The Roman
Alphabet
& its
Derivatives

(a. b. c.y

Г REF

* dmxvn out,

Stems~
Si arms
(d.)

?OD|

IOD3

V

v /’TOT*

j ER1F5 (hooks, bealts, etc.)

I

YWJRR

0(CL.$¿C.) I (b.)

О P

-'T |\‘л>
(«NÜTAILS

Fig. 163.

254

а

and the strokes in A, F, G, I, M, N, P, Y, &c., The Roman
which may be drawn out tail-wise—play an impor- Alphabet
tant part in the right construction, and the occa- & its
sional decoration, of plain lettering. They may Derivatives
end either in serifs or in curves (see SERIFS (e),
above, and fig. 188).

(b) Note.—It is a characteristic of vigorous forms
that branches, &c., stand out well from their stems
(pp. 185, (e) 253, (N) 235), and a good tail should
stand out well from the letter (K, Q, fig. 167).

(r) An excellent form of tail for ordinary use,
combining strength and grace, consists of a (strong)
straight stroke ending more or less abruptly in a
(graceful) finishing curve.

(d) An extraordinarily long tail requires a slight
double curve to take off its stiffness.

(e) A good tail may be made by the addition of
a double curved stroke on the under side of a
straight tail (or of a single curve above).

(/) In treating the tail of J, or the drawn-out
stems of A, F, G, I, M, N, P, Y, it is important
to preserve the essential straightness of the stems.

Therefore, if a finishing curve be used, its size is
related to the length of the straight stroke, and,
unless this be extraordinarily long, the curve is
usually made rather small and abrupt. A curve
which is too large is apt to weaken the form and
“pull it out of the straight” (g, fig. 163).

BUILT-UP FORMS

Built-up Letters are composed of compound
strokes (r, di fig. 164); Simple-written Letters of
simple strokes (a, b).

The Pen being an instrument which produces

255