Leading: This is the spacing between baselines of type. It comes from the ol' days when lead strips were used between lines of type on hand-set printing presses. Adjusting leading is a way to save or use other space on a page.

 

Kerning: The spacing between individual type characters is kerning. Most fonts already have kerning, and changes can be very subtle. But kerning can save space in a layout, help you to not have to awkwardly break words, and neaten up lines or blurbs of type while looking natural.

 

Tracking: This is the term for spacing between groups of letters, not individual letters, like kerning. It affects the density of your copy, helping it become more readable, and making lines of type even. Like kerning, it's also another tool to eliminate widows and orphans in paragraphs.

These are not always necessary and the untrained eye might not even notice them, but they are all three important finishing touches on your type and layout. That’s why you hire us.