Magazine Questions for Type

What are the advantages of a multiple column grid?

While single-column grids work well for simple documents, multicolumn grids provide flexible formats for publications that have a complex hierarchy or that integrate text and illustrations. The more columns you create, the more flexible your grid becomes. You can use the grid to articulate the hierarchy of the publication by creating zones for different kinds of content.

How many characters is optimal for a line length? words per line?

Anything from 55-100 characters per line (CPL).

Why is the baseline grid used in design?

Every time you open a new document in a page layout program, you are prompted to create a grid. The simplest grid consists of a single column of text surounded by margins. By asking for page dimensions and margin widths from the outset, layout programs encourage you to design your page from the outside in.

What are reasons to set type justified? ragged (unjustified)?

_{Justified: Not only is the block of text perfectly justified, but paragraph symbols are used in place of indents and line breaks to preserve the solidity of the page.}

Ragged: Can draw it closer to the information it is identified with or identify what type of text it is. For example, poetry is often centered text.

What is a typographic river?

gaps in bodies of text that create "rivers" of space throughout the block of text.

What does clothesline, hangline or flow line mean?

The smaller numbers to make text balanced like when using a fraction, for example.

What is type color/texture mean?

the color of the text and whether or not there is a texture to it or if it is solid.

How does x-height effect type color? 

Reducing the standard distance creates a denser typographic color, while risking collisions between ascenders and descenders.

What are some ways to indicate a new paragraph. Are there any rules?
linebreak, indent, outdent, extra space, symbol