Runic letters possess much of the lightness and elegance of the Roman, whilst at the same time, owing to the greater equalization of the thickness of the lines, they are bolder, and may be used with both thickness and shading, whilst the thickening of the fine lines is gradually lost in a pointed termination of the serifs.

Fig. 73.

Following up the system of thickening the fine lines of the Roman characters, a letter called the Clarendon, Fig. 73, has been introduced. It is an exceedingly handsome and dignified letter, and is, as far as general proportions are concerned, similar in every respect to the Roman. It is outlined by ruling two horizontal lines at bottom and two at top, to regulate the thickness of the serifs or feet, and these may be made to project more or less, according to the space at disposal, the example presenting the maximum in this respect.

In this, as in the Roman character, the vertical are merged into the horizontal lines by curves at the angles, and the sign-painter should beware of exaggeration in this particular. The perpendicularity of the one line, and the horizontality of the other, must not in any way be interfered with; in the sketch they should, in fact, meet and form a right angle, which should just be rounded off. Even in this particular, the work of a first-rate sign-painter is evident, for in inferior work the curve is often begun from the very beginning of the serif of the letter to hide the failure in the horizontality of the line. The painter may in this, as in other departments of work, be assured that it is in the refinement of points such as these where the skilled artisan, possibly only another name for the artist, is distinguished from the common handicraftsman.

Fig. 74.

Fig. 74 is another specimen of Clarendon in a condensed form, and narrower than this, the letter should never be used, as the beauty of the character is lost when the space forbids the proper extension of the feet of the letters.

We would suggest to the letter painter the use of the Clarendon character in notice-boards, Fig 75, where it is bolder than the Roman, and is perhaps more rapidly executed, as the thin lines do not require so much care as do the fine lines in the Roman.

Next in solidity to the Clarendon is the Egyptian, or, as it is by some painters and printers called, the Antique. It is scarcely worth while asking which is the more correct name, as neither of them is in the slightest degree justifiable. The names seem to have arisen from the letters appearing as if made up of blocks, having thus some similitude to the massive Egyptian buildings.

Fig. 75.

The letter is a most useful one, the boldest there is, and is especially adapted for being rendered with thickness and shading. It differs from Clarendon in being heavier, and in its angles being accurately rendered, without being rounded off as in the Clarendon. When Egyptian letters are painted on a very large scale all the lines may be made of the same thickness; the letters then have a very striking effect. When of a medium or small size, the down strokes should be rather thicker than the others.

Fig. 76.

Fig. 77 is an example of condensed Egyptian, and narrower than this the letter should not be used, for if the space be so limited that such a narrow letter is required a sans-serif may be used, and as that character has no projecting feet it will allow of a wider letter being employed.

The characteristic features of what may be called the three great orders of plain letters have been given, and all who would excel in letter painting should study and practice these until they become quite proficient in them, since all the ornamental letters should be based upon them, the general forms being the same, the difference consisting only in the lines being curved or in the addition of ornamentation.

Fig. 77.

Fig. 78 is called Classic. It is a very useful character, elegant in its simplicity. The letters should be sketched and spaced as for Clarendon, the difference consisting merely in the serifs turning round into scrolls. The effect of this letter, when painted in black on glass with a diapered gold background, is very good. The addition of thickness and shading to this character, owing to the amount of drawing required, is a work of some difficulty and time, whilst the appearance is not thereby improved.

Fig. 78.

The character shown in Fig 79 goes by the name of Tuscan, but it is, as it were, an ornamental rendering of the Egyptian, within the outline of which it may very well be sketched. The letter is given as usually drawn.

This letter may be shaded, or rendered with thickness.

Fig. 79.

Fig. 80 shows another letter called open Tuscan. An inscription in this character in a Light color on a dark ground with a darker line on the right and under side, and the pattern on the letter in a bright color, comes out, to use a technical phrase, very well. The main beauty of the letter, however, consists in the correctness of its form, and its rather angular character, and if these points are not observed, the painter may depend that all his colors, however brilliant, and all bis gilding, however well done, will be thrown away or will serve to show only the more plainly the defects in the form.

Which to admire the most, the beauty of the letter shown in Fig. 81, or the plain sense of its designer, who, discarding the terms Classic, Runic, Tuscan, or other names absolutely inappropriate to the character, has called it simply Ornamented, a name which it really deserves, being one of the handsomest characters in use. The coloring must be left to the taste of the painter, but it must be pointed out, that the space between the surrounding line and the letter itself is not to be filled in, in which case it would form a heavy broad border, but it is intended to be a single outline only, thus lightening the effect of the letter, and increasing at the same time its distinctness.

Fig. 80.

Fig. 81.