It is called leading because the material to fill this space was originally made from lead. Kerning and Leading are important in typography and should not be ignored. Leading isn’t what you probably think it is. You’ll find the definition of typography, a rundown of the key elements of typography, and tips on how to choose the right typeface for your website design: ... and the spacing between letters and lines (or ‘kerning’ and ‘leading’ in professional terms). Leading. The design is not really complete until kerning and leading have been considered, … This term came from the days of typesetting when individual pieces of lead were inserted between text blocks to increase the vertical distance between lines. Leading is defined as a lead covering or border, or the spacing between lines of print. Leading and Line Spacing. In typography, leading (/ ˈ l ɛ d ɪ ŋ / LED-ing) is the space between adjacent lines of type; the exact definition varies.. Elements of Good Typography. Like kerning, leading can impact the readability and legibility of type. It is the finishing touch on the type that makes everything read and flow properly. Typography is the way that letters and words are arranged in print and design. Also, ensure enough contrast between the text and the background color. In hand typesetting, leading is the thin strips of lead that were inserted between lines of type in the composing stick to increase the vertical distance between them. By this definition, isn't it the same thing as line height? In other words, leading is line spacing. Leading definition is - coming or ranking first : foremost. In a typographical design, it is more about controlling the space between letters to make the text more appealing, optimized for readability and proportionately sized. In this case, lead is referring to the strips of lead once used to create space between lines of text in the days of mechanical typesetting. Consistency – in any typographical work the consistent use of typefaces, kerning, leading, bullets and formatting is critical. How to use leading in a sentence. Leading is the space between lines of letterpress type. In typography, leading ( /ˈlɛdɪŋ/) refers to the distance between the baselines of successive lines of type. The term is often used for digital typesetting as well, but stands for the distance between consecutive baselines in this context. The principle of perfecting typeface in a website design begins with adjusting three elements, respectively as leading, kerning and tracking. What does leading mean? Consistency makes the work look professional and keeps your readers focused on the content and not the formatting. In fact it’s pronounced ledding – as in lead, the metal. Kerning vs tracking. You’ve probably used this setting in word processing programs, where it’s a common feature. Leading consists of the vertical spacing between lines of contiguous text. 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