The ideal printshop is that one which contains only harmonious type-faces, ink colors and paper stock. This ideal condition being impossible except in a small shop, the best alternative is to have all type-faces as nearly harmonious as possible. It would be wise to build upon the body type as a foundation. Choose a body face that will be suitable for most purposes, and then select a series or family of display types that harmonize with it. If Caslon Old Style is chosen as the body letter, Caslon bold, Caslon italic and Caslon text will afford variety in display while retaining harmony. (Of course the large display sizes of the Caslon Old Style should be included.) The Cheltenham family probably provides the greatest variety of harmonizing faces. Scotch Roman is a dignified and legible letter, and supplemented by its italic and the larger display sizes is a satisfactory face for many purposes. Old Style Antique is a useful letter where a black tone is desired and is pleasing in its original form. There are many artistic letters now to be had that give the effect of hand-lettering, which are admirable for distinctive advertising literature.

While harmony of type-faces is essential, yet a certain amount of contrast is desirable. At one time it was customary to alternate a line of capitals with one of lower-case. This arrangement gave contrast, but not harmony. The best results are obtained by the use of either all capitals or all lower-case. As explained in the chapter “When Books Were Written,” our alphabet in its original Roman form consisted of capital letters only. Lower-case letters, also known as minuscules, are the result of evolution, and in form differ materially from the capitals. Custom decrees that a capital letter be used to begin an important word otherwise in lower-case, but with this exception either kind is better used alone.

Example 19 illustrates harmonious combinations of type-faces and borders and also presents several incongruous features.

Section A is an all-capital scheme enclosed in a border of heavy and light rule. A border such as this owes its origin to the panels used by the Romans to surround inscriptions on stone, and as these inscriptions were in capital letters only, the appropriateness of the treatment is manifest. As the letter is also formed of heavy and light strokes the harmony is enhanced.

In section B there is harmony from both the historic and artistic viewpoints. The black text face, representing as it does the direct result of the evolution from capital letters, is appropriately used only in its lower-case form. The use together of text capitals is objected to on the ground of illegibility. This black text face (correctly called Gothic) is historically associated with ecclesiastical printing, and the border, consisting of pointed crosses of black tone, blends with the pointed black letters of the type-face.

Section C shows a plain letter of modern cut known erroneously as gothic. Containing no serifs, it lacks a feature which has always been considered necessary to beauty in type-faces. As a harmonious border for this face there is nothing better than a plain rule of the width of the type strokes.

The next three panels demonstrate such harmony as may exist between type-faces of different series:

D.—This panel shows Caslon bold in combination with Caslon roman, and demonstrates the close harmony existing between type-faces of the same family.

E.—Another demonstration of the harmony of the family types.

F.—Harmonious, to a certain extent.

The type and rule in the next panel do not harmonize for these reasons:

G.—The border is too black and square in form. Italic, because of the slant of its letters, looks better not surrounded by a border, but when one is used it should be light and contain some of the characteristics of the italic.

In all cases where ornamental borders are used more finished results are obtained if a rule separates the border from the type, as in Section B.

The next two panels present the “horrible examples,” which are defective for these reasons:

H.—The type-face of the upper group has nothing in common with that of the lower group. That of the upper group is a distinctive old-style roman, with serifs, and is set in lower-case, while that of the lower group is a plain black modern letter, without serifs, and is set in capitals. The main display should never be lighter in tone than the less important type matter.

I fails to harmonize because the type-face of the lower group is slightly extended and the one of the upper group is condensed. The shape of the letters of a type-face should conform to the shape of the page, and so far as possible to the shape of the companion letter, when one is used. Condensed letters should be avoided except for pages that are long and narrow, and an extended letter should not be used except on a wide page.

There are more typographic sins committed thru violation of the laws of appropriateness than in any other way. In this regard it would not be difficult to make out cases against the best of typographers, whose sins are washed away by good work in other respects. As in architecture, where one part of a building bears relation to all other parts, so in typography there should be a motive that blends all elements in serving one well-defined purpose. The phrase “Is it appropriate?” prominently displayed above the type cabinets, over the presses, in the stock-room, and over the layout man’s desk, would help to keep in mind this important requirement.

An architectural motive was suggested by the copy for Example 20, and type-face and decorative border were selected that the motive should be emphasized. The architecture of the Romans was frequently embellished with inscriptions (see Example 24), and in modern architecture the panel of Roman lettering is a feature; the lettering is generally all capitals of the same size, of a style near that of the ancient lettering; and the panel is outlined with molding, plain or decorative. Serving a purpose equivalent to the architect’s panel molding, the type or rule border is a valuable addition to a page of type. A page of display type or a halftone not surrounded by a border is like an oil painting without a frame. The egg-and-dart border around Example 20 is historically associated with architecture. The type-face is a Roman capital letter designed by Fred. W. Goudy from an inscription found in the ancient Forum at Rome.

Bismarck was called the “Iron Chancellor” because of his great strength of character and unbending will. Strength instantly associates itself with the mention of iron or steel, hence the motive for the construction of Example 22. It may be interesting to know that the design of this page was further suggested by the old lock-plate (Example 23). A printer with imagination can absorb ideas from many sources. The lock-plate is not literally reproduced in type, but a few of its features, including the key-hole, were borrowed and conventionalized. An artist-designer does not copy his models closely; they serve the purpose of suggesting shape and treatment and his imagination does the rest.

For the cover of a small catalog listing rare books, a typographic motive is found in the woodcut borders and initials of the early printers. Example 25 shows what may be done with type-foundry material on such a cover. The border is of black tone and the type and initials are given the strength that harmonizes with it.

Old books suggest discolored leather, dusty shelves and plain men, and it is an abrupt change to the subject of millinery, with its bright colored feathers, ribbons and delicate finery. The milliner ornaments his salesroom with vines and flowers and dainty colors, and the printer gets his typographic motive from such sources. Example 21 illustrates a booklet cover treated thus appropriately. The page size is unconventional, the coloring is dainty, and the type lines are neatly diminutive.

As a millinery store is unlike an office in which are maps and blue prints and legal documents, so typography for these two purposes should be unlike. Example 26 is a page severely plain and non-sentimental. The types are merely to tell something in a blunt manner. There is needed no touch of decoration or color to interest the reader, because those who read it would do so whatever the treatment. This is the only example in the present chapter in which the advertising element is unimportant. The page may be commonplace because it need not be anything else, altho it is well to do good work even here.

From the surveyor’s office our journey of instruction takes us into a church during an elaborate Easter service. Light filtered of its brightness by stained glass windows; high-placed Gothic arches pointing toward the sky; soft organ-music—all these create an atmosphere of solemnity and harmony. A program or pamphlet for use during a church service should be as appropriate to the environment as a Book of Common Prayer or Bible. Typographic treatment good as shown in Examples 22, 26 or 28 would be ridiculous for a church program. Example 27-a shows a page historically appropriate. The type-face is peculiarly fitting because of its pointed form, and also for the reason that a letter of similar design was used by medieval scribes on ecclesiastical books (see Example 27-b). The crossed rules, which should be printed in orange-red, are adapted from the guide lines as made by the scribes for marking the position of a page on the sheet.

When a holiday crowd is gathered, dignity is put aside and all enter into the festive spirit of the occasion. Here is the motive for the typographic treatment of a booklet or catalog of decorative materials as presented by Example 28. It would be excessive emphasis of appropriateness to print such a page in a combination of bright red and blue. The colors should be softened. The page would look well printed in a deep blue with a flat blue tint overprinting the star border.

There is room for improvement in the support typographers give artists in the production of booklets and catalogs. In many cases title-pages are constructed with no regard to the motive suggested by the design on the cover. Bibliophiles judge a book not only by the excellence of its execution, but by the harmonious unity that may be expressed in every detail, from the literary contents to the last bit of tooling worked on the cover. The type, ornamentation, paper, ink, margins, leather, the arrangement of the title-page and the cover treatment, all must be selected and utilized in expression of a dominant central motive. The same rule presents the key to good typography in job work. Example 29 shows the Colonial arch adapted as the border of a booklet cover. The artist gives this treatment to the cover because of the motive suggested by the name “Colonial Trust Company,” and when the title-page is set it would be a mistake not to use some Colonial arrangement. Example 30 blends with Example 29 and is modified from the old Colonial title-page treatment just enough to give it a modern appearance without sacrificing the old-time atmosphere. The border suggests both the widely-spaced rules of the Colonial printers and the architectural pillars of Example 29. No letter spacing is used, despite the temptation offered.

Discussion of the subject of harmony and appropriateness could be extended much further than is allowed by these limits. Pages could be filled with descriptions of instances in which the compositor had erred in treating typography and ornamentation inharmoniously or with an unimaginative appropriateness. The use of angelic ornaments on Y. M. C. A. printing, where something more substantial is desirable; the double-meaning that may be read into the use of a horseshoe ornament on a printer’s letterhead; the placing of illustrations of live fish, lobsters and animal food on banquet programs—these are a few of the things that might be mentioned.

High-class catalogs have been marred by the use of stock decorative initials which were at variance with the other decoration. In order to save a few cents both printer and customer are inclined to use stock decoration that happens to be on hand at the moment. Hundreds of dollars are spent on the work and then for the sake of saving thirty cents (the cost of a harmonious initial or ornament) many dollars in effectiveness are sacrificed. Another way of injuring the appearance of a book is to use a type-face on the title-page that does not harmonize with that used for the body matter and the sub-headings. In order to secure complete harmony even the lettering on the cover should blend in style with that used for the title-page, sub-headings and text pages.

Altho strict adherence to the laws of harmony and appropriateness is necessary in the production of good work in any field of endeavor, Americans seem to be really proud when they violate such laws. We all know the person who dresses in a slouchy manner because he read somewhere that Horace Greeley dressed that way. And there is the modern politician who wears a slouch hat and constantly carries a quid of tobacco in his mouth because Henry Clay did so. There are also house-organ publishers who use inharmonious and inappropriate type-faces and decoration because Elbert Hubbard thus treats the cover of the Philistine.

It is not a question of the sort of clothes a person actually needs to go from one end of a street to another—Lady Godiva reached her destination with no clothes at all—yet we often admire a person dressed harmoniously and in good taste without knowing the reasons for our admiration. As there is art in tailoring and in the selection of clothes, there is also art in printing, and he who investigates will find that the great natural laws of beauty apply even to typography, which some by their work seem to think requires no more thought than ditch-digging.

This chapter is a story of the alpha and omega of color—white and black. Since the creation of the world, when light first illumined the darkness, these two colors (if I may call them colors) have been emblematic of extremes—white, the symbol of purity and goodness, black of impurity and evil. White and black represent extremes in color. Mixing of all the color rays of the solar spectrum produces white, and mixing of all the colors in the solid form of printing ink produces black. From this contrast of white and black maybe drawn a lesson in color. (Example 31.) Light represents warmth, darkness cold. As the colors are toward light they are warm; as they are toward darkness they are cold. Red becomes warmer as it takes on an orange hue, and colder as it takes on a purple hue. A warm color should be contrasted with a cold color—as orange with black. The further in tone the color is from black the more it contrasts with the black. As an illustration: Orange is more pleasing than a deeper shade of red as a companion color for black. Blue, purple or green, selected to be used with black, must be lightened with white ink to get the desired contrast.

White and black as a combination are and ever have been popular with writers, printers and readers. Fully nine-tenths of the newspapers, books, catalogs and other forms of reading matter are printed with black ink on white stock. It is coincident that optical necessities require for best results in reading a black-and-white combination, and black ink and white paper are more cheaply and easily produced than other colors of ink and paper.

This chapter is also an illustrated sermon on uniformity of tone or depth of color, in which is pointed out the necessity of bringing many spots of black or gray into harmonious relation. The esthetic importance of uniformity of tone is universally recognized. Choirs are robed in white and black; fashion has its uniform clothing for the hours and functions of the day and night; theater choruses and the soldiery are living masses of uniform tone and color. As uniformity is important in these things, so is uniformity important in the tone of a page of printing. A type-page exhibiting a variegated mass of black and gray tones is not unlike a squad of recruits in different styles of clothing marching irregularly; while on the contrary a type-page of uniform tone and arrangement maybe likened to a uniformly equipped regiment of soldiers marching with rhythmic tread.

A page of display typography composed of a mixture of irregular gray and black tones is inexcusable in the sight of the art-loving reader. As combinations of inharmonious type-faces are wrong, equally so are combinations of incongruous tones. For the sake of contrast and variety in typography, art principles are too often ignored, the printer confessing to ignorance or lack of ingenuity. Contrast is necessary, but it may be had without sacrificing uniformity. Again making use of a military simile: soldiers are marched in platoons, companies, battalions and regiments that the monotony of solid formation may be broken; type is arranged in groups and paragraphs for similar reasons. While an absolutely solid page of type may present a pleasing tone, a slight break in the regularity is desirable for reading purposes. Thus art makes concession to utility, but such concession should always be granted reluctantly. There is classic authority for the arrangement of the type lines in Example 20 of the preceding chapter, but on the majority of printing jobs it is necessary to compromise with utility and emphasize important words, as in Example 19-a of the same chapter. The secret of producing artistic typography in these practical times is to pilot the ideas of the customer into artistic channels; emphasize the words he wants emphasized, but do it in a way that will result in creditable typography. There is a right way and there is a wrong way of arranging type, and too many typographers arrange type the wrong way and unjustly blame the customer for the result.

The effectiveness of uniformly black tone on a background of white is well illustrated on the beautiful book title shown as Example 32, in which even depth of color is consistently maintained. There is not a weak spot on the page; border, ornament and lettering are of equal tone, and the white background is reflected thru the black print in agreeable contrast. The Germans are masters in their treatment of contrast and uniform tone, and he who bewails the limitations of black and white printing should ponder over the results shown by this specimen from over the sea.

Here is a practical demonstration of the workings of the theory of uniform tone in typography. Example 33 displays four ornaments, each of a different tone or depth of color. One of the customs when constructing a booklet cover-page to be ornamented, is first to select an ornament that is appropriate in design and of proper proportions. Upon this ornament the page is constructed, and it dictates the characteristics of the border and of the type-face; its tone determines the tone of the entire page. This is also true of a trademark furnished by the customer, altho such plates are frequently so inartistic that a compromise is necessary.

Assuming that a cover-page is to be designed and that ornament A has been selected for use on the page, a rule border is chosen with triple lines approximating the strength of those in the ornament. (Example 34.) The lines are very thin, and white space is a large factor in producing a tone that is light and dainty, in keeping with the subject of the illustration. A perfect result would be obtained with a type-face of very thin strokes, yet Caslon capitals, slightly separated to let in white space, give good results.

The ornament shown as B has been formed of lines darker than those used in the first ornament, and a mass of white forms a spot of contrast. Rules of the proper tone are selected and a border unit adopted that reflects the spot of white in the ornament. (Example 35.) Cheltenham capitals maintain the tone scheme. In this case, as in others, the type-face is a trifle stronger in tone than ornament and border. This is well. Type-lines on a cover are usually of more importance than the decoration.

Ornament C differs from ornament A in that it is composed of light lines contrasted with solid blacks. A border is made of a light line and a dark one, and the Bodoni type-face, containing light and heavy strokes in contrast with a white background, assists in producing a decidedly pleasing medium black tone (Example 36).

This combination of ornament, type and rule demonstrates there is considerable tone beauty in a well-selected contrast of light and dark lines when set off by liberal white space between lines and in the background.

The dense black tone of ornament D is duplicated in the dark-line border filled with black decorative units (Example 37). The black-printing Chaucer Text reflects not only the tone but the decorative characteristics of ornament and border. The tone of this example approximates that of the German page (Example 32).

These four examples afford an interesting study in uniform tone.

As the tone or depth of color increases from the light gray of Example 34 to the dense black of Example 37, it will be observed that the contrast between the print and the paper background also increases. This leads to the subject of contrast. What amount of contrast is needed on the ideal job of printing? There is conflict between art and utility on this question, but there need be none. Art demands that the print be a part of the paper upon which it is impressed, much as the plant is a part of the earth in which its roots are buried, and utility demands that the print shall be strong and clear that reading may be made easy. The artist-printer lessens the contrast between print and paper by printing with gray ink on gray stock, brown ink on light brown stock, and so forth. The utility printer gets the maximum of contrast by printing with black ink on white stock. As printing is both art and business some compromise must be made, and it is this: On two-color printing have all reading matter in the stronger color and subdue the color of the decoration so that the contrast between the paper and the print of the reading portion of the page is softened by this intermediate tone. Black print on white paper is made artistic by impressing the print firmly on antique paper. This roots the print to the paper, and the result is more idealistic than that presented by the print daintily set upon the surface of glossy, enameled papers.

Lack of artistic feeling among typographers and customers is responsible for unpleasant contrasts in tone. A dense black illustration or initial will be set in a page of light gray reading matter, or type of black tone will be used on a page with an illustration of light lines. Great contrast in any detail of typography is not art but eccentricity; this statement may be made plain by a comparison. One winter’s day when the conventional folk of New York were wearing clothing of a somber hue, they were startled by the appearance among them of Mark Twain in a suit of white. Six months later the humorist’s garb would have excited no comment, but the black clothed mass of humanity around him emphasized the whiteness of his attire, and the conspicuousness thus produced separated him from his surroundings and made him an object of curiosity. Such things are done by great men to show their disregard for custom and by others because they are foolish or are advertising something; but it is common-sense right from Cervantes to do when in Rome as the Romans do (meaning that printed work which both attracts and repels by its gaudy, unconventional appearance is not nearly so good or desirable as the more conventional printed work which tastefully and quietly presents its message in subdued tones). One man will become widely known because he has dived from a big bridge or gone over Niagara Falls; another because he has painted a great picture or modeled a great statue. The one thrills, the other impresses. It may be easier to produce typography which attracts attention by contrast, but such results do not bring the lasting satisfaction that comes from typography thoughtfully and artistically designed.

Several other points are suggested by Examples 34 to 37. A page for a cover should be of darker tone than a page to be used as a title inside the book; this where the body-type of the inside pages is of the customary gray tone. A cover placed upon a book to protect it suggests strength, and the typography of the cover should conform to this suggestion. The reason for the uniform tone presented by each of the four examples above mentioned is another important point. Were the border darker than the ornament and type lines, the ornament darker than the border and type lines, or the type lines darker than the ornament and border, there would not be uniformity of tone, and a consequent loss in the effectiveness that comes from tone harmony.

The tone of a massed page is of vital importance in the typography of a book, and a happy medium is somewhere between the under-spaced black type-page of Morris and the over-spaced hair-line type-page against which the Morris page was a protest. Examples 38 and 39 show the manner in which the tone of a page may be controlled by spacing. In Example 38 the page is moderately spaced between words and lines and in Example 39 the page is liberally spaced, presenting two extremes and vividly picturing the manner in which spacing influences the page tone.

The tone of the pen-and-ink outline illustration in Example 40 is admirably duplicated in the typographical treatment accorded the page. The result would not have been so satisfactory if there had been no quad lines to break the solidity of the page.

The spotted black tone of the decorative border in Example 41 is reflected in the typography of the page, a result obtained by using a bold-faced body-type and separating the words with a liberal amount of space. However, the tone would not be equal printed in one color, but by printing the border in a lighter color the tones are equalized. Here is a suggestion for obtaining even tones. Where one portion of the page is bolder than the other, print it in a lighter shade of ink, or if any part of a type-page must be printed in a lighter color, set that part in a type-face of darker tone (Example 47).

Job printers should be interested in Example 42, as it is a good presentation of the theory of uniform tone. The effect of the open-line illustration is duplicated in the spaced Jenson capitals and cross lines. The result would have been even better had the small groups on both sides of the illustration been slightly letterspaced and the line at the bottom spaced less.

Example 43, on the insert, is a classic interpretation of uniform tone. The architectural design is formed of lines about the same strength as the strokes of the type-face and the massed capital letters admit sufficient light to give them a tone near to that of the open-spaced border.

Example 44 (insert) is a pleasing blend of tone and characteristics. The delicate light-gray tone of the Camelot type-face is closely matched in the decoration and border, and altogether this is an almost perfect exemplification of the subject of this chapter. It is seldom that an artist so carefully considers the characteristics of a type-face and reproduces these characteristics in so admirable a manner as was done in this instance.

Initials and headpieces should approach closely the tone of the type-page of which they are parts. Example 45 shows such a combination, with the tone of the decoration just a trifle darker than that of the text portion. An initial has other duties to perform than merely to look pretty; it must direct the eye to the beginning of the reading matter. In the manuscript books of the Middle Ages, written without paragraphs, the starting point of a new thought was denoted by an initial more or less elaborate. The utilitarian purpose thus served by the initial is reason for making it a trifle darker than the remainder of the page. However, if there is great contrast in tone, the page will be difficult to read because of the initial claiming too much attention. The effect would be much like attempting to listen to one speaker while another is calling and beckoning.

Every rule has its exception and I wish to record one in the matter of uniform tone. On a page composed of display lines and a large amount of reading matter it is an offense against legibility to set the reading matter in a type-face of black tone to correspond with the display lines, considerable contrast being necessary in such cases to make reading easy. (Example 48.) Notwithstanding this exception in the case of reading matter, uniform tone should be retained between display lines and border.

If a catalog is illustrated (and the majority are) it is important to have the illustrations prominent on the page, sacrificing tone to utility if necessary. Sometimes the illustrations are printed in dense black and the remainder of the page in gray or brown. While this causes the illustrations to stand out in relief—an important point when machinery is depicted—it should not be forgotten that the type matter must be read.

In advertising composition it is seldom possible to have an even tone on the entire page. The New York Herald advertising pages are unique in this respect. Outline type-faces are used, and all illustrations are redrawn in outline before they are published. This serves to give a uniformly gray tone to the pages, but the advertisers are not enthusiastic over the effects. While other newspapers may not be able to maintain uniform page tone, it is possible at least to have each advertisement present a tone uniform in its displayed parts and border, and the good typographer will secure such effects. The gray shaded type-faces now available should enable printers and publishers to obtain tone uniformity where gray effects are desired and large type sizes used.

Irregular letterspacing has been the cause of many pages of unsatisfactory tone. In a displayed page where one line is spaced between letters, all lines should be similarly spaced. Example 49 presents a decidedly unconventional letterhead by reason of the letterspacing, and it illustrates the point that all lines should be spaced equally. It may be well to warn job compositors inclined to imitate the style of this heading that there are few customers who would concede any merit to such an arrangement, and it should be used sparingly. Unconventional treatment, even tho good along the lines of the style chosen, is not always appreciated.

Symmetry is necessary to beauty. This law of esthetics is as applicable to typography as to sculpture and architecture. Proportion and balance—the things that make for symmetry in typography—are obtained only by giving the work more attention than seems necessary to the average producer and buyer of printing.

Why should the printer worry about esthetics—about symmetry? What has art to do with printing, anyway? Questions such as these find too frequent voice in the printing trade, coming from the employee whose interest and ambitions end when he “gets the scale,” and the employer who is satisfied merely to deliver so many pounds of paper and ounces of ink for so much money. Pity the man whose work is drudgery and who denies that art and beauty are meant for him. He has his antithesis in the man who, appreciating the higher blessings, neglects to give value to the more common and practical things.

There have always been two opposing classes—in religion, politics, art, music, business. On all questions one portion of humanity is “for” and the other “against,” mostly because of the influence of environment upon tastes and interests. Mozart’s and Beethoven’s music charms and enthuses and also lulls to sleep. One class should try to understand the other. Each has good reasons for its preferences, but none at all for its prejudices. The painter Rubens, gathering inspiration in the courts of royalty, portrayed luxury and magnificence. Millet, painting in a barn, pictured poverty, sorrow and dulled minds. What pleased one found little sympathy in the other. During the Middle Ages learned men talked, wrote and thought in Latin, and when it was proposed to translate the Scriptures into the language of the masses these men held up their hands in horror.

Not so many years ago the book printer looked upon the job printer as the Roman patrician looked upon the plebeian, but the job printer has absorbed dignity and typographic taste from the book printer. While the book printer’s highest ideal is a volume with uncut leaves ornamenting the book shelves of the collector, the job printer’s mission is to be all things to all men. He prints the refined announcements of art schools one day and another day finds him placing wood type to tell the story of a rural sale of articles “too numerous to mention.”

There should be more sympathy between the book printer and the job printer, and also between the printer who regards his calling as a business and the printer who regards it as an art. The employer and employee who consider printing only a means to an end and that end money, are as near right and as near wrong as they who produce art printing for art’s sake and forget the pay envelop and the customer’s check. The first starve their souls, the last their bodies.