EXAMPLE 492
The black sections indicate the serifs, and show the differences in serif construction on several well-known type-faces. From Bullen
It is by the serif that in most cases old-style types are distinguished from the so-called modern Romans. An interesting demonstration of this was made by Henry L. Bullen with Century Expanded, a modern Roman (Example [494]). The first line shows the letter unchanged. As the serifs in most old-style faces project diagonally, he, in the second line, altered the modern serifs to conform to this idea. The third line shows Century Oldstyle as it actually appears in type.
There is, of course, more to a true old-style face than mere change of serifs, and in the actual cutting of the types other minor alterations were made, as will be seen by study of the third line.
EXAMPLE 494
By altering the serifs “modern” type is changed into “old-style.” From Bullen
EXAMPLE 496
In most Roman alphabets all vertical strokes are thick, excepting in M, N, U. Horizontal strokes are thin. Diagonal strokes running down from left to right are thick and from right to left are thin, excepting Z, z.
This process was reversed by Mr. Bullen, and in Example [493] certain serifs of Caslon Oldstyle are in the letters i, n, k, p, h made horizontal, and in the letters E, L, s made vertical. Modernized in this manner, Caslon Oldstyle resembles Scotch Roman (Example [484-C]).
Thick and Thin Strokes.—The inbred good taste and instinct for beauty possessed by the Roman calligrapher which directed him to add the serif to his lettering also impelled him to vary the width of the strokes (Example [464-A]).