Bismarck was called the “Iron Chancellor” because of his great strength of character and unbending will. Strength instantly associates itself with the mention of iron or steel, hence the motive for the construction of Example [22]. It may be interesting to know that the design of this page was further suggested by the old lock-plate (Example [23]). A printer with imagination can absorb ideas from many sources. The lock-plate is not literally reproduced in type, but a few of its features, including the key-hole, were borrowed and conventionalized. An artist-designer does not copy his models closely; they serve the purpose of suggesting shape and treatment and his imagination does the rest.
EXAMPLE 28
Cover-page for a catalog of decorative materials, suggesting festive gatherings, music and waving flags
For the cover of a small catalog listing rare books, a typographic motive is found in the woodcut borders and initials of the early printers. Example [25] shows what may be done with type-foundry material on such a cover. The border is of black tone and the type and initials are given the strength that harmonizes with it.
Old books suggest discolored leather, dusty shelves and plain men, and it is an abrupt change to the subject of millinery, with its bright colored feathers, ribbons and delicate finery. The milliner ornaments his salesroom with vines and flowers and dainty colors, and the printer gets his typographic motive from such sources. Example [21] illustrates a booklet cover treated thus appropriately. The page size is unconventional, the coloring is dainty, and the type lines are neatly diminutive.
As a millinery store is unlike an office in which are maps and blue prints and legal documents, so typography for these two purposes should be unlike. Example [26] is a page severely plain and non-sentimental. The types are merely to tell something in a blunt manner. There is needed no touch of decoration or color to interest the reader, because those who read it would do so whatever the treatment. This is the only example in the present chapter in which the advertising element is unimportant. The page may be commonplace because it need not be anything else, altho it is well to do good work even here.
From the surveyor’s office our journey of instruction takes us into a church during an elaborate Easter service. Light filtered of its brightness by stained glass windows; high-placed Gothic arches pointing toward the sky; soft organ-music—all these create an atmosphere of solemnity and harmony. A program or pamphlet for use during a church service should be as appropriate to the environment as a Book of Common Prayer or Bible. Typographic treatment good as shown in Examples [22], [26] or 28 would be ridiculous for a church program. Example [27-a] shows a page historically appropriate. The type-face is peculiarly fitting because of its pointed form, and also for the reason that a letter of similar design was used by medieval scribes on ecclesiastical books (see Example [27-b]). The crossed rules, which should be printed in orange-red, are adapted from the guide lines as made by the scribes for marking the position of a page on the sheet.
EXAMPLE 30
Title-page in semi-Colonial style, appropriate for use with a cover design such as Example [29]
When a holiday crowd is gathered, dignity is put aside and all enter into the festive spirit of the occasion. Here is the motive for the typographic treatment of a booklet or catalog of decorative materials as presented by Example [28]. It would be excessive emphasis of appropriateness to print such a page in a combination of bright red and blue. The colors should be softened. The page would look well printed in a deep blue with a flat blue tint overprinting the star border.