SPACING IN TYPE Letterspacing | Tracking and Kerning Type

The Character panel controls letterspacing. Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator Tracking and InDesign track and kern the same way. Adjusts the letterspacing between all letters in a word, line or paragraph.

How to Track Highlight all type to be tracked with the type tool and find the tracking field (1). Adjust tracking with the up and down arrows in the panel, choos- ing an amount from the drop down menu, or by typing an amount into the box. Bypass the character panel by holding the option (ALT) key while clicking right and left arrow keys to adjust by eye. See next page for an 2 1 example of tracking.

Kerning Kerning controls the spacing between two letterforms. Use this to fix awk- ward spacing in display type (general- ly, 14 point or larger type).

How to Kern Using the type tool, place a cursor be- tween two characters. In the kerning field on the Character Panel (2), click KERNING OPTIONS the up and down arrows, or choose a preset amount from the drop down The kerning drop down menu includes prepackaged menu arrow on the right. Amounts kerning strategies. To apply these settings, select the can be typed in directly as well. The entire text to be affected. shortcut for kerning is to use the right METRICS: “Automatic kerning” spaces letters accord- and left arrow keys while holding the ing to the font creator’s plan. A quality font will have OPTION (ALT) key down. See next good auto kerning. page for an example. OPTICAL: Software analyzes the letterforms and kerns based on shape. Fixing Word Spacing In large type, word spacing often appears too wide. Fix this by kerning the spaces individually.

| WORD+IMAGE | NICK EDLUND | SPR 2017 | TRACKING TIGHT TRACKING TRACKING -30 NORMAL TRACKING TRACKING 0 LOOSE TRACKING TRACKING 100

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| WORD+IMAGE | NICK EDLUND | SPR 2017 | SPACING IN INDESIGN Linespacing | Controlling the Leading in Type

The Character panel controls leading. Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Leading (“ledding”) InDesign control leading the same way. Controls the space between lines of type.

How to Control Leading Highlight all the lines of type to be af- fected with the type tool and find the tracking field (1). Adjust leading with the up and down arrows in the panel, choosing an amount from the drop down menu, or by typing an amount into the box. Bypass the character panel by holding the option (ALT) 1 key while up and down arrow keys to adjust by eye.

Custom Leading Display headlines and titles that span three or more lines can sometimes have one or more lines that appear unevenly spaced. Ascenders and de- scenders are usually the reason why. To adjust the linespacing between two lines of type, select all of the line with the spacing issues and change the leading until the linespacing looks even.

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| WORD+IMAGE | NICK EDLUND | SPR 2017 | LEADING

(10/12) “AUTO” LEADING (10/16) LEADING (10/10) LEADING (also called setting “solid”)

A professional way to annotate the A professional way to annotate the A professional way to annotate the size and linespacing of type is to list size and linespacing of type is to list size and linespacing of type is to list the type point size and the leading the type point size and the leading the type point size and the leading point size together separated by a point size together separated by a forward slash (/). So 10 point type set forward slash (/). So 10 point type set point size together separated by a with 12 point leading will be 10/12. with 12 point leading will be 10/12. forward slash (/). So 10 point type set This means that there will be 2 points This means that there will be 2 points of “lead” separating 10 point type, of “lead” separating 10 point type, with 12 point leading will be 10/12. while 10/16 would have 6 pts of lead separating the lines of type. If the size while 10/16 would have 6 pts of lead This means that there will be 2 points matches the leading, 16/16 or 10/10 separating the lines of type. If the size of “lead” separating 10 point type, or 72/72 for instance, it is set “solid,” matches the leading, 16/16 or 10/10 meaning there is no points of lead sep- or 72/72 for instance, it is set “solid,” while 10/16 would have 6 pts of lead arating the lines of type. It is also pos- meaning there is no points of lead sep- separating the lines of type. If the size sible to set type with negative leading. 10/8 text will be very densely packed arating the lines of type. It is also pos- matches the leading, 16/16 or 10/10 and might lead to descenders crashing sible to set type with negative leading. into the letters on the following line. 10/8 text will be very densely packed or 72/72 for instance, it is set “solid,” and might lead to descenders crashing meaning there is no points of lead sep- into the letters on the following line. arating the lines of type. It is also pos- sible to set type with negative leading. 10/8 text will be very densely packed and might lead to descenders crashing into the letters on the following line.

LEADING AND DISPLAY TYPE

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“AUTO” LEADING (33/39) MANUALLY ADJUSTED LEADING OPTICAL LINESPACING AND TIGHTER THAN “SOLID” (33/27) CUSTOM ARRANGEMENT

| WORD+IMAGE | NICK EDLUND | SPR 2017 |