Setting brand types, letter spacing

Summary

The letter-spacing rules for the brand display faces: spacing is measured in units of the internal counter height "h", with FPA Text spaced at 0.75h to 1h and FPA Display at around 1.25h, demonstrated on the word "Brand".

Visual description

White page. The left column explains in English over Chinese that FPA type is designed tight; using the white counter height h as the unit, ideal spacing falls between 1h and 1.25h, tightening to 0.75h for curved letters. The right side shows the word "Brand" set twice, once in FPA Text and once in FPA Display, both very large in black, with thin blue vertical guide lines and labels (h, 0.75h, 1.25h) marking the gap between each pair of letters. Black type, blue measurement annotations.

Key takeaway

Defining tracking in terms of an internal letter feature (the counter height h) rather than a fixed value makes the spacing rule scale with type size. Demonstrating it on a real word with measured gaps is far clearer than a numeric tracking value.

Reuse notes

A precise, reusable way to spec tracking for a custom display face. The h-unit method suits geometric faces with consistent counters. Keep the blue annotation style consistent with the brand's other technical diagrams.