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Leading
Adjust line spacing.
To refine the appearance of your publication or adapt
text to available space, adjust the vertical spacing
between lines of type. This is called leading (pronounced
“ledding”).
Bold, elegant lines
mark spring fashions
Proper leading ensures that the bottoms of letters in one
line do not touch the tops of letters in the next line.
Bold, elegant lines
mark spring fashions
The above headline has too much vertical spacing. The
lines do not relate well to each other, making them dif-
ficult to read.
Bold, elegant lines
mark spring fashions
Tightening up the leading conserves space and improves
both the appearance and readability of this headline.
When adjusting leading, make certain that you do not
inadvertently draw attention to one part of your publi-
cation at the expense of another. Also ensure that your
publication’s graphic consistency has not been com-
promised; the leading applied to each element of text
should be the same throughout your publication.
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THE ALDUS GUIDE TO BASIC DESIGN