Lecture Notes: Readability in Typography

Introduction to Readability

• Readability is crucial for successful and inviting type layouts.
• Important to consider when dealing with body and paragraph copy.

Alignment and Its Impact

• Types of Alignment:
  • Flush Left (Align Left)
  • Flush Right (Align Right)
  • Centered
  • Justified
• Best Practices:
  • Avoid flush right and centered for more than a few lines as they disrupt reading flow.
  • Flush left is the most readable due to uniform spacing like a typewriter.
  • Justified is often used in newspapers, magazines, and books due to space efficiency.
  • Justified text can be less readable due to varying word spacing.

Serif vs Sans-Serif

• Serif typefaces are more readable for body copy due to distinctive character features.
• Serifs help in distinguishing characters, enhancing legibility.
• Sans-serif may look aesthetically pleasing but are less readable.

Column Width Considerations

• Column width affects readability significantly.
• Ideal Column Width:
  • Not a fixed measurement, depends on typeface and size.
  • Recommended: 39 characters per line for optimal readability.
• Too wide or too narrow columns hinder the reading process.

Letting (Line Spacing)

• Proper letting improves readability.
• Standard Letting:
  • Ideal letting is 120-145% of type size.
  • Functional letting matters more than aesthetic letting.

Font Style and Case

• Avoid using display fonts for body copy; they are designed for larger sizes.
• Italics should be used sparingly for emphasis, not for large text blocks.
• Avoid all capital letters, as they make word shapes indistinct.

Importance of Contrast

• Ensure good contrast between type and background.
• Avoid complex backgrounds for body copy to maintain readability.

Conclusion

• Rules are established to enhance readability.
• Breaking rules can be permissible but must be compensated with other readability improvements.