Typography Masterclass – Part 2
In part one, we covered the basics of type, including headlines, standfirsts, subheads, body copy, paragraphs and bullets. In part two, we will look at alignment, font weights, colour, kerning and word spacing.
Alignment
Before we start, let’s stop using the wrong terminology. There is no such thing as justified left or justified right. There are only four terms to explain the alignment of text. These are:
Range left
Range right
Justified
Centred
That’s it.
Generally speaking, this is when you use the different text alignments:
Range left
Any publication, digital or print. It should be your go-to alignment.
Range right
To be used on rare occasions. Range right works well when setting pull-out quotes on the right-hand side (only ever on the right-hand side) of an annual report.
Justified
Justified setting should be the reserve of books, magazines and newspapers. It is popular with the accounts department as they think it makes neat edges. Poorly set justified text can cause ‘rivers’, which are big gaps that run through the text and look awful.
Centred
Generally, centred text should be used in moderation and with small amounts of text. It reduces legibility considerably. Use it for your wedding invitation designs.
Font weights
Everybody is familiar with the different font weights, bold, italic, etc. Below is some guidance on when to use the weights and when not to.
Thin: Some fonts offer this weight and it should be used when the setting is large, for instance, a big pull-out number.
Light: Can be used for body copy if the font has clarity and the setting is large enough. In these instances, it can give a light touch.
Roman: Sometimes called medium is for setting body text.
Italic: Italic should be used sparingly. Almost all fonts have an italic weight that has been designed for use on particular occasions and not for general settings. Italics should be used when setting a publication title within text and footers and if the design works, for quotes.
Bold: Bold is often overused and best used at smaller sizes. A masterclass tip is that if you use a bold weight that is the same size as the roman font, it will appear smaller. The reasons for this are – wait for it – the compressed x-heights and the reduction of white space in the counters, which make it look smaller even at the same point size.
Black: Again, use with discretion. Using a black or heavy weight is a stylistic decision.
Colour
99% of the time, type should be set in black, with the exception of headings, if the design dictates.
Setting text in different colours can make your design frivolous and amateurish.
A tip: setting text for digital documents, for instance, PowerPoint, can look great if set in a percentage of black and grey. Try it, it changes everything, but don't do it for print jobs.
As a general rule, keep different font sizes and the use of colour to a minimum.
Kerning and word spacing
Kerning is adjusting the spaces between the individual letters. Word spacing adjusts the spaces between words. Anyone who gets to grips with this level of typography really knows their onions.
Not all applications offer the tools to adjust kerning and word spacing. But even Canva will let you adjust the letter spacing, albeit in a rough-handed way.
Generally, word spacing, particularly when setting headlines, is too wide. A famous typographer once said (I paraphrase), ‘the space between words should be equal to a lowercase ‘i’’. Personally, I think that is a bit tight.
Adjust word spacing in headlines and large fonts, which applies to kerning as well; leave small sizes alone.
Only kern type when it is large enough and needs it. Some fonts are better than others, but all fonts set at larger sizes need kerning, creating all headlines.
You may have noticed that when you set ‘1’ next to another number, it is miles away. It happens with all fonts. It’s like that to enable correct alignment in tabular settings. So when it matters (on a business card, for instance) and is practical, adjust the space.
In InDesign, to adjust the kerning between letters, use ‘alt, right arrow’ to close up and occasionally open up the kerning.
What you are aiming for is too visually important: the negative space between the letters. It’s a skill, and it takes time to learn, but once you get it, you are on your way to being a master typographer.