Thinking with Type_ A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students - PDF Room

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Designers most commonly apply tracking to

headlines and logos (where kerning adjustments

are also frequently required). As text gets bigger,

the space between letters expands, and some

designers use tracking to diminish overall spacing

in large-scale text. Loose or open tracking is

commonly applied to capitals and small capitals,

which appear more regal standing slightly apart.

cruet & whisk and thymes Logotypes, 2006. Design: Duffy

& Partners. The generously tracked capitals in these logotypes give

them an affable, antiquarian flavor while imparting an overall

lightness to the designs.

eros Logotype, 1962. Design:

Herb Lubalin. Ultra-tight

letterspacing was a hallmark of

progressive commercial graphics

in the 1960s and 1970s. Here,

the letters cradle each other with

an intimacy appropriate to the

subject matter.

adjusting space across a range of letters

love letters

love letters

love letters, l ove l e t ter s

love letters, love letters

love letters, love letters

capitals: normal tracking

capitals: loose tracking (+75)

small caps: normal vs. loose tracking (+75)

lower case: normal tracking

lower case: loose tracking (+75)

type crime: tracking lowercase letters

Loosely spaced lowercase letters—especially italics—look

awkward because these characters are designed to sit

closely together on a line.

tracking headlines and logotypes