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The Definitive Guide on Type Design

We’ve got you covered if you’re new to type design or just want to brush up on some useful hints to improve your look.

What’s the difference between a typeface, a font, and a typeface?

Font nomenclature is complicated, with the terms font and typeface frequently being used interchangeably. In a nutshell, the following are the most important typography terms:

Typeface

A typeface is frequently referred to as a “font family.” This is the phrase for a typeface’s unique design, such as Arial.

Font

A typeface’s font is its weight and size. For example, Helvetica Light Oblique and Helvetica Bold are both Helvetica typefaces with the same inherent design.

Type

All fonts and typefaces are referred to as type in typography.

So, now that we’ve covered the fundamentals, how about some design?

Selecting a font size

What effect do different typefaces have on font size?

The typeface and font you select can significantly impact the size at which it should be printed. For example, if you’re making a wedding invitation, you might want to use an ornate script typeface for the names to make a statement. To ensure legibility, you would need to print in a considerably higher size in this case. Smaller elements that must be read, such as the location and time of the event, could be printed in a cleaner font that can be made smaller.

Font suggestions

  • For more corporate firms, clean, basic typefaces are frequently preferable, whereas artistic or craft businesses can afford to use something more expressive.
  • Type can be used as a graphic element as well. Larger scale initials can be printed as a background on a business card, with smaller contrasting text on top. This produces a lively, fun effect.

Using decreasing letters in the design

What do you mean by descending letters?

The baseline is the invisible line that your type sits on. Any letters that fall below that baseline are referred to as descending letters, such as ‘g’, ‘y’, ‘j’, and ‘p’. Ascending letters, on the other hand, are typefaces that extend above the ‘x-height,’ such as the letters ‘k,’ ‘l,’ and ‘b.’ The height of lowercase letters without extensions, such as ‘a’, ‘c’, and ‘x’, is known as the ‘x-height.’

What is the definition of type leading?

The leading in a line of text is the distance between two baselines. The descender (the ‘tail’ of a ‘j’ or a ‘g’) covers the letters below when the type leading between baselines is too narrow.

Is it true that changing typefaces have an impact on descending letters?

When it comes to typography, there is no such thing as standard spacing. Each typeface is distinct from the others, with some having longer ascenders and descenders than others. More elongated varieties will naturally require more space to breathe.

Font suggestions

  • Keep the reader in mind while adjusting your leading for different typefaces to ensure that your words are legible and clear.
  • In Illustrator and InDesign, modify your type leading in the character toolbar to get the right match.

What about kerning and tracking?

What is font tracking, and how does it work?

The gap between letters of a word is referred to as tracking. If you change the font tracking in your design or illustration programme, the entire word will adjust or “track” evenly. The issue is that, depending on the font, some letters may appear too close to one neighbour and too far away from the other. Here’s where kerning comes into play.

What is the meaning of font kerning?

Font kerning is the process of manually adjusting the spacing of individual letters, whereas tracking uniformly spaces the letters in a word. This is especially useful for letters that are difficult to pronounce, such as ‘r.’

Font suggestions

  • Always track first, then kern if necessary after the letters have been spaced.
  • Only adjust the tracking and kerning if you have a specific need for it, as most typefaces have been optimised in tools like GIMP, Adobe Illustrator and InDesign.
  • When words have been capitalised, font tracking is normally used.

Are you ready to start using type in your designs? Print business cards, flyers, and postcards with your new creations.

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