Kerning adjusts the space between individual letters in a font to make them look better. How can you use kerning to improve your typesetting?

Getting Started

If you’re interested in typesetting or design, then learning about kerning is a must.

Kerning refers to the spacing between individual characters in a word.

It may seem like a small detail, but it can make a big impact on the overall look and readability of your text.

This guide is for anyone who wants to improve their typesetting skills, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced designer.

How To

1. First, select the text you want to adjust the kerning for.
2. In your design software, look for the kerning or character spacing option. This is usually found in the text or typography settings.
3. Adjust the kerning by moving the slider or entering a specific value. Positive values will increase the space between characters, while negative values will decrease it.
4. Preview the changes and make any necessary adjustments until you’re happy with the result.

Best Practices

• Use kerning sparingly. Too much or too little can make your text difficult to read.
• Consider the font you’re using. Different fonts may require different amounts of kerning.
• Pay attention to the context of your text. Kerning may need to be adjusted differently for headlines versus body text.
• Always preview your changes before finalizing them.

Examples

Imagine you’re designing a poster for a music festival.

You’ve chosen a bold font for the headline, but the kerning is too tight and the letters are overlapping.

Here’s how to fix it:

You: “I need to adjust the kerning for the headline.

It’s too tight and the letters are overlapping.”

1. Select the headline text.
2. Go to the typography settings and find the kerning option.
3. Adjust the kerning by moving the slider to the right to increase the space between characters.
4. Preview the changes and adjust as needed until the letters are no longer overlapping.

By adjusting the kerning, you’ve improved the legibility and overall look of the poster.

It may seem like a small detail, but kerning can make a big difference in the success of your design.