4. Typography fundamentals
Graphic Design · 52 pages source format
One display face + one body face. A type scale (not random sizes). Leading, measure, and alignment — the 80% of typography that matters for graphic work.
What you'll learn
- Type pairing
- Type scale
- Leading & measure
- OpenType features lite
Pick a pair
Contrast in weight or genre, not chaos. Display for headlines, body for paragraphs. Avoid two similar serifs or two geometric sans competing.
- Display + body (classic combo)
- Same family, different weights (safe combo)
- Avoid: two decorative faces fighting
Do this now
Choose 2 Google Fonts. Set a 4-step scale: 12 / 16 / 24 / 40 (adjust for your project).
Measure and leading
Body text: 45–75 characters per line. Leading ~1.4–1.6× font size for body. Headlines can be tighter.
Do this now
Set a 200-word blurb for your client. Fix measure with column width. Adjust leading until it breathes.
Hierarchy with type alone
Size + weight + spacing can carry a whole poster without color yet.
Do this now
Rebuild your night market poster using only black, white, and gray — type hierarchy only.
Pro tip. Use Typewolf or Google Fonts pairing suggestions when stuck.