The importance of kerning in professional design
When it comes to professional design work, there are countless elements to consider. From color palettes to fonts, every detail is meticulously considered to ensure that a design communicates the intended message and elicits the desired response from its audience. One often overlooked but critically important element of design is kerning.
Kerning refers to the spacing between individual characters within a font. It may seem like a small detail, but the spacing between letters can have a huge impact on the readability and overall impact of a design. Poor kerning can make a design look unprofessional, hard to read, and even confusing. In contrast, well-executed kerning can make a design appear polished, cohesive, and easily digestible.
So why does kerning matter so much? Let's take a closer look at some of the key reasons.
Improved Readability
One of the primary reasons kerning is so important is that it can greatly improve the readability of a design. When characters are spaced too far apart, they can appear disconnected and disjointed, making it difficult for the viewer to read and process the text. Conversely, when characters are spaced too closely together, wordscan blend together, rendering them illegible.
By taking the time to adjust kerning, designers can ensure that each character is appropriately spaced from those around it, making the text easier to read and enhancing the overall impact of the design.
Enhanced Aesthetics
Good kerning can also enhance the aesthetics of a design. Proper spacing between text can give a design a cohesive and uniform appearance, which can help it to stand out and leave a lasting impression on the viewer. In addition, well-kerned designs tend to look more polished and professional than those with poor kerning.
Think of kerning as the equivalent of putting the finishing touches on a painting. Adjusting the kerning until it's just right can give a design an extra layer of finesse and elevates the overall aesthetic of the design.
Improved Legibility
Legibility and readability are two related but distinct concepts in design. While readability refers to how easy it is to read the overall text, legibility relates to how easy it is to differentiate between individual letters within a word.
Kerning can improve both readability and legibility. By reducing the space between certain letters, like "T" and "y," designers can make sure that each letter is distinct and easy to differentiate, even at smaller font sizes. This can be especially important in situations where it's crucial that viewers can read and comprehend the text quickly and easily, like in signs or product packaging.
Improved Hierarchy
Kerning can also be used to create a sense of hierarchy in design elements. By adjusting the space between words or letters, designers can draw attention to certain phrases and create visual breaks between different sections of text.
For example, if a designer wants to draw attention to the title of a section, they can increase the space between that title and the text below it. This creates a visual break that sets the title apart, emphasizing its importance and making it stand out on the page.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, kerning is an incredibly important aspect of professional design. It might seem like a small detail, but it can have a major impact on the overall effectiveness of a design. By taking the time to adjust kerning and ensure that each character is appropriately spaced, designers can improve readability, enhance aesthetics, improve legibility, and create a sense of hierarchy in their designs.
Whether you're a designer or a business owner who hires designers, it's important to keep kerning in mind. By prioritizing this small but critical detail, you can create designs that are compelling, polished, and effective.