A new typographic scale
Discovery and implementation
@liammcmurray
(all images sourced from unsplash, it’s awesome check it out)
Background
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 16 18 21 24 36 48 60 72
These are the standard point sizes by which type was set by hand for printing.
Background
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 16 18 21 24 36 48 60 72
8 9 10 11 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 36 48 72
6 8 9 10 11 12 14 16 18 24 30 36 48 60 72
9 10 11 12 13 14 18 20 24 36 48 64 72 144 288
The scales from Word, Photoshop, and Sketch.
Background
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 16 18 21 24 36 48 60 72
15 18 20 24 26 32 35 43 46 57 62
The scale used in our Beta.
Background
15 18 20 24 26 32 35 43 46 57 62
This is based on two important numbers (18 and 26),
and the perfect fifth musical interval.
We used a website by Tim Brown called Modular Scale.
Background
Music & type
The intervals between notes, the frequency (pitch) of those notes, and their ratio
are what makes music.
Same for typography, the relationship between different font sizes for different
page elements should make content sing.
Music & type
Creating a new scale
A goal of a new typographic scale based on the traditional typographic scale,
using rules from musical theory to create a harmonious result.
The defining properties of the scale will be:
r = ratio
i = interval
f = frequency
Creating a new scale
https://wiki.bath.ac.uk/display/webservices/Typographic+scale+discovery
Creating a new scale
14 16 18 20 24 28 32 36 42 48 56
+2 +2 +2 +4 +4 +4 +4 +6 +6 +8
r = 2
i = 4
f = 2
Creating a new scale
14 16 18 20 24 28 32 36 42 48 56
15 18 20 24 26 32 35 43 46 57 62
Creating a new scale
14 16 18 20 24 28 32 36 42 48 56
15 18 20 24 26 32 35 43 46 57 62
Creating a new scale
14 16 18 20 24 28 32 36 42 48 56
mobile
14 16 18 20 24 28 32 36 42 48 56
tablet
14 16 18 20 24 28 32 36 42 48 56
desktop
Creating a new scale
In the wild
● http://www.bath.ac.uk/campaigns/bring-your-year-10-students-to-a-
university-taster-day/
● http://www.bath.ac.uk/events/management-consultancy-networking-event/
● http://www.bath.ac.uk/projects/new-website-and-publishing-platform/
In the wild
● http://www.bath.ac.uk/case-studies/choosing-a-placement-prepares-you-for-
your-career/
● http://www.bath.ac.uk/locations/parade-bar-and-grill/
Not so good
.summary h1
h1
h2
h3
h4
h5
h6
p
.small
Next steps
.page-summary-heading
.title
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p
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Thank you ♥
@liammcmurray

New type scale