Decorative

Choose decorative typefonts when you need to set the mood or tone of a headline or are designing a logo. They are more elaborate and complicated in design and can usually be recognized by "descriptive" names such as "Halloween" (resembles blood dripping) and "Paperclip" (letters created using the parallel lines of a paperclip).

Kerning

Kerning refers to manually taking out space between characters (letters).

(You can usually find this tool available in most word processing programs.)

Face

The term face or typeface is used to designate one style of type from another; the designation is also used to describe boldface, lightface, etc.

(see "font")

Font

A font (typefont) is the complete alphabet of any one type face in a given point size. It includes upper case letters, lower case letters, numerals, punctuation marks, etc.

(see "face")

X-height

The x-height, in type design, refers to the height of the main portion of the lower case letters, not including ascenders and descenders.

Justify

When type is set flush left and flush right, automatic adjustments of spacing are made in your word processing program so that all lines of type are of equal length. Your copy is said to be justified.

Script Type

Script is a term for any typeface that is handwritten or imitates handwriting.

The best example of a script typeface is: Brush Script

Single Typefont, Many Looks

If you think you´ll feel trapped by limiting yourself to one typefont in your newsletter, think again. By mixing and matching different typefaces, you´ll create a visually appealing and coherent newsletter. Here are some choices: regular, regular italic, bold, bold italic, expanded, condensed, extra bold, ultra bold...and the list goes on!

Widows

A widow refers to a very short line (often only one word) at the end of a paragraph of type. It is best if you either shorten or lengthen the last sentence to eliminate the widow.

Ballot Box

A ballot box is a square provided for marking a choice usually by filling it in, or by making a check or an "X."

River

A river is when white space between words accidentally forms a "river" or blank channel running through a number of lines of copy.

Leading

Leading (pronounced "ledding") is the term used to indicate the space between the lines of type. It is usually measured in points going from baseline to baseline.

Bullets

Are you using a standard typewriter to set copy and you need bullets for a list? Try this simple "quick fix!" Just type a lowercase or uppercase "o" (not zero "0") as a substitute. Then blacken in the center with the tip of a technical pen for an easy bullet!

Increase Type Size with Reverses

Because reverse type appears to shrink visually, choose a type size that is one to two points larger than originally designated on the marked up newsletter copy. Also, try to avoid large areas of reverse text. Reverses are more of an attention-getter and readers will have a tendency to lose interest in your article if too much of it is printed as such.

Ascenders

Ascenders are the lines of lowercase type which extend above the x-height. These letters are b, d, f, h, k, l, and t.

Picas

In composition, typesetters use a standard (or unit) of measurement referred to as pica. There are 12 points to one pica and six picas to one inch.

Dagger

A dagger is a reference mark used in footnotes. It looks like this: †

Boldface or Bold Type

Boldface or bold type refers to letters that are heavier in weight than text type.

This is a sample of boldface type.

Flush Left/Right

Flush left (or right) is the term used to refer to typeset copy that is set to line up at the left (right) hand side of the page. If copy is said to be "flush left and flush right," it usually means the copy is to be set justified.

(see "Justify")