56 The State of Web Design Trends: 2012
Two noteworthy aspects of typography are the aesthetics (web
fonts are allowing designers to indulge themselves) and the grow-
ing understanding that type exists primarily to be read. Fonts don’t
have to be microscopic to appear chic, and the emphasis on con-
tent first is pushing us towards a web full of big and beautiful type.
The concept of using 16px as a default body copy font size isn’t
new, but it has been largely ignored until recently. We read com-
puter screens at a distance which makes 12px text appear much
smaller than its equivalent 12pt text in printed material. 16px is the
font-size your browsers will apply to body text unless instructed
otherwise, and for good reason! Words exist to be read, so by
placing “readability” back at the top of your typographic priorities,
you’ll be doing your content a huge favor.
Walton’s blog is another great example of content first.
Trent Walton’s blog is a great example of the “content first”
approach to design. Huge swathes of white-space draw your
attention to article content, whilst large font-sizes and generous
