So far, after the first week, here are some of the terms we’ve learned so far.
- leading – refers to the linespace between the lines of type. The term originated in the days of metal type. During hand-typesetting, thin strips of lead were inserted into the lines of type to increase the distance.
- sans serif – a typeface that does not have serifs.
- font – one weight, width or style of a typeface—the individuals of a typeface, such as Helvetica Bold or Helvetica Bold Italic.
- typeface – refers to the whole family, such as Helvetica.
- points – unit of measurement in typography: 72 points = 1 inch. All type is measured in points.
- pica – typographic unit of measurement: 12 points = 1 pica; 6 picas = 1 inch; 72 points = 1 inch.
- kerning – adjustment of the space between two letters to improve the appearance. Kerning is more specific than tracking. Kerning becomes more important with large or display type.
- tracking – adjustment of the space between letters for the a whole word, sentence, page or document.
