Typography and Terminology

Anything relating to the size, space, shape and appearance of the text of a publication is classed as typography. An easy way to remember it is through the word ‘type’, which is the verb used to describe how we make text appear on a screen.

Copy is a fundamental part of most print works. It is how most messages are communicated and with consideration in the typography of the text, designers can become even more creative. But what is typography and the terminology associated with it? As printing experts in Yorkshire, AB Print have broken down the basics of typography terminology:

1. Leading

This refers to the vertical space usually between the bottom of the characters of one line and the tip of the characters on the line below. The more leading between each line of text, the more space each line has to breathe individually. This can be useful for standalone sentences or words intended to give maximum impact.

2. Tracking

This refers to the space in between each letter within a word. The greater the tracking, the more expanded the word will be.  

3. Kerning

Often confused with tracking, kerning refers to the spacing between a pair of letters, numerical characters or punctuation. In most common typefaces, capitalised letters AV often overlap with each other’s space.

4. Point

Also known as PT, this is one many of you may have come across before. This is the smallest unit of measurement in typography and is used to measure point size, leading, and images on a printed page.

5. White space

Many designs utilise white space to offer a clean aesthetic to the layout. Used correctly, it can emphasise imagery and copy. Creatively, it can even be used as ‘negative space’, where the space not used can create shapes and even words.

We hope this illustrated the fundamentals of typography and the terminology associated with it. Knowing these definitions can be helpful when negotiating artwork with printers for your designs. At AB Print, we work with many businesses to make sure their print work and artwork contain the correct dimensions and have the necessary copy.

If you would like to speak to us regarding our printing services, feel free to get in touch with us today.