Typography and Text Design

 

Drop Cap- This is a large, uppercase letter that is used in the beginning section or opening of a piece, it enhances the visual appeal.

Font family vs. Typeface- A font family is a group of fonts that are alternatives of the same typeface. A typeface is a design of letters, numbers and other symbols that are used for printing or for electronic display.

Kerning- The spacing between letters or characters, in order to make the text visually appealing.

Monospace- This is a font whose letters and characters all take up the same amount of horizontal space.

Tracking- The adjustment of space between letters evenly across a whole word.

Leading / Line Height- The space between lines of type. It is measured from baseline to baseline.

Justified Text- Text that has straight edges on both sides of the paragraph.

Orphans- This is a single word, line, or short paragraph that appears at the end of a column or page, it creates awkward spacing and disrupts the viewer’s flow.

Widows- It is a single line of text that appears at the top of a column.

Points- The measurement that is used to indicate the size of typefaces or fonts in graphic design and typography. One point is equal to 1/72 of an inch.

Picas- They represent fixed horizontal measurements, most frequently column width.

Serif / Sans Serif- A small line or stroke that is attached to the end of a larger stoke in a symbol or letter within a certain font or family of fonts. Sans serif fonts do not have these extra strokes.

Slab Serif- A group of typefaces that have thick, block-like serifs.

Display Font- A typeface that is intended for use in display type where it is supposed to be eye-catching.

Small Caps- They have the same shape and proportions of capital letters, but their letter height and weight are smaller.