Toluu

The Elements of Typographic Style Applied to the Web

A practical guide to web typography

Set opening paragraphs flush leftJuly 24 2007

The function of a paragraph indent is to mark a pause, setting the paragraph apart from what precedes it. If a paragraph is preceded by a title or subhead, the indent is superfluous and can therefore be omitted.

In continuous text mark all paragraphs after the first with an indent of at least one enJuly 24 2007

Ornaments [...] drop lines [...] outdented paragraphs [...] and others, have their uses but the plainest, most unmistakable yet unobtrusive way of marking paragraphs is the simple indent.

Indent or center verse quotationsJanuary 10 2007

Verse is usually set flush left and ragged right, and verse quotations within prose should not be deprived of their chosen form. But to distinguish verse quotations from surrounding prose, they should be indented or centered on the longest line.

Add and delete vertical space in measured intervalsAugust 30 2006

Headings, subheads, block quotations, footnotes, illustrations, captions and other intrusions into the text create syncopations and variations against the base rhythm of regularly leaded lines. These variations can and should add life to the page, but the main text should also return after each variation precisely on beat and in phase.

Choose a basic leading that suits the typeface, text and measureJuly 14 2006

Vertical space is metered in a different way [to horizontal space]. You must choose not only the overall measure – the depth of the column or page – but also a basic rhythmical unit. This unit is the leading, which is the distance from one baseline to the next.