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Size and Scale X-Heights type basics Size and Scale x-heights size big bottoms are an efficient use of resources height Attempts to standardize the 32-Pt scala Pro 32-Pt interstate regular 32-Pt bodoni 32-Pt mrs eaves 12 points equal 1 pica measurement of type began in the eighteenth century. The point system is the standard used 6 picas today. One point equals 1/72 inch or .35 (72 points) Do I look fat in this paragraph? Big millimeters. Twelve points equal one pica, the equal 1 inch unit commonly used to measure column widths. When two typefaces are set in the same point size, one often Mrs Eaves rejects the twentieth-century appetite 60-Point scala Typography can also be measured in inches, looks bigger than the other. Differences in x-height, line weight, for supersized x-heights. This typeface, inspired A typeface is measured millimeters, or pixels. Most software applications and set width affect the letters’ apparent scale. by the eighteenth-century designs of Baskerville, from the top of the is named after Sarah Eaves, Baskerville’s capital letter to the let the designer choose a preferred unit of mistress, housekeeper, and collaborator. bottom of the lowest measure; picas and points are a standard default. The couple lived together for sixteen years descender, plus a small before marrying in 1764. buffer space. nerd alert: abbreviating Picas and Points In metal type, 8 picas = 8p the point size 8 points = p8, 8 pts is the height of 8 picas, 4 points = 8p4 the type slug. 8-point Helvetica with 9 points of line spacing = 8/9 Helvetica Mrs. & Mr. Little 32-Mr.Pt helvetica Big versus 32-Pt mrs eaves 32-Pt mrs eaves The perceived size of a typeface is a function of its x-height as well as its cap height. width A letter also has a horizontal measure, The x-height of a typeface affects its Typefaces with small x-heights, such as Wide load called its set width. The set width is the body of apparent size, its space efficiency, Mrs Eaves, use space less efficiently than interstate black the letter plus a sliver of space that protects it The set width is the body of the letter and its overall visual impact. Like those with big lower bodies. However, their from other letters. The width of a letter is intrinsic plus the space beside it. hemlines and hair styles, x-heights delicate proportions have lyrical charm. to the proportions and visual impression of the go in and out of fashion. Bigger type 12/14 mrs eaves typeface. Some typefaces have a narrow set width, tight wad bodies became popular in the mid- and some have a wide one. interstate black comPressed twentieth century, making letterforms Like his lovely wife, MR EAVES has a low waist The letters in the condensed version of the typeface You can change the set width of a typeface by and a small body. His loose letterspacing also have a narrower set width. fiddling with its horizontal or vertical scale. look larger by maximizing the area makes him work well with his mate. This distorts the line weight of the letters, within the overall point size. 12/14 mr eaves Wide load however, forcing heavy elements to become thin, 12/14 helvetica and thin elements to become thick. Instead of Because of its huge x-height, Helvetica can remain The size of a typeface is a matter of context. A line of text that tight Wad torturing a letterform, choose a typeface that has legible at small sizes. Set in 8 pts for a magazine looks tiny on a television screen may appear appropriately the proportions you are looking for, such as caption, Helvetica can look quite elegant. The same scaled in a page of printed text. Smaller proportions affect type crime legibility as well as space consumption. A diminutive x-height is a condensed, compressed, wide, or extended. typeface could look bulky and bland, however, standing horizontal & vertical scaling 12 pts tall on a business card. luxury that requires sacrifice. The proportions of the letters have been 8/10 helvetica 8/10 mrs and mr eaves digitally distorted in order to create wider or narrower letters. The default type size in many software applications is 12 pts. Although this generally creates readable type on screen displays, 12-pt text type usually looks big and horsey in print. Sizes between 9 and 11 pts are common for printed text. This caption is 7.5 pts. 38 | thinking with tyPe letter | 39 size big bottoms are an efficient use of resources height Attempts to standardize the 32-Pt scala Pro 32-Pt interstate regular 32-Pt bodoni 32-Pt mrs eaves 12 points equal 1 pica measurement of type began in the eighteenth century. The point system is the standard used 6 picas today. One point equals 1/72 inch or .35 (72 points) Do I look fat in this paragraph? Big millimeters. Twelve points equal one pica, the equal 1 inch unit commonly used to measure column widths. When two typefaces are set in the same point size, one often Mrs Eaves rejects the twentieth-century appetite 60-Point scala Typography can also be measured in inches, looks bigger than the other. Differences in x-height, line weight, for supersized x-heights. This typeface, inspired A typeface is measured millimeters, or pixels. Most software applications and set width affect the letters’ apparent scale. by the eighteenth-century designs of Baskerville, from the top of the is named after Sarah Eaves, Baskerville’s capital letter to the let the designer choose a preferred unit of x-heights mistress, housekeeper, and collaborator. bottom of the lowest measure; picas and points are a standard default. The couple lived together for sixteen years descender, plus a small before marrying in 1764. buffer space. nerd alert: abbreviating Picas and Points In metal type, 8 picas = 8p the point size 8 points = p8, 8 pts is the height of 8 picas, 4 points = 8p4 the type slug. 8-point Helvetica with 9 points of line spacing = 8/9 Helvetica Mrs. & Mr. Little 32-Mr.Pt helvetica Big versus 32-Pt mrs eaves 32-Pt mrs eaves width A letter also has a horizontal measure, The x-height of a typeface affects its Typefaces with small x-heights, such as Wide load called its set width. The set width is the body of apparent size, its space efficiency, Mrs Eaves, use space less efficiently than interstate black the letter plus a sliver of space that protects it The set width is the body of the letter and its overall visual impact. Like those with big lower bodies. However, their from other letters. The width of a letter is intrinsic plus the space beside it. hemlines and hair styles, x-heights delicate proportions have lyrical charm. to the proportions and visual impression of the go in and out of fashion. Bigger type 12/14 mrs eaves typeface. Some typefaces have a narrow set width, tight wad bodies became popular in the mid- and some have a wide one. interstate black comPressed twentieth century, making letterforms Like his lovely wife, MR EAVES has a low waist The letters in the condensed version of the typeface You can change the set width of a typeface by and a small body. His loose letterspacing also have a narrower set width. fiddling with its horizontal or vertical scale. look larger by maximizing the area makes him work well with his mate. This distorts the line weight of the letters, within the overall point size. 12/14 mr eaves Wide load however, forcing heavy elements to become thin, 12/14 helvetica and thin elements to become thick. Instead of Because of its huge x-height, Helvetica can remain The size of a typeface is a matter of context. A line of text that tight Wad torturing a letterform, choose a typeface that has legible at small sizes. Set in 8 pts for a magazine looks tiny on a television screen may appear appropriately the proportions you are looking for, such as caption, Helvetica can look quite elegant. The same scaled in a page of printed text. Smaller proportions affect type crime legibility as well as space consumption. A diminutive x-height is a condensed, compressed, wide, or extended. typeface could look bulky and bland, however, standing horizontal & vertical scaling These12 ptstexts tall areon a set business in the card. same point size, but their perceivedluxury that requires scale sacrifice.is completely different. The proportions of the letters have been 8/10 helvetica 8/10 mrs and mr eaves digitally distorted in order to create wider or narrower letters. The default type size in many software applications is 12 pts. Although this generally creates readable type on screen displays, 12-pt text type usually looks big and horsey in print. Sizes between 9 and 11 pts are common for printed text. This caption is 7.5 pts. 38 | thinking with tyPe letter | 39 scale THE THE WORLD WORLD IS FLAT IS FLAT type crime scale contrast Minimal differences in The strong contrast between type size make this type sizes gives this design design look tentative dynamism, decisiveness, and arbitrary. and depth. Scale is the relationship among elements within a composition or hierarchy. type basics Mixing Typefaces mixing typefaces mrs and mr eaves Mixing styles within one family is a good place to start. mixing typefaces WhatTrilogy are is the a “superfamily” characteristics with of each Sans, mode Egyptian, of alignment? and Fatface styles, inspired by 19th-century advertising.
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