11
120 IMMUTABLE LAWS OF LETTERING
V
BREAK LINES OF TYPE
AT PROPITIOUS PLACES
This is not only a visual issue, but also one that
affects readability. It can sometimes be extremely
difficult to create good "rags," and we are forced
to accept whatever is the best we can achieve,
given the copy. Throughout this book, the copy
has been changed to effect better rags, breaks,
and to avoid gaps and rivers in text (for example,
in the fourth line down, I replaced the word very
with the word extremely because it filled up the
gaps in the line). The trick, as when writing
poetry, is to avoid compromising meaning or
intent for the sake of the break—or the rhyme.
Of course, much of this book is a "do as I say, not
as I do" situation, as often it's been the case that
exigency (deadline) has forced me to let my
caption type fall where it may for better or worse.
We lose
our freedoms
at the altar
of fear
t Kahlil Gibran
Above, the line breaks work out fortunately ideal,
making a nice silhouette. Dwiggins cautioned us to
not try to make type wrap exactly in a vase like
shape—too corny—but I think he'd agree that
the shape shouldn't be awkward like above right.
We
lose our freedoms
Bfe at the ЩШ
altar of fear
t Kahlil Gibran
Yes, this is certainly ugly. However, in our efforts
to create pleasing shapes, we must avoid breaking
phrases in unnatural ways thereby sacrificing
legibility. By the way, I couldn't source the Gibran
quote, but it's a timely statement, in any event.
We hold
these truths to
be self-evident
Above, the decisions as to line breaks in this
centered type have resulted in awkward
phrasing and a funny, hat-shaped silhouette.
We hold these
truths to
be self-evident
The silhouette here is slightly hokey, but
better than the first example. However, the
line break separating to and be is awkward.
We hold
these truths to be
self-evident
This silhouette is not only the best of the
three, but the line breaks, fortunately, have
fallen into a more natural phrasing pattern.
DON'T USE EXPANDED
LETTER SPACING
> INDISCRIMINATELY
Because it's easily done, we are tempted to
space letters absurdly wide. If used carefully,
this can add a decorative touch, or it can
make our work look amateurish and become
harder to read. Words set in lowercase, above
right, a, are best not widely spaced. Scripts,
as in b and c, should not be letter-spaced,
because it breaks apart the connecting
ligatures. During the Art Deco period, it was
popular to design type and lettering with
expanded spacing, as shown in example d.
a S i 1 v e r
Shadow
b ¿r¿ & & e s*
¿sÂez t/ & €&
c ¡$ i l ir e ъ
iS H a d er ur
/ I LV E
Above is a treatment that I kinda like. The spaced-out script with an offset drop
more interesting and less haphazard than in its plain incarnation above at с Perhaps
that's because it appears as if thought went into it and that it was done on purpose, rather than
ignorantly. When it comes to immutable laws, context is everything. Right, alternating tight and
widely spaced lettering within a column was a 1930s shtick, used in posters and sheet music covers.
/HAD OW
DECO
TECHNIQUE
TYPE
TREATMENT
WIDE
"vf
I »S« D0NT USE ALL CAPS
WITH CERTAIN FACES
Setting words all in capital letters is frowned upon
when done with certain fonts and lettering styles.
Sometimes it's because the swashes or flourishing
strokes bump or overlap, but usually it's because
legibility suffers. Remember that context often
provides legibility when the design of a face has
certain confusing letters that are either too alike
or poorly designed. Script fonts, especially, may
have capital letters that are hard to read and
whose legibility depends very much on context.
Above, what do the words say? Who knows! But with initial caps followed by lowercase, you'd know.
But...
ill Dwiggins does it, it's OK,
ive this example of all script caps,
.ectra type prospectus to go by. I
don't even like it—for the very same reason I said
not to do it—but if he did it, it must be all right!
GRELLER • SIEGEL • D'AVANZO ASSOCIATES
È»
150 E. 56, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. . PLAZA 3-6220
Sn^Va^^
Q HI) went fortieth street, ve.w york IS, п. y., longacre 4-7257
designer
art director
consultant
STRIVE FOR COLOR HARMONY
BETWEEN WORDS AND TEXT
The rule of achieving an even color of letters
within a single logo or font should extend
further to the entire printed page and the
design of a web site. There should be
harmony between the color and the feeling
of the art and type. At least, that's the ideal.
Illustrator Elliot Banfield once told me he
believed that the thinnest strokes of the
smallest point type on a page should match
the thinnest strokes in any accompanying
artwork. That would seem to apply to the
1950s business card a, top left, where
colors—all in a related key—contribute to
this well-integrated design. When both the
lettering and illustration are made with the
same tool, as in card b, it becomes easier to
achieve harmony. The small letterpress type
in this card has clogged up, causing it,
inadvertently, to match the rest. In card c,
the strokes of the sketchy illustration seem
consistent with the stroke weights of the
chosen font, helped along by a warm gray
printing ink that marries all elements of the
card by the noted designer George Samerjan.
15.
THOU SHALT This is not exactly a rule
SAVE OFTEN
of lettering, but it is most
important for those of us
doing computer lettering.
Take it from one who has
too often had to redo lost
work. Hit Save (*-$) fre¬
quently, especially after
completing any distinct
portion of a task. Save
your work before you: use
Create Outlines (corrupt¬
ed fonts can crash Illus¬
trator); open any other
program; go to print; go
to lunch, etc. Above, this
is the universal symbol for
saving work, which I just
invented.