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Using Kerning for Better Headlines

By: Kim Dudley

Page 2 of 3

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Types of Kerning

Kerning is part of digital type design and many layout applications offer automatic kerning options. In Adobe applications such as Illustrator, Photoshop or InDesign you can automatically kern type using metrics kerning or optical kerning.

Metrics kerning and optical kerning use slightly different methods for adjusting the spacing between pairs of letters. Metrics kerning uses kern pairs, which are usually included as part of the font. Kern pairs contain information about the spacing of specific pairs of letters such as LA, To, Tr, Ty, WA. Most applications that support automatic kerning use this information. However Adobe applications also offer Optical kerning which adjusts the spacing between neighboring characters based on their shapes.

Figure 2 The same word with no kerning, metrics kerning and optical kerning applied, in this case metrics and optical kerning produce almost identical results

InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator use Metrics kerning by default. Therefore specific pairs of letters are automatically kerned using the font's kerning data when you import or type text.

In some situations optical kerning is preferable over metrics kerning. If a font has no kerning data, minimal built-in kerning or if you use two different typefaces or type sizes in one word, you may find optical kerning looks better.

Figure 3 Optical kerning often works best for words that use two different fonts

To change from the default method of kerning in Illustrator or InDesign select Optical under the Kerning drop down menu in the Characters palette. To turn off automatic kerning enter 0.

Figure 4 InDesign's kerning menu

Figure 5 Illustrator's kerning menu

Fireworks also has automatic kerning features which use the font's built in kerning information. To turn off automatic kerning in Fireworks deselect Auto kern in the Properties Inspector. If you can not see the Auto Kern box, click the expander arrow in the lower right corner to expand the Properties Inspector.

Figure 6 Fireworks kerning menu

If the automatic kerning options do not provide satisfactory results you can also use manual kerning. Manual kerning works very well for adjusting the space between two letters. Most layout or drawing applications allow manual kerning between two letters within a word. Character pairs can be manually kerned using a similar method in each of the following applications; Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Freehand or Fireworks.

1. To manually kern text in any of these applications select the Text tool and position it between the letters you want to kern.
2. For Fireworks hold down the Control (Windows) or Command (Macintosh) key while pressing the Left Arrow or Right Arrow keys on the keyboard. The Left Arrow key increases the space between letters and the Right Arrow key removes space.
   
   For Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop or Freehand hold down the Alt (Windows) or Option (Macintosh) key while pressing the Left Arrow or Right Arrow keys on the keyboard. The Left Arrow key increases the space between letters and the Right Arrow key removes space.

Increasing the kerning space moves the letters farther apart and will enter a positive number in the kerning entry box. Decreasing the kerning space moves the letters closer together and will enter a negative number in the kerning box.

In Freehand or Fireworks the kerning amount is adjusted in 1% increments. Hold down Shift and Control (Windows) or Shift and Command (Macintosh) while pressing the Left Arrow or Right Arrow keys to adjust the kerning by 10% increments.

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Keywords
kerning, tracking, Illustrator, Freehand, Photoshop, Fireworks, InDesign, text, typography