The Rhythm of Reading

Typography is music for the eyes. Good typography establishes a visual rhythm that allows the reader to absorb information effortlessly. When the rhythm is broken—by lines that are too long, spacing that is too tight, or leading that is too erratic—the reader fatigues quickly.

A well-set paragraph breathes. It invites the eye to travel smoothly from the end of one line to the beginning of the next. This journey is governed by three invisible forces: Leading, Tracking, and Measure.

Leading prevents lines from crashing into each other. Tracking ensures characters don't collide. And Measure ensures the eye doesn't get lost on the long return trip across the page. Master these three, and you master the craft of readability.