Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
AT LEAST FIVE
different display typefaces, all typical of early twentieth-century newspaper and
advertising design, rhythmically contrast each other in weight, stroke contrast, width, and style.
The size and spacing changes between each item allow each face to be appreciated and create
rhythmic linear intervals.
AdamsMorioka
United States
Assessing Character Count, Leading, and Paragraph Width
The width of a para-
graph depends heavily on the size of type being used and therefore how many characters
can be fit onto a single line. Regardless of the type size or the reader's maturity, between
fifty and eighty characters (including spaces) can be processed before a line return. With
words averaging between five and ten letters, that means approximately eight to twelve
words per line. Achieving this character count determines the width of a paragraph. The
proportions of the page format—and how much text must be made to fit overall—might
affect paragraph width, but character count is the best starting point for defining an op-
timal width.
The leading of the lines, as noted, depends somewhat on the width of the
