Good
Lettering—
Some
Methods of
Construction
& Arrange¬
ment

“Massed Writing” (Close Spacing). The written
or printed page is very commonly set close, or
“massed,” so that the letters support and enforce
one another, their individual beauty being merged
in and giving beauty to the whole. The closeness
of the letters in each word keeps the words distinct,
so that but little space is required between them,1
and the lines of writing are made close together (ascend¬
ing and descending stems being shortened, if neces¬
sary, for this purpose).

“ Fine Writing” {Wide Spacing).—An inscription
in “Fine Writing” may be spaced widely to display
the finished beauty of the letters, or to give free play
to the penman (or letter-craftsman). It consists
generally of a number of distinct lines of Writing (or

other lettering).

The two modes may be contrasted broadly, thus—

MASSED {Lines near
WRITING Í together.

Has an effect of richness, de¬
pending on tone of mass and
close, even spacing.

Simple method (for ordinary
use) ; saving of time and
space, .'. suited for long
inscriptions or small spaces.

Lines generally of equal length,
or if some fall short, end-
fillings may be used—gaps
are avoided if possible.

FINE {Lines spaced

WRITING* and separated.

Has an effect of elegance, de¬
pending on form of letter,
and distinct arrangement of
lines.

Refined method (for special
use) ; lavish of space and
time, /. suited for large
spaces or short inscriptions.

Lines may be of unequal
length, giving irregular,
right-hand edge, as in poetry
(see p. 227)—gaps allowed
on either side.

1 By closing up the letters and the words one may generally
avoid “rivers" or accidental spaces straggling through the
text. The presence of “rivers” is at once made evident by
slanting the page and looking along its surface, across the
lines. Note, that whether the lines be close or wide, the inter¬
spacing of the Small-Letters does not vary very much.

22Ó

Ascending and descending
stems — medium'or short:
serifs simple, and not
strongly marked.

Suited for slanted-pen forms
of “gothic” tendency, and
heavy, black writing (ex¬
ample, “black letter”).*

Requires generally contrasts of
colour or weight (p. 294), and
will bear more and heavier
illumination (Line-fillings,
Initials, Borders, &c.).

Stems—medium or long: long
stems often amarked fea ture,
ending in carefully made
heads and feet, or flourishes.

Suited for straight and slanted
pen forms of “roman” ten¬
dency, and slender, light
writing (ex., light “Italic”).*

Allows variety in size of Letters
(see pp. 262, 292) : its typical
treatment is as plain, fine
lettering — better without
heavy Borders, &c. (p. 263).

* Note.—Both modes are suited for Roman Capitals and
Small-Letters.

These two modes may not have been recognised
by the ancient letter-craftsmen : their comparison
here is intended chiefly as a stimulus to definite
thought, not as a hard-and-fast division of two
“styles”; for there may be any number of possible
compromises between them. In practice, however,
it will be found convenient to distinguish them as
two modes of treating lines of writing which produce
markedly different effects, the one, as it were, of
colour, the other of form.

Plates XI, XIII, XIV, XV, XVII may be
taken as examples of “Massed Writing,” Plates IV.,
V, VI, VII, IX, (XXI) of “Fine Writing”; the
other plates suggest compromises between the two.

Poetry (see p. 61), or any text consisting of, or
which is conveniently broken up into, unequal lines,
may be treated as “Fine Writing.” There is no
objection to a straight left-hand edge with an irregular
right-hand edge.,1 where the cause of the irregularity

1 The gaps on the right may be filled with line-finishings to
preserve a “Massed” effect, but for many purposes this would
be apt to look too ornamental (see pp. 171, 409).

227

Good
Lettering—
Some
Methods of
Construction
& Arrange¬
ment