What does the term dingbat mean?

What does the term dingbat mean?

dingbat Add to list Share. A dingbat is an idiot: a person who's dumb, silly, or just empty-headed. There are a lot of insulting words for someone who isn't very smart: moron, dummy, knucklehead, bonehead, etc.

Where did the phrase dingbat come from?

A word with an incredibly diverse variety of meanings and applications, dingbat first referred to an alcoholic drink in 1838. It quickly developed a meaning similar to words such as “doohickey,” “gizmo” and “thingamabob,” which supply terms for items with unknown names.

What is leading in typography?

In typography, leading (/ˈlɛdɪŋ/ LED-ing) is the space between adjacent lines of type; the exact definition varies. In hand typesetting, leading is the thin strips of lead that were inserted between lines of type in the composing stick to increase the vertical distance between them.

What is the best paragraph spacing?

Line spacing is commonly measured as a percentage of font size. Conventional wisdom is that line spacing of 130%-150% is ideal for readability. In fact, anything from about 120% up to 200% is acceptable, but 140% tends to be the most quoted sweet spot.

What does 10 12 mean in type size and leading?

Leading examples & measurement The unit of measure for leading in most programs is points—same as for measuring type size. When you specifying a typeface's measurement and leading, you'll write Helvetica 10/12—the first number is the point size and the second number is the leading size.

What is leading in DTP?

A typographical term that refers to the vertical space between lines of text. ... For example, 10-point text with 2 points of spacing between lines would mean a leading of 12 points. Many word processors and all desktop publishing systems allow you to specify the leading.

What is leading graphic design?

Leading: A typography term that refers to the space between lines of type. This is also known as “line spacing” too. Leading is generally measured as the distance from one baseline of type to the next.

What is the difference between kerning and letter spacing?

Letter-spacing is the process of simultaneously adjusting the overall space between groups of letters. ... Kerning is the process of adjusting space between specific letter pairs to improve legibility in words that have inconsistent spacing, which makes the text look awkward and unprofessional.

What is spacing between words called?

In typography, kerning is defined as the adjustment of space between two individual letters.

How do I reduce the big space between words in Word?

Change the spacing between characters

1. Select the text that you want to change.
2. On the Home tab, click the Font Dialog Box Launcher, and then click the Advanced tab. ...
3. In the Spacing box, click Expanded or Condensed, and then specify how much space you want in the By box.

What is bad kerning?

KERNING: The process of adjusting the spacing between characters in a proportional font, usually to achieve a visually pleasing result. Bad kerning = Good laughs! KERNING: The process of adjusting the spacing between characters in a proportional font, usually to achieve a visually pleasing result.

What is leading and kerning?

Both kerning and leading are two fundamental ways of manipulating the spacing between characters that impact readability and legibility of type. However, kerning is the spacing between individual characters whereas leading is the vertical spacing between lines.

Why is spacing important?

Spacing is a key element in graphic design. It can keep things separated or together, and acts as an indicator for a start or an end. In graphic design, perhaps the most important thing spacing does is grab attention. A big blob of body copy can be dull to read and visually unappealing.

Why is kerning used?

In typography, kerning is the process of adjusting the spacing between characters in a proportional font, usually to achieve a visually pleasing result. Kerning adjusts the space between individual letterforms, while tracking (letter-spacing) adjusts spacing uniformly over a range of characters.

What is difference between kerning and tracking?

While kerning refers to adjusting the spacing between letter pairs, tracking refers to the overall letter spacing in a selection of letters. ... As a rule, designers should adjust the tracking to a body of text before applying any kerning value.

What is kerning in Photoshop?

Kerning is the process of adding or subtracting space between specific pairs of characters. Tracking is the process of loosening or tightening the spacing between the characters in selected text or an entire block of text.

What are kerning pairs?

Kerning refers to the adjustment of space between two specific characters, thus the term kerning pair. ... Kern pairs are created to improve the spacing between two letters when the normal spacing is less than ideal.

How do you do kerning?

10 top tips for kerning type

1. Choose your typeface early on. Settle on your type choices early on and everything will flow naturally from there. ...
2. Consider specific letter combinations. ...
3. Blur your eyes. ...
4. Flip the typeface upside down. ...
5. Create rhythm and consistency. ...
6. Remember spacing between words. ...
7. Supply two versions of a logo. ...
8. Test yourself.