At his presentation at WordCamp US 2015 in Philadelphia, Dmitry Mayorov of ThemePatio discussed how following basic typography rules can help you design better WordPress themes.
Here are my notes from his talk “7 Typography Rules I Wish I Knew Before Designing a Theme:”
- Line length. Use a line length of 45-75 characters per line. By paying attention to line length, you provide a better experience for users. As with any rule, there are some exceptions.
- Text justification. Align text to the left. Avoid justified text, which can lead to “rivers of white space” due to additional white space.
- Line height. Line height is the amount of space above and below text. It can make or break a design. Choose an appropriate line height for body text (many people start at 1.5) and headings.
- Vertical rhythm. While at first it may seem difficult to understand, vertical rhythm refers to the visual consistency of spacing and elements on a page. (For more info, I found the vertical rhythm article by Rachel Shillcock to be helpful.)
- Modular scale. By considering modular scale, you can determine what sizes you should set your type. Tim Brown’s modular scale online tool can help you set scale for your text.
- Typefaces. Choose type faces wisely. Look for a readable typeface for body text. And as you review typeface, consider font weight.
- Break the rules. When you think it’s appropriate, break the rules. Only by breaking rules can you create something beautiful.
I was chatting with Dmitry right before his presentation at WordCamp US 2015 this afternoon. He asked if I could take photos of him during his talk, I was happy to take a few shots.
This was the first time Dmitry gave his presentation in English. His first language is Russian; he did a great job!
