CDA Typography & Layout Flashcards
6 cards from real CDA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 CDA Typography & Layout flashcards as text
What is 'tracking' in typography?
Answer: Uniformly adjusting letter spacing across a range of text
Tracking (letter-spacing) uniformly increases or decreases space across a selected block of text, unlike kerning which targets individual pairs.
Which layout principle states that elements should be aligned to a common edge or axis to create visual order?
Answer: Alignment
Alignment connects visual elements by positioning them relative to a shared edge or invisible axis, reducing visual clutter.
A 'widowed' line in typography refers to what?
Answer: A single short word or line left at the top of a new column or page
A widow is a single short line stranded at the top of a column or page, considered poor typographic practice.
What is the purpose of a 'baseline grid' in layout design?
Answer: To align text across multiple columns to a consistent vertical rhythm
A baseline grid creates consistent vertical rhythm by aligning all text elements to evenly spaced horizontal lines.
Which font format supports variable axes such as weight, width, and slant within a single file?
Answer: OpenType variable fonts (.otf/.ttf with fvar)
OpenType variable fonts embed multiple stylistic variations in one file using axes defined in the fvar table.
In print layout, what is the term for the area beyond the trim edge where background colors or images extend to prevent white borders after cutting?
Answer: Bleed
Bleed is the extra area (typically 0.125 in) printed beyond the trim line so cutting imprecision doesn't leave white edges.