Legibility analysis of self-designed typeface with eye-tracking device

Abstract

Typography appears in every aspect of our lives. It is closely intertwined with the representation of information, communication, and our cultural and national identity. Until the invention of computer in printing, only a few typefaces were in use. Then, almost overnight, a flood of new typefaces appeared in different type styles or in their combinations. Nowadays, a vast number of tools is available for designing typefaces, enabling almost anyone to do it. Nevertheless, not every typeface is well designed and useful, i.e. legible. A successful type design requires following the established aesthetic and technical principles. Moreover, it should follow perceptual principles. This study was concerned with evaluating the legibility of various useful typefaces in comparison to a self-designed typeface. The self-designed typeface was not based only on the principles of good legibility. Its design was based also on the paintings by the Slovenian Art Nouveau and later Impressionist painter Matija Jama, whose 150th birthday is celebrated this year. The Impressionist painter’s typeface should not only have the qualities of artistic style, but also be usable, i.e. legible, for a longer text. To determine which type size is optimal for such a text, the test of legibility was conducted. The legibility of the self-designed typeface was analysed along with three other well-known and useful typefaces, i.e., an old style typeface (Minion), a transitional typeface (Bentham) and a sans serif typeface (Gill Sans). The reading speed and number of fixations were analysed using a Tobii 120X eyetracking device. Different texts in all four typefaces in three different type sizes (i.e. 16, 21 and 26 px) were displayed on a 24-inch LCD display. The twenty tested individuals were aged between 19 and 23 years. The results showed that the choice of a particular type size affected the reading speed and legibility. It was also found that for some typefaces, different type sizes, when read, require more fixations. The results of our study show that a self-designed typeface is useful, i.e. legible, at larger type sizes. An appropriate type style and size can improve legibility on displays.