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Typography and Readability

Choose and pair fonts, set a size hierarchy for posters, and control spacing so text can be read from a distance.

What Is Typography?

Use one or two font families. A classic pairing is a strong display or bold sans-serif for headings with a plain, readable font for details. Contrast them clearly — two fonts that look almost the same look like a mistake. Use weights (Regular, Bold, Black) from the same family to add variety without adding fonts.

Print a test page at 100% and view it from two or three metres away.

Capital-letter headings often look better with a little extra tracking . Very tight leading makes lines touch; too much makes them fall apart.

Practice

Which term means the space between two particular letters?

Font Categories

Pairing Fonts

Use one or two font families. A classic pairing is a strong display or bold sans-serif for headings with a plain, readable font for details. Contrast them clearly — two fonts that look almost the same look like a mistake. Use weights (Regular, Bold, Black) from the same family to add variety without adding fonts.

A Size Hierarchy for an A3 Poster

Print a test page at 100% and view it from two or three metres away.

Spacing Terms

Capital-letter headings often look better with a little extra tracking . Very tight leading makes lines touch; too much makes them fall apart.

Practice

Which term means the space between two particular letters?