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One Good Kern Deserves Another

How-Tos: Written by James Felici on October 12, 2009

Evening out the spaces between characters is a matter of finding the right rhythm, then going with the flow.

To Boldly Go . . . Or Is It Italically?

How-Tos: Written by James Felici on September 21, 2009

In any family, you can always spot the role of certain members. Typeface families are no different.

Punc Rocks: The Typographer's Guide to Punctuation

How-Tos: Written by James Felici on September 9, 2009

When it comes to understanding what we read, periods, commas, and their dotty allies are proof that it's the little things that count. Here's how to use them correctly.

Make an Image Sandwich in InDesign

How-Tos: Written by David Blatner on July 3, 2009

Place an image above and below text and vector graphics for a tasty visual meal.

But Will It Print?

How-Tos: Written by Steve Werner on June 11, 2009

Ten tips for creating an InDesign file that prints perfectly.

How to Cure Typochondria

How-Tos: Written by Pamela Pfiffner on May 11, 2009

"Typochondria" is the fear that you've selected the wrong typeface. If you've ever suffered from that font affliction, rest easy: This article is good for what ails you.

QuarkXPress Text, Image, and Productivity Tips

How-Tos: Written by Jay J. Nelson on January 12, 2009

Quickly adjust the space between letters or words, create embossed text, fade a photo with a gradient, and more.

Five Type Tricks in InDesign

How-Tos: Written by Mike Rankin on December 8, 2008

In just one article, you’ll find tips for fixing a muddled set of text frames, tweaking tracking, controlling a highlight effect, and more.

Tug and Twirl Text in Illustrator

How-Tos: Written by Chad Neuman on September 29, 2008

The sky’s the limit when you convert Illustrator text to outlines. It’s so easy to change each letter’s size, position, and color, and even push and pull letters into fantastic new shapes.

Create Nondestructive Text Effects with Photoshop's Smart Filters

How-Tos: Written by Russell Brown on August 25, 2008

Apply Photoshop's Smart Filters to text to get special effects you'll love and still keep the text live.

Use Any Font in a Web Site Design

How-Tos: Written by Pariah Burke on May 28, 2008

There have always been two certainties in Web design: You can never have enough bandwidth, and all Web design must rely entirely on fonts installed on the viewer’s computer. But thanks to sIFR, at least one of these so-called inescapable certainties is wrong.

Create Clipping Paths without Photoshop

How-Tos: Written by Robert Underwood on April 25, 2008

Here's how to cut out an image using only QuarkXPress.

Illustrator Type Tricks: A Frolic on the Far Side

How-Tos: Written by James Felici on August 27, 2007

These techniques for "enhancing" your type will have your mild-mannered fonts cowering in fear as you take them to places they dared not ever go.

dot-font: Importing Text

How-Tos: Written by John D. Berry on February 9, 2007

Learn how to import text into a page-layout program and have it come out the way you want it.

Better Type in Photoshop

How-Tos: Written by Dave Cross on January 22, 2007

Got questions about creating, committing, managing, masking, filtering, or otherwise transforming type in Photoshop? Want quick answer to those questions? I thought so!

dot-font: The Best Brochure Fonts

How-Tos: Written by John D. Berry on November 15, 2006

Learn how to choose and use the right typeface for a brochure, flyer, or small booklet.

Think Outside the Font Box

How-Tos: Written by Ilene Strizver on October 30, 2006

Some typefaces are only for text and some are only for display, right? Not necessarily. Follow these tips and you'll be able to extend your type library.

dot-font: Using Expert Characters and Expert Sets

How-Tos: Written by John D. Berry on October 23, 2006

For elegant, readable text, try the typographic refinements of expert sets and extra characters.

Quark How-To: Fill Type with Artwork in QuarkXPress

How-Tos: Written by Pariah Burke on August 1, 2005

How would you fill type with artwork or imagery? Would you do it in Photoshop or Illustrator? If the artwork-filled type is going to end up in a QuarkXPress layout, why worry about transparency, clipping path, or image preview issues? Instead, you can fill the type directly within XPress.

Design How-To: Choose the Right Typeface Every Time

How-Tos: Written by John McWade on July 18, 2005

Flashy typefaces are fun, but when you design something with large blocks of text, you need a font that doesn't tire your readers. We share our favorites and reveal easy tricks for identifying other suitable choices.

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