The Art & Practice of Typography / A Manual of American Printing, Including a Brief History up to the Twentieth Century, with Reproductions of the Work of Early Masters of the Craft, and a Practical Discussion and an Extensive Demonstration of the Modern Use of Type-faces and Methods of Arrangement

by Edmund G. Gress

The proprietor or other person in authority should discuss with the layout man the subject of shop style in typographical arrangement. The matter of type equipment should also be gone over, as nothing hinders the layout man so much as to be compelled to use type-faces selected by another having ideas widely different. It is important that the type equipment be appropriate and sufficient for the class of work done. An equipment of a half dozen harmonizing faces of type is far better than one of two dozen ill-assorted faces. Good typography is to a large extent dependent upon the type-faces used.

EXAMPLE 4-b
Instructions to operator

The layout man should make a study of the personality and tastes of a customer. He should meet all such that come into the office, and arrange to call once upon each of the regular customers. He must keep in close touch with conditions in the composing-room, so that in the discharge of his duties he does not call for type-faces already set out of the cases, or not a part of the equipment.

The mechanic and the artist, to do satisfactory work, must have a certain working outfit. The layout man is no exception; while he could perhaps manage with only a lead pencil and foot rule, it would be foolish to do so. His work will be expedited if he has an assortment of good crayons; hard, medium and soft lead pencils; a pair of shears, a T-square, a gelatine triangle, a type-line gage, a table for giving the number of words to an inch in the various size type bodies; and a library of books and periodicals on printing, especially of those showing examples of type designs. To provide him also with a set of water colors, a jar of Chinese white, a bottle of gold paint, a bottle of india ink and several brushes would not be extravagance.

It would be economical and wise if several sample sheets of each kind of stock were kept near his desk in a portfolio or convenient drawer. Book papers could be cut in quarters, cover papers in halves, and cardboard in various convenient sizes, all ready to be used at an instant’s notice. Several each of ruled headings, cut cards and other standard goods should also be included. In laying out jobs, especially large runs, he should make them of such size as will cut from the sheet with little or no waste. If an order is to be rushed, he should ascertain if the stock may be had without delay.

WORDS TO THE SQUARE INCH
	Sizes of Type—SOLID
SQUARE INCHES	5 POINT	6 POINT	7 POINT	8 POINT	9 POINT	10 POINT	11 POINT	12 POINT
1	69	47	38	32	28	21	17	14
2	138	94	76	64	56	42	34	28
4	276	188	152	128	112	84	68	56
6	414	282	228	192	168	126	102	84
8	552	376	304	256	224	168	136	112
10	690	470	380	320	280	210	170	140
12	828	564	456	384	336	252	204	168
14	966	658	532	448	392	294	238	196
16	1104	752	608	512	448	336	272	224
18	1242	846	684	576	504	378	306	252
20	1380	940	760	640	560	420	340	280
22	1518	1034	836	704	616	462	374	308
24	1656	1128	912	768	672	504	408	336
26	1794	1222	988	832	728	546	442	364
28	1932	1346	1064	896	784	588	476	392
30	2070	1410	1140	960	840	630	510	420
32	2208	1504	1216	1024	896	672	544	448
34	2346	1598	1292	1088	952	714	578	476
36	2484	1692	1368	1152	1008	756	612	504
	Sizes of Type—LEADED with 2-point leas
SQUARE INCHES	5 POINT	6 POINT	7 POINT	8 POINT	9 POINT	10 POINT	11 POINT	12 POINT
1	50	34	27	23	21	16	14	11
2	100	68	54	46	42	32	28	22
4	200	136	108	92	84	64	56	44
6	300	204	162	138	126	96	84	66
8	400	272	216	184	168	128	112	88
10	500	340	270	230	210	160	140	110
12	600	408	324	276	252	192	168	132
14	700	476	378	322	294	224	196	154
16	800	544	432	368	336	256	224	176
18	900	612	486	414	378	288	252	198
20	1000	680	540	460	420	320	280	220
22	1100	748	594	506	462	352	308	242
24	1200	816	648	552	504	384	336	264
26	1300	884	702	598	546	416	364	286
28	1400	952	756	644	588	448	392	308
30	1500	1020	810	690	630	480	420	330
32	1600	1088	864	736	672	512	448	352
34	1700	1156	918	782	714	544	476	374
36	1800	1224	972	828	756	576	504	396
EXAMPLE 7
Table for ascertaining the number of words to square inches. Use of this table in laying out booklets and catalogs will not only save time but will minimize the chance of a miscalculation

EXAMPLE 8
Notehead as set without instructions from layout man The three specimens on this page lack relation in design

For an example of the workings of the layout system we will suppose that the principal of a local business college has brought in typewritten copy of about a thousand words to be made into a small booklet. A little questioning brings out the information that the customer desires something attractive, refined, and of good quality. He does not want a cheap job, and neither has he money to spend upon expensive de luxe booklets.