Preferences for vertical center on even-pixel-height glyphs.

Jackson Showalter-Cavanaugh
Jackson Showalter-Cavanaugh Posts: 539
in Technique and Theory
Webfonters:

I was wondering what other peoples' preferences are for vertical center on even-pixel-height glyphs?

In theory, rounding up seems better for balancing counters. But on screen I'm finding I prefer rounding down, as more complicated things like the italic B seems to work better that way.

At this point I've been looking at so many pixels I've stopped trusting myself. Can anyone convince me one way or another?
 

     XX   XX   XXXXXX   XXXXXX   
     XX   XX   XX       XX   XX 
    XXXXXXX   XXXXXX   XXXXXX 
    XX   XX   XX       XX   XX 
   XX   XX   XX       XX    XX 
   XX   XX   XXXXXXX  XXXXXX

           up or down?

     XX   XX   XXXXXX   XXXXXX   
     XX   XX   XX       XX   XX 
    XX   XX   XX       XX   XX 
    XXXXXXX   XXXXXX   XXXXXX 
   XX   XX   XX       XX    XX 
   XX   XX   XXXXXXX  XXXXXX


Comments

  • Thomas Phinney
    Thomas Phinney Posts: 2,887
    For most typefaces, rounding up seems to be the norm.

    In general, for those three letters you chose for your example, in most typefaces that horizontal crossbar is actually a tiny bit above the middle. Especially in the B. So the "natural" direction to round it is up.

    Cheers,

    T
  • Jackson Showalter-Cavanaugh
    Jackson Showalter-Cavanaugh Posts: 539
    I can't convince myself up looks better, but I should just do what Georgia does.
    WWMCD?
  • James Hultquist-Todd
    James Hultquist-Todd Posts: 417
    When I was hinting, I went with what seemed to be the most expected solution (up). With this solution, it didn’t seem like it was as big of a change when the size changed between even and odd pixel heights.
  • Jason Campbell
    Jason Campbell Posts: 100
    As long as I've been hinting, we've always "erred up". To the extent that some companies I've worked with use function calls that center the stem when possible and round up one pixel when not possible (up to some logical extreme when they can be expected to behave).
  • Göran Söderström
    Göran Söderström Posts: 117
    I would go upwards!
  • Jackson Showalter-Cavanaugh
    Jackson Showalter-Cavanaugh Posts: 539
    Thanks, all.
  • Matthew Butterick
    Matthew Butterick Posts: 143
    I was hoping this was the beginning of your new ascii-art-inspired font family.
  • Jackson Showalter-Cavanaugh
    Jackson Showalter-Cavanaugh Posts: 539
    ascii-art-inspired font family
    Actually...
  • EbenSorkin
    EbenSorkin Posts: 23
    Quite apart from the question of what is typical I was taught that there is good research suggesting that bigger counters ( at least for the latin script ) is helpful for readers. I should get a copy of that study....

    But also this is also my experience when I look at two designs at a small size on screen.

    It is also the tendency you see when you look at 15-18th C. optical compensation in punch cut fonts meant for small sizes.

    The main contrary example that comes to mind is when the font is above a certain size/rez you begin to have real choices. In these cases sometimes a round down if more in keeping with the spirit of the design. I don't think kind of thing is what you mean though.

Categories