Common Typography Mistakes

This post is to help designers to understand the importance of good typography and avoid some common mistakes. Below is a list of common mistakes used in type design or layout that can make a large impact in the effectiveness and appearance of your designs. It's good to avoid making these mistakes in order to save your time and money when dealing with printers. The info and images are provided by TDC. Thanks!


Not Enough Leading

Leading or line spacing can improve the overall readability of large blocks of text on a page, making it easier for readers to follow the lines of text without losing their place. Too little leading or line spacing may cause a cramped feeling. It's important to remember that different fonts need different line spacing. Varying heights in letterforms may demand more or less.


Not Enough Tracking

Tracking or letter spacing is applied to a group of letters. It prevents letters from running into each other, especially during print. It's similar to leading in which it can improve or hinder readability, flow of text and the density or weight of a block of text.


Getting Tracking Confused with Kerning

While tracking is applied to a group of characters, kerning is the adjustment of space between two letter pairs. Effective for headlines, text with ALL CAPS and logo treatments (it helps with readability at various sizes). Don't fall into the trap of letting your design software set this by default; it's character specific. Same applies to the above rules.


Lengthy Lines of Text

Reading many long lines of text causes eye fatigue. Readers are forced to moves their heads and eyes more often from one line to the next. Research states to keep lines of text under 50-60 characters long.


Mixing Too Many Typefaces and Weights

Too many typefaces on one page can become distracting and disconnecting (lacking unity). Try keeping your fonts choices to three or less per project. Too many weights can cause readers to be unclear where the important elements are on the page and create the possibility of readers missing something important.


Not Using Serif Fonts for Lengthy-Text Material

Serif fonts are known to make reading lengthy material, such as books and magazines, more sustainable for longer periods of time. It also helps with eye strain or fatigue, and we all know that we need our eyes! Although this can be argued, serif fonts seem to sit better on the baseline.


Printing Similar Values of Colour on Top of Each Other

For example, try printing a medium blue text on top of a medium brown box. Not just unappealing, but it makes it hard for eyes to read. It also creates a muddy effect.


Reversed Out Text on Less than 50% Tints
Much like the above, this also increases eye strain and hinders readability. The words get lost in the background and typically prints less visible than seen on screen.


Overusing Centered Text

Using centered text creates a jagged and broken appearance to text – very disconnecting! Can be viewed as amateurish in most instances. Save it for those wedding invitations.


Large Body Copy

Normally, designers and non-designers will immediately use 12 point size font for body copy. Smaller font size creates a more professional and modern look. Large body text can be clunky – think about the font size of a children's book. Clunky enough, right?

It's also important to note that viewing text on a computer monitor is much different than printing it. In most instances, type on a screen appears smaller and less crisp. Also, most printers will advise you not to use font size under 7 points due to readability issues.


Not Knowing What the Grid System Is

Understanding the grid is one important thing for a typography enthusiast. It's the basis for creating clarity and making your type and layouts more cohesive. Check out the site, The Grid System, for links and resources pertaining to grid systems.