Show a non-designer two versions of a page — same layout, different type — and they'll always prefer the one with better typography, even if they can't say why. That's how much of the work it carries.
A scale, not a guess
Sizes should relate to each other. Choose a ratio, build a scale, and use it everywhere. Suddenly headings, body, and captions feel like they belong to the same family — because they do.
A scale to steal
- Body — 16–19px, line-height 1.6–1.8.
- Lead — 1.25× body for intros.
- H3 — ~1.6×, H2 — ~2.25×, H1 — display.
Two faces, many weights
You rarely need more than a display face and a workhorse. The variety comes from weight, size, and spacing, not from a zoo of fonts.
When in doubt, increase the line-height and the margins. It almost always helps.
