Rhythm & Proportion: think more, do less xavier bertels · @xavez fronteers ghent (wijs) · juli 2012

1. Getting the basics right

s s

s s sans-serif serif

s s sans-serif serif

s s sans-serif serif

Makes no sense.

W3C: Serif Sans-serif

W3C: Serif Sans-serif Cursive Fantasy Monospace

Times New Helvetica Brush Script Papyrus Courier W3C: Serif Sans-serif Cursive Fantasy Monospace

Didot W3C: Serif Sans-serif Cursive Fantasy Monospace

Didot Optima W3C: Serif Sans-serif Cursive Fantasy Monospace

Didot Optima I am sorry W3C: Serif Sans-serif Cursive Fantasy Monospace

Didot Optima I am sorry Fraktur W3C: Serif Sans-serif Cursive Fantasy Monospace

Didot Optima I am sorry Fraktur Anonymous W3C: Serif Sans-serif Cursive Fantasy Monospace

http://dev.w3.org/csswg/css3-fonts/#generic-font-families

What a mess.

“16px is a good minimum size for body copy”

Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells re- act to bacteria and viruses dif- ferently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However un- real it may seem, we are con- nected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on oppo- Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells react to bacteria and vi- ruses differently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the ex- act same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on oppo- site ends. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on opposite ends.

Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells react to bacteria and vi- ruses differently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the ex- act same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on oppo- site ends. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on opposite ends. Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells react to bacteria and viruses differ- ently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on oppo- site ends. However unreal it may

Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells react to bacteria and viruses differ- ently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on oppo- site ends. However unreal it may Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells re- act to bacteria and viruses dif- ferently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However un- real it may seem, we are con- nected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on oppo-

Ha Ha 144pt Times 144pt Bernhard

Ha Ha 144pt Times 144pt Bernhard

144pt Times 144pt Bernhard Ha Ha

Why does it matter?

95% of what we do revolves around text . . . – Oliver Reichenstein

. . . and it puts focus on the wrong properties. – Me

Forget about serif and sans-serif. What should we look at?

2. x-height & modulation

x-height: defines vertical rhythm

Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells react to bacteria and viruses differ- ently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on oppo- site ends. However unreal it may Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells re- act to bacteria and viruses dif- ferently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However un- real it may seem, we are con- nected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on oppo-

Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells react to bacteria and viruses differ- ently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on oppo- site ends. However unreal it may Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells re- act to bacteria and viruses dif- ferently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However un- real it may seem, we are con- nected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on oppo-

No content

No content

Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells react to bacteria and viruses differ- ently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on oppo- site ends. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on opposite ends. Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells re- act to bacteria and viruses dif- ferently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However un- real it may seem, we are con- nected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on oppo-

Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells react to bacteria and viruses differ- ently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on oppo- site ends. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on opposite ends. Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells re- act to bacteria and viruses dif- ferently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However un- real it may seem, we are con- nected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on oppo-

Let the x-height control your vertical axis

Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells react to bacteria and virus- es differently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells react to bacte- ria and viruses differently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However unreal it may seem, we are connect-

Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells react to bacteria and virus- es differently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells react to bacte- ria and viruses differently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However unreal it may seem, we are connect-

It all perfectly aligns!

But your whitespace looks like shit.

Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells react to bacteria and virus- es differently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on opposite ends. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on opposite ends. Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells react to bacte- ria and viruses differently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However unreal it may seem, we are connect-

Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells react to bacteria and virus- es differently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on opposite ends. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on opposite ends. Your bones don’t break, mine do. That’s clear. Your cells react to bacte- ria and viruses differently than mine. You don’t get sick, I do. That’s also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However unreal it may seem, we are connect-

It’s not about line-height, it’s about the rhythm

1. Set a good, legible body font-size (15) 2. Find what line-height works best (24) 3. Divide that by 3 or 4 (24/3) 4. That’s your magic number! (8)

All you have to do is make sure that: margin-top + margin-bottom + padding-top + padding-bottom + border-top + border-bottom + line-height = n × magic number

modulation: proportion starts here

Word Word Word

Word Word Word

Word Word Word

3. So what do I do?

1. Set body font-size in % 2. Set all other metrics in (r)ems 3.

1. Use font-size-adjust (<3 Mozilla) 2. Spam all other browser makers

gridsetapp.com gridlover.net modularscale.com trentwalton.com/2011/05/10/fit-to-scale webtypography.net/Rhythm_and_Proportion alistapart.com/articles/more-meaningful-typography 24ways.org/2011/theres-no-formula-for-great-designs Further reading