ESSENTIAL OR STRUCTURAL FORMS The essential or structural forms (see p. [240]) are the simplest forms which preserve the characteristic structure, distinctiveness, and proportions of each individual letter.
The letter-craftsman must have a clear idea of the skeletons of his letters. While in every case the precise form which commends itself to him is matter for his individual choice, it is suggested in the following discussion of a typical form—the Roman B—that the rationale of his selection (whether conscious or unconscious) is in brief to determine what is ABSOLUTELY essential to a form, and then how far this may be amplified in the direction of the PRACTICALLY essential.
The letter B reduced to its simplest (curved-bow) form—i.e. to the bare necessity of its distinctive structure—comprises a perpendicular stem spanned by two equal, circular bows (a, fig. [160]).
In amplifying such a form for practical or æsthetic reasons, it is well as a rule not to exceed one’s object—in this case to determine a reasonable (though arbitrary) standard essential form of B, having a distinctive and proportionate (f) structure. We may increase the arcs of the bows till their width is nearly equal to their height (b), make their outer ends meet the ends of the stem (c), and their inner ends coincide (d). Raising the division till its apparent position is at or about the middle of the stem entails a proportionate increase of width in the lower part, and a corresponding decrease in the upper part (e).
The very idea of an essential form excludes the unnecessary, and its further amplification is apt to take from its distinctiveness and legibility. Where no limits are set, modification is apt to become [p276] exaggeration. And, though special forms and ornamental letters may be produced by “reasonable exaggeration” (k, l, m, fig. [161]), if the tool be kept [p278] under proper control, yet, generally, such structural changes do not improve the appearance of the plain letter forms.
We may test our “Standard” (a, fig. [161]) by considering the effects of further amplification.