Robert TrenchWhen designing a project for a client, you will often need to utilize typography. It is an essential part of the design that may seem simple – letters and word on a background. Typography is an art form, however, and requires technique.
Avoid These 5 Typography Mistakes
1. Avoid Crowding Your Letters and Lines
Crowding letters and lines is arguably one of the most common typography errors. People often feel tempted to manipulate spacing between the letters and the lines in order to fit more words on a page. As a result, the cramped design is hard to read.
Tracking, the individual space between letters, ensures that each word is legible. Leading, the space between lines, helps each sentence appear clearly. Tracking and leading should be consistent throughout the design to optimize readability.
2. Avoid Clashing Colors
Lots of designers get caught up in the design process that they forget to pay attention to color choices. Be careful of the colors that you use. A good rule of thumb is to use contrasting colors for the text and the background so that words are easy to read. Take a moment to step back to look at the overall design, and ensure that every word is legible.
3. Avoid Using Too Many Fonts
An easy approach to typography for beginners is to limit the amount of fonts in one design. Surely you have seen the many inspirational quotes posted on social media. Inspirational quotes are usually designed with a mix of typefaces, and it works – at least on social media.
For a professional project, however, you should be more selective. Limit yourself to two fonts when designing the job. These two fonts should have complementary styles. Avoid this typography mistake, and your design will look clean and organized.
4. Avoid Using All Capital Letters
Capitalized words can help to bring attention to important information. BUT DO NOT CAPITALIZE ALL YOUR WORDS. When you attempt to emphasize the majority of the content, the effect is lost. Most of all, your readers do not want to feel like they are being yelled at.
5. Avoid WordArt
This typography mistake of utilizing special effects on words can make a project look amateur and outdated. WordArt is a popular tool available on Microsoft Word. It is convenient to use and offers effects such as drop shadows and gradients.
In certain designs, these types of special effects can work well, but most of the time, the results look unprofessional. If you must choose WordArt, err on the side of caution. Consider other design programs that are free. Canva, for example, offers premade templates and fonts.
Even if you are a beginner at designing, you can create professional work by avoiding these 5 common typography mistakes! Overall, keep in mind readability and context during your design process. Are the words legible even from a distance? Is the font suitable for the brand? By keeping the design simple and clean, you can actually avoid most typography errors.
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