Setting type is not as simple as just choosing Helvetica on the drop down box.
It’s rather like a relationship, you have to work together to create something worth while!
Below is a list of things considered by creatives when creating type.
Point Size – Don’t Always raise your point!
“Point Size” is also known as “Font Size”, it’s basically the option to make the font bigger or smaller, a typical point size for a magazine would be 10pt. Business Cards would normally be 9pt and small print is usually around 6pt. There are approximately 72 ‘points’ in an inch…see it all goes into consideration. It is a common misconception that if something is not clear or bold enough, clients say to “make the font bigger” but this isn’t always the best solution…
Leading – It’s a distant relationship
Leading pronounced “Led•ing” is the spacing between two sentences, leading works together with the point size, usually two/three leading ‘points’ more than the font point size, still following? Good. So for example, if your font point size was 10pt, your leading would probably be 12pt, this is to create an eye-pleasing spacing between the sentences and makes the copy legible to read.
Kerning – I need some space
Kerning is the process of adjusting the spacing between characters in a proportional font. Kerning is very important, as bad use of kerning can cause the human eye to misread the word. This is best shown visually, so check out the examples below.
(image: https://www.superdream.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/kerning-350×350.jpg alt: )
When you first looked at the image, 8/10 people would have read the word “Keming” instead of the correct word “Kerning” hence the bad kerning between the letters.
Are you tracking me?
Ok if you’re still following you’re doing well, this is where it gets confusing, tracking is also spacing, but tracking is the spacing, however tracking should not be confused with kerning. Tracking refers to the overall spacing of a word, as apposed to kerning which is the spacing between two letters only.
So there you have it, a type font isn’t just about picking a nice looking text from the drop down box, those fonts are created with all the above in mind.