Do’s and Don’ts of Typesetting

There are some good practices you can follow when choosing a typeface. The number one rule is to keep it simple!

Type

WD131: Fundamentals of DesignUnit 6: TypeModule 4: Rules of Type

1. Avoid mixing too many fonts and styles of type.

WD131: Fundamentals of DesignUnit 6: TypeModule 3: Type as a Visual Organizer of Information

2. Be consistent. Do not set the point size to fit available space. Use a consistent size and adjust leading, tracking, or the line length to fit.

WD131: Fundamentals of DesignUnit 6: TypeModule 3: Type as a Visual Organizer of Information

3. Use type in upper case and lower case.

WD131: Fundamentals of DesignUnit 6: TypeModule 3: Type as a Visual Organizer of Information

4. Keep the body copy for reports and books to 12 points or less. Try not to use a body copy of less than 9 points. This small size is considered difficult to print and hard to read and is just for text that is deceptive in nature.

WD131: Fundamentals of DesignUnit 6: TypeModule 3: Type as a Visual Organizer of Information

5. Keep line lengths short.

WD131: Fundamentals of DesignUnit 6: TypeModule 3: Type as a Visual Organizer of Information

6. Limit headlines to not more than five words.

WD131: Fundamentals of DesignUnit 6: TypeModule 3: Type as a Visual Organizer of Information

7. Limit the body copy to not more the 64 characters in a line.

WD131: Fundamentals of DesignUnit 6: TypeModule 3: Type as a Visual Organizer of Information

8. Avoid using too big a point size for the body copy. A small size with more leading is better for readability.

WD131: Fundamentals of DesignUnit 6: TypeModule 3: Type as a Visual Organizer of Information

9. Investigate and use proven and accepted typefaces.

WD131: Fundamentals of DesignUnit 6: TypeModule 3: Type as a Visual Organizer of Information

10. Develop typeface favorites for specific uses and utilize them until you are experienced enough to experiment.

WD131: Fundamentals of DesignUnit 6: TypeModule 3: Type as a Visual Organizer of Information

11. Avoid distorting typeface using software programs. Use the italicized, bold, condensed, and expanded fonts and not the “fake” fonts that are created when you press CTRL+B to make the text bold.

WD131: Fundamentals of DesignUnit 6: TypeModule 3: Type as a Visual Organizer of Information

12. Use lots of white space. However, do not overuse.

WD131: Fundamentals of DesignUnit 6: TypeModule 3: Type as a Visual Organizer of Information

16. Be sensitive to balance, creativity, and readability.

WD131: Fundamentals of DesignUnit 6: TypeModule 3: Type as a Visual Organizer of Information