Typography Basics

Typography

Kerning

• The process of adjusting the space between characters in a typeface to improve readability and aesthetics
• Involves adjusting the distance between letter pairs to create a more visually appealing and harmonious spacing
• Kerning is especially important for headings and titles, where large font sizes can make even small spacing issues noticeable

Typographic Hierarchy

• The organization of text elements in a design to create a clear order of importance and guide the reader's attention
• Typically consists of:
  • Headers (titles, headings)
  • Body text
  • Captions (image captions, credits)
  • Pull quotes (emphasized text)
• A well-designed typographic hierarchy helps readers quickly understand the structure and content of a page or document

Letter Spacing

• Also known as tracking, it refers to the uniform adjustment of space between characters in a block of text
• Affects the overall density and readability of the text
• Types of letter spacing:
  • Loose tracking: increasing the space between characters for better readability
  • Tight tracking: decreasing the space between characters for a more compact look

Typeface Design

• The art of creating new typefaces or modifying existing ones
• Involves designing the shape, proportion, and spacing of characters to create a unique and cohesive typeface
• Type designers consider factors such as:
  • Legibility
  • Aesthetics
  • Historical context
  • Technical limitations

Anatomy

• Refers to the study of the internal structure and components of letters
• Key elements of typographic anatomy include:
  • X-height: the height of the main body of lowercase letters
  • Ascenders: the parts of letters that extend above the x-height (e.g., 'd', 'k')
  • Descenders: the parts of letters that extend below the x-height (e.g., 'p', 'q')
  • Counters: the enclosed spaces within letters (e.g., 'o', 'e')
  • Serifs: the small lines or flourishes at the ends of strokes in serif typefaces