A Typographic Quest, Number Six, ‘etcetera’ – Westvaco, Carl Dair, 1968

Dair repeats the title to create a grey square of never-ending typographic details that almost crush the word etcetera. Tight fitting lines like this were considerably easier to do in photo-typesetting than metal. The title is set in News Gothic Regular and Bold, the word etcetera is set in Univers 55.

Once the type is on the page or screen, the next step is to make sure that people can read it. Using many examples Dair shows how paying attention to details such as the proper fitting of cap initials and correcting bad line breaks, etc. helps ensure that the copy makes sense to the reader.

Complex text often requires multiple levels of headings, sub headings and other forms of emphasis, all of which today we generally refer to as hierarchy. Dair suggests that you start by carefully reading the copy itself which, if clearly understood, will guide the typographer in finding the best solution.