Writing & Illuminating, & Lettering

by Edward Johnston

), while the weak, thin stroke (

) is rather to be avoided (see fig. [m]). The writing used in the diagrams in this book, considered as a formal hand, shews a little too much of the thin stroke (see p. [485]).

P. [324]. Commonly letters are made more slender in proportion as they are made larger, and it is generally not desirable (or possible) in practical work to have exactly similar proportions in large and small lettering.

P. [325]. g from fig. [173] inaccurate—comp. fig. [173] & see fig. [n].

P. [331]. Ornamental letters—see note p. 208 above.

P. [481]. A small writing is often the most practical—in the matter of speed in reading and less bulk in the MS., besides speed in the writing of it—but it is more difficult for the beginner to write it well and it is apt to lose some of the virtues of formal penmanship (see Fine-pen writing pp. [59], [86], [311], [324], [482]).

P. [485]. Oblique thin stroke—see note p. 280 above.

CONTENTS

• [Editor’s Preface vii]
• [Author’s Preface xiii]
• [Addenda & Corrigenda xxiii]
• [PART I
  WRITING & ILLUMINATING]
  • [CHAPTER I]
  • THE DEVELOPMENT OF WRITING 35
  • [CHAPTER II]
  • ACQUIRING A FORMAL HAND: (1) TOOLS
  • Acquiring a Formal Hand: Tools, &c. — The Desk — Paper & Ink — Pens: The Reed: The Quill — Of Quills generally — Pen-knife, Cutting-slab, &c. 48
  • [CHAPTER III]
  • ACQUIRING A FORMAL HAND: (2) METHODS
  • Position of the Desk — The Writing Level — Use of the Pen — Holding the Pen — Filling the Pen, &c. 61
  • [CHAPTER IV]
  • ACQUIRING A FORMAL HAND: (3) MODELS
  • Models — Notes on Construction: Script I. — Coupling the Letters — Spacing: Letters, Words, & Lines — Uncial Capitals: Script II. — Numerals & Punctuation Marks — Of Copying MSS. Generally 70
  • [CHAPTER V]
  • ACQUIRING A FORMAL HAND: (4) PRACTICE
  • Practice — Scripts I. & II. — Arranging & Ruling a Single Sheet — Problem I. (a Sheet of Prose) — Problem II. (a Sheet of Poetry) — Spacing & Planning Manuscript 85
  • [CHAPTER VI]
  • MANUSCRIPT BOOKS
  • MS. Books: Tools & Materials — Methods & Proportions — The Size & Shape of the Book — The Widths of the Margins — The Size of the Writing, &c. — Ruling — MS. Books: General Remarks 98
  • [CHAPTER VII]
  • VERSAL LETTERS & COLOURED CAPITALS
  • Development of Versals — General Analysis of Versals — Notes on Construction of Versals — Spacing & Arrangement of Versals 112
  • [CHAPTER VIII]
  • BLACK & RED
  • Rubricating — Initial Pages or Title Pages — Prefaces & Notes in Colour — Pages with Coloured Headings — Page or Column Heading & Initial — Versals in Column or Marginal Bands — Stanzas or Verses marked by Versals — Music with Red Staves — Tail-Pieces, Colophons, &c. — Rubricating: General Remarks 127
  • [CHAPTER IX]
  • LAYING & BURNISHING GOLD
  • Tools & Materials — Laying the Ground — Laying the Gold-Leaf — Burnishing the Gold — Remedying Faults in Gilding — Gold Writing — Other Methods & Recipes for Gilding — Appendix on Gilding (by Graily Hewitt) 145
  • [CHAPTER X]
  • THE USE OF GOLD & COLOURS IN INITIAL LETTERS & SIMPLE ILLUMINATION
  • Tools & Materials for Simple Illumination — Parchment, “Vellum,” & Pounce — Colours — Simple Colour Effects — Matt Gold — Burnished Gold — Burnished Gold Forms, & Outlines — Background Capitals — Applying the Background — Ornament of Backgrounds 172
  • [CHAPTER XI]
  • A THEORY OF ILLUMINATION
  • Illumination — “Barbaric, or Colour-Work, Illumination” — “Filigree, or Pen-Work, Illumination” — “Natural, or Limner’s, Illumination” 193
  • [CHAPTER XII]
  • THE DEVELOPMENT OF ILLUMINATION
  • The Development of Illumination — Line-Finishings — Initial Letters — Borders & Backgrounds 204
  • [CHAPTER XIII]
  • “DESIGN” IN ILLUMINATION
  • “Design” — Elementary Patterns in Decoration — Scale & Scope of Decoration — Of “Designing” Manuscripts, Generally 214
• [PART II
  LETTERING]
  • [CHAPTER XIV]
  • GOOD LETTERING — SOME METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION & ARRANGEMENT
  • Good Models — The Qualities of Good Lettering — Simplicity — Distinctiveness — Proportion — Beauty of Form — Beauty of Uniformity — Right Arrangement — Setting Out & Fitting In — “Massed Writing” & “Fine Writing” — Even Spacing — Theory & Practice 237
  • [CHAPTER XV]
  • THE ROMAN ALPHABET & ITS DERIVATIVES
  • The Roman Alphabet — Proportions of Letters: Widths — Upper & Lower Parts — Essential or Structural Forms — Characterisation of Forms — Built-Up Forms — Simple-Written Capitals — Uncials — Capitals & Small-Letters — Early, Round, Upright, Formal Hands — Slanted-Pen Small-Letters — Roman Small-Letters — Italics — Semi-Formal Hands — Of Formal Writing Generally — Decorative Contrasts — Ornamental Letters 268
• [APPENDIX A]
  • CHAPTER XVI
  • SPECIAL SUBJECTS
  • Divers Uses of Lettering — MS. Books, &c. — Binding MSS (with Note by Douglas Cockerell) — Broadsides, Wall Inscriptions, &c. — Illuminated Addresses, &c. — Monograms & Devices — Title Pages — Lettering for Reproduction — Printing — Inscriptions on Metal, Stone, Wood, &c. — Of Inscriptions Generally — Bibliography, &c. 337
• [APPENDIX B]
  • CHAPTER XVII
  • INSCRIPTIONS IN STONE
    (By A. E. R. Gill)
  • Treatment & Arrangement — The Three Alphabets — Size & Spacing — The Material — Setting Out — Tools — A Right Use of the Chisel — Incised Letters & Letters in Relief — The Sections of Letters — Working in situ 389
• [ Notes on the Collotype Plates 407]
• [ The Collotype Plates 431]
• [ Index 489]