
fashion leaves unsalable stock—Conservatives are few—Printed things that
please for the moment—Art reasons in book typography applicable to job
typography—The job compositor drawing closer to his book brother—The
book typographer governed by precedent—The conservative man
constructive—The radical destructive—Masterpieces discarded for
frivolous things—Morris set out to change book typography—He offered the
good things of the old masters—Age not proof of merit—Good typography
always good—Book industry in America tremendous—Carnegie at first
ridiculed, now acknowledged a benefactor—The need of good books well
printed—Majority of books poorly printed—Rarely do reading pages,
title-page and cover harmonize—Cover only part given artistic attention—
Should be honestly what it seems—A book model in its way—Not a line in
capitals—Only two sizes of type on title-page—Chapter headings cling to
type page—Margins—Surface covered—Proportion—Bruce Rogers—Designs books
for the Riverside Press—Regard for the appropriate—The literary motive
the cue—Suggesting a product of the middle nineteenth century—Two pages
with faults—Inharmonious typography—The cost of an appropriate
title-page ridiculously small—Provide display faces to match machine
letters—Artist and typographer and the literary motive—Composite
Colonial and modern—Unfinished effect—Books that lend themselves to
decoration—Serious books—Typographic results exceptionally good—General
use of border—Title page an excellent example—Reading matter close to
border—One margin—Style of the modern novel—Modern book composition set
on the linotype—An unconventional page—Page from a book written and
illustrated by Will Bradley—Harmony between type-face and decoration—
Effectiveness of a plain initial—Title-page of classic design—Dignified
beauty—Classic feeling in a modern title-page—A serious effort by the
Roycrofters—Page from a book by De Vinne—An ecclesiastical book by
Updike—Improving typography in America—A book with a French motive—
Avoiding commonplace types—Fonts from old matrices—Specially designed
faces—Arrangement of a book—Fly leaf, sub-title, title-page, copyright
notice, imprint, table of contents and illustrations, preface,
frontispiece, dedication, index—Numbering the pages—The space under
running titles—Lowering of the chapter headings—The space around
initials—Position of a book page—Em-quad or en-quad between sentences?
BOOKLETS, PAMPHLETS, BROCHURES, LEAFLETS
_Page 75_
Misuse of the word “booklet”—Definitions of booklet, pamphlet, brochure,
leaflet—Chap-books—The booklet’s mission educational—Users—Ideas of
writer and artist should be blended—Harmonious and complete—Printers
have many artists to select from—The connecting link between job
typography and book typography—Blending the typography with a lettered
title-page—Pure typographical effects—Approved faces—Three series only—A
page one likes to read—Reluctance to explore the past—Understanding of
typography—Type alone can be effective—Good typography to be preferred
to poor art work—Distinctive features—Space between sentences—Dignity in
lettering and decoration—Title labels—A small amount of reading matter—
Placing an illustration that is out of proportion—Care in the details of
typesetting—Results of careless typography—Buyers slaves to
conventionality—Newness and bright coloring that gets attention—
Lower-case letters for capitals—Interesting decorative headings—The
initial furnishes a spot of black—No decoration of any kind—Depending on
type-faces and paper for results—Swash italic capitals and letterspaced
capitals—Chapter heading not sunk—Suggestions from lettered designs—A
standard type for old-style effects—Lettering in Caslon style on
blue-prints—A memorial volume—Strict typographic harmony—Suggesting such
volumes-Japanese paper printed on one side—Simple typography—Living in
an artistic atmosphere—Printing journals—Specimen booklets for study
purposes—Printers depend too much on artists—Possibilities of type
arrangement never exhausted—Working together.
CATALOGS
_Page 83_
Three branches of architectural virtue applied to the catalog—Act well,
speak well, look well—The days when the catalog was a heterogeneous
collection of woodcuts and type-faces—Now care and taste shown—The
catalog a portable show case—Proper display of goods makes selling
easier—Playing up the ordinary—A block of marble, rough and carved—
Standardizing the dimensions of catalogs—Engineers recommend standard
sizes—Other suggestions—Overlapping covers—Titles on exposed backs—Date—
Index card inclosed—Copy should be legible—A dummy should be passed on—
Decoration supplemental—Expressing personality—The penalty of being an
average typographer—The envy of master printers of old—Horizontal
position of illustration—Brass rule well used—A design full of
character—Description facing illustration—Small amount of reading
matter—Red borders—Variety and interest by simple means—Cover-page built
on an illustration—Modern German typographic ideas—Bold type desirable
when color is to be shown—An art museum catalog—Securing value from
background—Technical details kept orderly—A book-catalog page—Rule
border adds decorative quality—Typography seldom receives the attention
it deserves—An uncommon catalog page—Tabular treatment for a high-class
wine list—The stone rejected by the builder—A dainty German page—A
legible ornamental letter—Absence of roman lower-case—Appropriate
woodcut—Marginal distribution—Realistic pictures—Gloves well shown—Usual
method of selling—Tabular matter.
PROGRAMS
_Page 91_
“Let all things be done decently and in order”—Four classes of programs—
Programs of sacred services—Offer opportunity for artistic treatment—
Significance an important element—The key to ecclesiastical printing—
Rubrics—A modern interpretation of the historic—Pointed Gothic
type-face—Uncial rubricated initials—Red lines—A significant device—
Prejudices among clergymen—A churchly aspect by rubrication—Arranging
numerous small titles—Economizing space—An almost perfect specimen of
church program printing—A specialist on church typography—Program of
lenten services—A small program, with a page for each event—Arranging a
program with little matter—The dance program—Should be dainty—Stock
folders—Must “look like a dance program”—A typographic dance card—
Centered dots in place of periods—Uniform border treatment on an outing
program—An unconventional dance program—Banquet programs and varied
treatments possible—Value of the decorative border—Arrangement of type
matter—A background in olive—The menu program in small booklet form—Menu
dishes in the form of checks—“Hash” and “Rehash”—A bit of fun—A classic
menu-page—A style appropriately humorous—Eating in a foreign language—
Side hits—Artistic treatment simulating woodcut decoration—A simply
constructed menu page—Unique arrangement—Titles at the left—Symmetrical
arrangement—Programs for entertainments and exercises—The commonplace
program a disappointment—Artistic programs—A refined page by Updike—
Features of interest in a page by Rogers—Admirable treatment of a brief
program—Appropriate decoration overprinted by type—A page dominated by
the Gothic style—List of characters unusually displayed—A neat page in
Caslon type—The program containing small advertisements—Theater programs
exert influence on public taste.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
_Page 99_
Publicity essential to success—Announcements the modern representative
of the public crier—Not confined to any size or shape—Often consists of
only one page—The most personal of printed mediums of publicity—The
printer depended on for suggestions and advice—Confidence of the
customer an asset—Imitation engraved announcement the most common—Allows
of no original or decorative treatment—The cobbler and tinker—
Satisfaction from work well done—The uncommon typographer not governed
by usual warnings—An announcement folder of a quality seldom attained—
Points of interest in a Caslon page—Black text letter and a generous
size of sheet—Sturdy masculine lettering—The human quality of
imperfection—A cartoonist’s task—Broad strokes make a liberal showing of
color possible—Classic dignity—Ornaments as eye-attractors—A postal-card
announcement—One-tenth manual labor and nine-tenths brain exercise—
Mistake to make type-face very large or very small—Obtaining variety and
emphasis by use of italic and small capitals—Spacing of lower-case—One
size of type only—Division into two type groups—A study in tone values—
Harmony of type-face and decoration—A brief announcement—Colonial
effects—Appropriate typography based on an early newspaper—Lack of
margins and absence of print—Heavy- and light-faced rule—Greater
legibility when lines are separated—A misplaced initial—A blotter
announcement—Printers’ own announcements.
TICKETS
_Page 107_
Good results by accident—A good job of printing should be an everyday
occurrence—Lack of interest reason for non-development—Any man not
interested in his vocation to be pitied—Thought concentrated on
typography—Efficiency a guarantee—Accept responsibilities—The first
observations of a student—“None perfect, no not one”—Tickets afford
practice of art printing—Many themes and styles in typography—
Resourcefulness a valuable characteristic—Ticket forms especially
designed—One based upon a classic motive—An idea from ancient Rome—
Capitals slightly spaced—The historic Gothic or church style—Contrast by
the use of color—A modern conception with a masculine motive—The margins
of two styles—An odd and striking effect—Modern treatment based upon the
Colonial—A bookish effect—An idea for a lecture course—White or colored
stock?—A ticket of peculiar interest to women—The geometric or secession
style—Enthusiasm over new styles—Building a house in the sands—
Square-faced type and square ornaments—An adaptation of the missal
style—Inspiration from William Morris and Italian printers—For
educational and art functions—A motive from the art workers of the
Middle Ages—A modern application of classic type effects—A purely
Colonial effect—Dainty, refined treatment and symbolic decoration—
Typography that is distinctly masculine—Orange is lighter than black in
tone—An arrangement dictated by an ornament—A ticket not easily
duplicated—Color background—Corner decoration in keeping with the
subject—A motive from early French books—Typographers should go thru the
world with eyes open.
LETTERHEADS AND ENVELOPS
_Page 111_
Standard sizes—Single leaves and the folded note sheet—Official
envelops—Folding the sheets—Printing on fourth page—Society stationery—
Ruled sheets seldom called for—Paper and typographical treatment of
letterhead and envelops should have relation—Style of professional
stationery seldom changes—Simple, neat, refined typography—Color seldom
well used—Styles furnished by lithographers and steel-die printers—Work
along standardized lines—A letterhead one form of advertising—Two tones
of type-face for much copy—Elaborate treatment seldom advisable—All
matter in one group—Blank space a factor—Brief copy—Use of a decorative
device—A harmonizing border—A meeting announcement—Suggesting an
architectural panel—Appropriate to the business—All lines of same
length—For a general store—Resetting of a “brick” letterhead—Too
literal—Injection of individuality—Something different—Attractive club
stationery—Typographic neatness—A copperplate letterhead—Two distinct
groups—Italic on a heading—Inclosing type matter in a panel—A line
border finishing off the edges of a letter sheet—A spot of decorative
color—The cross-line panel—German treatment—Notehead by a book
typographer—Humor—Envelops a convenience—Its purpose and use—Advertising
possibilities—“After five days return to”—Medieval character—Bringing
out the business—An envelop corner that is artistic—Elaborate treatment.
BILLHEADS AND STATEMENTS
_Page 119_
Suitable and dignified type composition—Should correspond in style to
that of letterhead—Standard sizes—Allowance for head portion—Window
envelops—Change in arrangement—Billheads of a quarter of a century ago—
Features of the average billhead or invoice—Composition of a billhead—
Transforming a letterhead into a billhead—Classic typography—Typographic
art and good taste on a billhead—Stationery of a book dealer—Printing on
colored stock—Lower part divided into columns—A decorator’s stationery—
Business stated in firm name—Credit bills—Use of the statement—Other
forms used in business.
PACKAGE LABELS
_Page 123_
Effectiveness of an attractive package label—Good clothes and the
package—Selection of wrapping stock—Appreciation of neat wrapping—
Druggists excel—The art of making a good impression—Twine, gummed-paper
tape, corrugated board—The printed label as a spot of attraction—The
wrapping paper as a background—Two labels of contrasting treatment—
Stronger label striking—Labels not usually seen at close range—No
standard size—Stock that pastes easily—Hand lettered labels as studies—
Italic with a decorative quality—A label design with no border—
Suggestion of Italian art—Closely-spaced black-toned lettering—Artistic
quality and interest by means of typography—A study in black and white—
The Aldine combination—Border, decorative device and lettering in the
same key—A label design that could be improved—A Goudy type arrangement—
Label with address printed in—Stock labels should be studied.
BUSINESS CARDS
_Page 127_
Courtesies of business—The business card as an introduction—Sizes of
cards—White cards predominate—An attempt at standardization in
arrangement—A model of dignity—Featuring the individual’s name—Contrast
in tone—A specimen of hand lettering—A design of strength and interest—
An attractive black monogram—Decorative device in color—An interesting
contrast—High-hat and frock-coat treatment in French style—Arrangement
in blocked Caslon capitals—Decorative device in tint—Roman capitals with
italic—A representative German card—The word “decorators” furnishes the
cue—Italic for dainty effects—A strong, simple arrangement—Classic
arrangement in one size of type—Much information on a card—Decorative
treatment that could be merged with the stock—Horizontal rule lines—A
card in Bodoni—More than one right way—Styles available for all likes
and dislikes—Character and personality expressed typographically—More
individuality now permissible—Copperplate engravers set the style for
much business-card printing—How to obtain results.
THE BLOTTER
_Page 131_
Business cards and blotters—Less restraint and dignity—Coarseness should
be avoided—No longer an experiment—Advertising values—The size—Enameled
surfaces—A model typographic blotter with calendar—Treatment should be
simple—One design of type-face—Blank space liberally distributed—Natural
freedom—Most blotters contain too much type matter—Relief from
sledge-hammer advertising—Blotter for personal checkbook—Good taste—For
a convention—Pleasing factors—Strong contrasts—Reading the message as
the signature is blotted—Masculine treatment—The character of an
architectural panel—Pleasure in using—Material that is used and material
that is not used—A model of good taste in blotter typography—The test of
time—A neat, refined arrangement—The use of large type—The narrow way—
Gray features—A touch of appropriateness—Other features.
POSTERS, CAR CARDS, WINDOW CARDS