Good
Lettering—
Some
Methods of
Construction
& Arrange¬
ment

Distinctiveness in the Spacing of the Lettering neces¬
sitates sufficient interspaces: the following common
spacing of Letters, Words, Lines, &c., may be
modified to suit special circumstances.

Letters, as a rule, are not equidistant, but their interspaces are
approximately equal (я, fig. 152).

Words, commonly less than one letter-space apart (0 and c).
Lines of Capitals, frequently half (d) or whole (e) letter-height
apart. Lines of Small-Letters, commonly ascenders and
descenders just clearing (/)• , _ ,

Divisions of Text a clear line apart, or marked by a difference
in colour or size (see figs. 94, 96, 186, &c.).

Proportion in the Treatment of the Whole Inscrip¬
tion.—The spacing-proportions referred to above
apply to lettering generally, but the proportions of
an inscription as a whole involve the consideration o^
a special case. Example :—

The Proportions to be Considered in the Case of a
Manuscript Book (see pp. 66-74, 3°5> &c.).

(1) Size and shape of the Book (Set by custom, use of Book,
and its page (proportion of ■*“
width to height) (see p. 69).

size of material, &c.) (see
figs. 69,70, and pp. 67, &c.).

(2) Width of Margins—
Proportions—

(я) to each other.

(6) to size of page.

(e) to the lettering.

(3) Size of Writing—
Proportion of height of letter

to length of line.

(4) Number of lines—
Proportion of text to page.

(5) Size of Large
Initials, &c.

Capitals,

(6) Size of Decorative Divisions
of the Text (marked by
different treatment, colour,
ornament, &c.).

220

(я) (Commonly abou t r J : 2:3:4)
(see fig. 70, and pp. 69-70).

(6) (Frequently about, or more
than, half the area of the page).

(Set by page, and margin, and
number of words in the line ;
usually more than four words
to the line) (see pp. 73~4).

(Set by page, margin, and
height-of-letter, and modi¬
fied by treatment of spacing)
(see pp. 74, 226).

(Set by Small-Letter ; common¬
ly one, two, three, or more
of the writing - line - spaces
high) (see footnote, p. 187).

(Set by page, &c. ; usually such
Division is relatively small
or large—as a definite “head¬
ing,” or a whole page) (see
p. 98).

ifypi^cmmatdy equal (white) Interspaces ■

WORKS PASE

spacea‘betwcm:;woi6

I (C.) S

LINES OEM
CAPI TALS Щ,
LINES OFife
CAPI TAL SJt«

.distance, apart

uines oF Sma

Good
Lettering—
Some
Methods of
Construction
& Arrange¬
ment

Fig. 152.

221