Sketch may lack the typographical capabilities of the most widely used design tools, but with a few tips and tricks, you can use typography to make up for this shortcoming. In this post, we will demonstrate how to leverage typography to its fullest potential in Sketch.
Designers are sure to be familiar with the array of software options at their disposal to tackle typography. While Adobe InDesign, Scribus, and Photoshop may reign supreme for this purpose, it’s worth noting the considerable potential of Sketch. Despite being an online design tool, Sketch boasts a comprehensive suite of features that can be advantageously harnessed for type design.
Despite its limitations in typography, Sketch has the potential to be a formidable tool in the creation of captivating typographic designs. Armed with the appropriate knowledge and techniques, Sketch can be optimized to produce stunning results. By adopting astute methods and clever approaches, designers can unleash the full potential of Sketch and craft beautiful typographic works.
This tutorial delves into several effortless yet effective techniques that can be employed to correct minor typographical issues in Sketch. It is the third article in our Sketch Tips & Tricks series. To read other articles in the series, please follow this link: “In Sketch, How Can You Make Nested Symbols?”.
Typography in Sketch
For designers already acquainted with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Sketch’s fundamental typography tools should be readily navigable. These tools encompass standard features such as font selection, text modification, and the adjustment of settings including line spacing and character spacing.
Although highly acclaimed for its design capabilities, Sketch is distinguished by several subtler qualities that may not be glaringly obvious at first glance. Gaining proficiency in these additional techniques can significantly enhance Sketch’s potential, allowing designers to create typographic designs that stack up against those made with InDesign. Here are some key skills you should add to your repertoire:
OpenType Features:
Numerous typefaces feature alternate sets of characters that can be leveraged for aesthetic or legibility purposes, such as variations in font weights. In Adobe Photoshop, switching to these alternative characters simply entails a single click. However, Sketch’s process is slightly more complex.
To view the full range of type options, including ligatures and alternate character sets, a further step is required. Simply navigate to the Sketch menu, select View, then Show Fonts, followed by the Gear icon and then Typography. With these straightforward actions, the full font family will be unveiled!
Adding Text to a Path:
Although less common than in the past, text along a path still enjoys widespread use in print and logo design. Thankfully, this effect can be easily achieved with Sketch by following a few simple steps. First, use the Pen Tool to delineate the path. Next, input the desired text close by. Finally, select Text > Text on Path from Sketch’s menu, and voila – your desired effect is achieved.
Baseline and Kerning Adjustment:
In Adobe Photoshop, most typography features can be found in the Character and Paragraph panels. Similarly, Sketch offers these features, albeit with some hidden from immediate view. Fortunately, with a little know-how, they can be easily located. To reveal additional styling options, including Baseline, Kerning, and Ligatures, simply access the Sketch Menu and select Text. It’s a simple as that!
Styles in Sketch
In Sketch, designers can devise typographic presets, or ‘styles’, using the style menu situated to the right of the type parameters. Creating custom styles is a commonplace and practical task; however, not everyone is aware that, akin to symbols, these styles can be organised for ease of access. To learn more about this process, please refer to our earlier essay, linked here.
Generating a folder with typographic styles can be achieved in various ways. Designers may choose to keep the folder name identical to the style name or may opt for more complex organisation with multiple folders bearing specific names. For instance, folder1 / folder2 / folder3 / style name are all valid options.
