The Color Printer/Job Composition
A Few Hints on Job Composition.
IN the composition of display work of any kind, there are two things which the printer should always keep in mind—Harmony of Type Faces, and Harmony of Proportion.
By Harmony of Type Faces, we mean that when more than one character of letter is used in a job, they should be selected with a view to producing a harmonious contrast of face—that is, there should be a decided difference in character but not a violent difference. For example, in the card below, we
Harmony of Proportion is produced when a job is so constructed that all the borders, panels, lines of type, etc., of which it is composed, bear a proper proportion to one another in heft, height, and length, and are located so as to produce a nice balance—the whole being properly proportioned to the size of the sheet or card upon which it is to be printed.
So then it may be said that when a job shows a harmony of type faces, and at the same time a harmony of proportion in all its parts, it is a very perfect specimen of the compositor's art.
When it is possible to set the whole of a job in the different sizes of one style of letter without producing a disharmony of proportion—one of the best results in job composition is attained. For example, see Plates 43, 49, 61, 80, and 88. This harmony in type faces bears the same relation to type, that the harmony of scale does to colors; for example, see Plate 80, which was set in different sizes of one letter, and the borders at top and bottom were printed in different tones of one color; the balance of the page was printed in two tones of another color.
When a fancy letter or one that is peculiar in character is used for the main display lines of a job, it is always in good taste to use a plain roman or [1]gothic letter (or sometimes both) for the balance of the matter. The gothic and roman letters bear the same relation to type faces that gray does to colors; gray is a neutral color, and can be used with any other color without producing a disharmony. So it is with the gothic and roman letters; they can be used with any other letter without producing a bad effect. This rule also applies to any plain letter in which the gothic or roman character predominates. For example, see Plates 47, 48, 49, 53, 56, 57, 65, and 67.
It is not in good taste to place near together in one job, two lines of letters between which there is a violent difference in form or character; it is always best to avoid extremes in the selection of different kinds of type for display lines. The card following is a good illustration of what printers ought to avoid. It will be observed that there is a violent contrast in form between the two main lines, while the character of the letters is the same; and a violent contrast in both form and character between the letters in the business line and the letters in the street line; and also between the letters in the street line and the letters in the city line.
It is not in good taste to use a very extended letter for a narrow title page; or a very condensed letter for an oblong page. To get the best result, the letters and the page should be very nearly the same in proportion. If possible, the most important line or panel should be located between three and five-tenths of the full length of the page from the top. It will sometimes be found that, on account of the nature or quantity of the matter, this suggestion can not be followed. A perfectly shaped egg, viewed as represented on the following page, is a splendid illustration of the form of a perfect title page.
When a single line of type is to occupy the center of a page, it should be placed a little above the actual center; otherwise, if placed exactly in the center, it will appear to be below the center. For example, see illustrations below.
This rule will also apply to any amount of type matter, ornaments, panels, etc., which are intended to occupy the center of a page or panel.
In the composition of high-class display work, when it is possible, the letters in a line of type should be spaced so that each word will show an even distribution of color — that is, the body of each word should approach as nearly as possible to the even sweep of the painter’s brush. See example below.
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Sometimes the combination of certain letters makes it impossible for ns to get a very even distribution of color by spacing; but we can always improve the appearance of the line by so doing; see following example:
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The letters which cause the uneven appearance of lines are A, F, J, L, P, T, V, W and Y. In some job types this unevenness is overcome to a great extent by some of these letters being mortised or by all the other letters not named being cast on bodies somewhat wider than the face.
- ↑ The type known as gothic, in the United States, is composed of plain lines, and is the simplest in form of any type made.