Working with Typography Flashcards

What is the recommended minimum contrast ratio for normal body text to meet WCAG AA accessibility standards?

Answer: 4.5:1

WCAG AA requires a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 between normal text and its background for accessibility.

In Adobe Photoshop, which text layer type automatically reflows when you resize the bounding box?

Answer: Paragraph type

Paragraph type is created by dragging a bounding box, and text reflows within it when the box is resized.

What is a 'drop cap' in typographic layout?

Answer: An enlarged first letter of a paragraph that drops down to align with multiple lines of body text

A drop cap is an oversized initial letter that descends into the body text, spanning two or more lines.

Which Adobe Illustrator tool allows you to individually move, scale, or rotate each letter of a text string without converting to outlines?

Answer: Touch Type tool

The Touch Type tool (Shift+T) allows per-character transformations while the text remains live and editable.

When should a designer use 'small caps' instead of uppercase letters?

Answer: When typing acronyms or abbreviations within body text to match visual weight without shouting

Small caps match the x-height of surrounding lowercase text, making acronyms blend naturally without the heaviness of full caps.

What is the effect of setting a negative tracking value on selected text in Adobe applications?

Answer: Decreases the space between all selected characters, pulling them closer together

Negative tracking reduces the overall spacing between characters, making the text appear tighter.

In Adobe InDesign, what does threading text frames accomplish?

Answer: Links multiple text frames so text flows continuously from one frame to the next

Threading connects text frames so that overflow text automatically flows from one frame into the next linked frame.