LETTERING.
Before going further into technical instructions, it may be well to explain the various styles of letters, and the uses for which they are required. It is always best to use one general style of lettering for all your cards, as the cards thus become identified with your establishment and form a sort of trade mark which people quickly recognize. What style of letter you adopt depends much upon your own taste and the skill and facility you acquire in making any certain letters. While each of the styles shown in this article has its special use, any one of them may be adapted for your work.
The letters and sample cards have all been drawn by William Lee Jukes, who is acknowledged one of the leading card writers of America. He has given us every useful style of letter known to the craft.
DE VINNE STYLE OF LETTERING.
But bear in mind that a plain, stylish, characteristic letter is the best—something that people will read without noting the letter itself, that will enable them to understand what the card says, without stopping to realize whether the letter itself is well or poorly executed. That is the acme of perfection in card writing. An illegible card loses all its intended effect. A poorly executed card makes people notice that it is not well done. A fancy card calls attention to the card itself and induces the reader to forget what the card says. You don’t want to show what a fancy card you are able to execute—at least the business firm that employs you doesn’t care a rap for your skill. But you do want to impress a fact concerning your goods upon the minds of a possible customer. Therefore, strive to make a neat card, a modest card, and at the same time one attractive enough to arrest the attention and induce people to read what it says.
This may appear a hard task to the novice, but by exercising good judgment and experimenting in various styles of lettering you will be able to get very close to the ideal you are seeking.
The requisites of a good card are simply these:
1. It must be sufficiently attractive to be noticed, to draw the eye of the prospective customer.
2. It must be worded briefly and concisely, so that every word counts, and you do not say too little or too much.
3. It must be so neatly and modestly lettered that the words are impressed upon the mind of the reader without his realizing just how the letters are formed.
Having impressed this upon you I will now describe the different styles of lettering.
De Vinne letters are shown on the preceding page. This style of letter makes a very neat and stylish card, and is used extensively by department stores as a fixed style. Although it has the appearance of simplicity it is a very difficult letter to make correctly, and I would advise beginners to use a more simple style.
The capitals and small letters of a rapid brush lettering are also illustrated in the engraving upon this page. It it is a very neat letter, easily made, and much used where rapid work is necessary.
RAPID BRUSH LETTERING.
Modern Roman is a comparatively new face, and has lately been extensively used for out-door advertising. The unfinished, outlined letters will give an idea as to the manner in which this style of letter is made. It is well to draw the outlines first and fill the letter in solid afterwards.
MODERN ROMAN STYLE OF LETTERING.
Modern Egyptian—A bold letter is naturally a useful letter. The one here shown is easily made and easily read. I recommend it as especially suitable for show cards announcing a sale, or for like purposes. The letters must be made a trifle irregular in order to be fully effective.
Script—This is one of many familiar styles of script. While this class of lettering is fast losing its popularity, it is still preferred by many for show cards. One who is a good penman may become very efficient in this style of lettering with very little practice.
MODERN EGYPTIAN STYLE OF LETTERING.
AN ALPHABET OF SCRIPT LETTERS.
Unique Letters—The novice will, at first glance, consider this a very difficult letter to make, but, on the contrary, it will be found very easy of execution. The vertical lines must be heavy; the perpendicular ones light. This face has no established regularity. The ribbons can be run through the letters promiscuously to suit the taste of the writer. The centers may be filled in, as in the word “cards,” or the letters outlined and shaded, as in the word “signs.”
UNIQUE RIBBON LETTERING.
If you will practice on these letters you will acquire more or less of proficiency in their use.
THE BLOCK LETTER.
OLD ENGLISH TEXT.
Block Letter—The block letter is scarcely appropriate for show cards, although there are some occasions when you may use it. A large window ticket or interior sign may be made with this letter, which is so severe and regular that it will show distinctly a long distance. It is the most popular of all letters for outside sign work. By spacing off a number of squares, according to the size of the sign you wish to make (using a lead pencil so that the lines may be afterwards erased), and following out the idea as shown in our illustration, you will be surprised to find how easily block letters may be made.
MEDIAEVAL LETTERS.
Old English Text—This style of letter is always popular, and always has been and always will be. It is especially suitable for writing testimonials, diplomas, charts, etc., or for initials or monograms—in fact, it is useful for a hundred and one purposes. Most people know the letter and read it easily, thus giving it a decided advantage over many complex fancy letters.