Balance is another important subject, as it has a big share in making typography good or bad. The builder works with plumb-line and spirit-level that his walls may be in perfect balance, tho sometimes he is tempted, as the printer is tempted, to work away from the center of gravity. In Italy there is a building, an architectural curiosity—the leaning tower of Pisa (Example [73]) in the construction of which gravity has been defied to the limit, and in Canada only recently a bridge in course of construction on this gravity-defying principle, fell in a mass into the river. In typography, safety from blunder lies in type lines horizontally centered. Typographic experts experimenting with out-of-the-center balance, both succeed and fail. Compositors imitating them generally fail. Example [76] is an out-of-the-center arrangement that is fairly successful. Balance is saved by the type-lines in the upper left corner and by the border surrounding the page. Examples [69] and [75] show out-of-center balance adapted to a business card and a booklet cover.
EXAMPLE 69
Out-of-center balance, adapted to a business card
While horizontally the center is the point of perfect balance, vertically it is not. Stick a pin thru the very center of an oblong piece of cardboard and twirl the card; when movement ceases the card may not hang uprightly. Mark off the card in three equal sections and stick the pin thru the horizontal center of the line separating the upper two thirds. After being twirled the card will cease to move in a perfectly upright position. Example [71] shows a word placed in exact center, yet it appears to be low. Example [72] shows a line above center at the point of vertical balance. On a title-page, business card, and on most jobs of printing the weight should come at this point. The principal line, or group, should provide strength necessary to give balance. Example [70] presents a page with type group and ornament placed unusually high. The typographer responsible was undoubtedly testing balance to the limit.
EXAMPLE 66
Type proportionately too large for the average page
EXAMPLE 67
Type proportionately too small for the average page
