Pick the Right Typeface

Understandably, a lot of people think legibility and readability are the same thing. Theyre not.
Legibility is a trait thats built into a typeface by its designer. It has to do with whether individual letters are
easily identifiable and distinguishable from each other.

Some typefaces are much more legible than othersfor instance, a scrawling, handwritten typeface is going
to be harder to decipher than a simple sans-serif.
This is often where the choice between text and display typefaces comes into play.
Text typefaces are designed for easy reading, with high legibility, while display or decorative ones are often
designed to attract attention or communicate a certain mood or personality, so legibility may not have been the
designers priority.
You dont have any control over legibility, other than through your font choices. Not all fonts are appropriate
for all design contexts, and choosing the right font can be a tricky business and takes time and practice to
master.
But you can look for typefaces that have been designed to be highly legible if the clarity of your text is a
concern.
Some of the characteristics of legible fonts include:
Transparent Appearance: Typefaces are considered transparent when they dont draw a lot of
attention to themselves. They have normal letter shapes, neutral style, and blend into their surroundings
rather than being flashy or fancy.

 Generous X-Heights: This is the height of the lowercase letters. An ample x-height in proportion to the
uppercase letters enhances legibility.

Large Counters: The enclosed or partially enclosed white spaces within letters like a, b, c, e, and o.
Larger, more open counters make for more legible letters.

Low-Contrast Design: Restrained design features like uniform strokes, subtle serifs, etc. Exaggerated
letter shapes, dramatic variations in the strokes that form each letter, or particularly long or thin serifs
can all decrease legibility.

02. Format Text for Maximum Clarity

For text-rich documents and designs, readability should be one of your first concerns.
Unlike legibility, readability is completely under your control and has to do with the choices you make in
using, arranging, and formatting your typewhich, in turn, determine how easy it is to read your text.
To maximize the readability of your text, youll want to pay attention to choices like size, spacing (including
tracking, leading, and kerning), alignment, line length, color, and how the text looks against its background.
Lets look at some lesser-known readability tips that will help you fine-tune your text.

03. Kern Large Type