Ink traps are small, often subtle indentations or spaces intentionally incorporated into the design of typefaces or fonts, generally used for newsprint. They were originally developed during the era of metal type, letterpress, and offset printing. Ink traps can serve several crucial purposes, but for the most part, digital and direct to press printing has made them less and less necessary. If your logo utilizes a font with ink traps, these odd gaps and wells may make your logo look quite different at large sizes.
Benefits of Ink Traps
Optical Corrections: Ink traps compensate for the spread of ink on paper during printing. When ink spreads, it can blur the edges of characters, making them appear thicker than intended. Ink traps help maintain the intended letterforms by providing extra space for ink to spread into, preserving the sharpness of the characters.
Enhanced Legibility: Especially in smaller font sizes or low-resolution displays, characters can lose their clarity due to ink bleeding or pixelation. Ink traps prevent this degradation by ensuring that the essential details of the letterforms remain intact.
Design Consistency: Ink traps contribute to maintaining consistency across various font sizes. They help to preserve the design characteristics of the typeface regardless of whether it’s printed in a large headline or in smaller body text.
In contemporary digital typography, the need for ink traps has evolved due to advancements in printing and display technologies. However, they still find relevance in specific contexts, especially in typefaces designed for smaller sizes or challenging printing conditions where ink spread can impact legibility and aesthetics. Some modern type designers choose to incorporate digital ink traps or subtle optical adjustments to maintain the integrity of their fonts across different mediums and sizes.
Often ink trapped fonts are unknowingly used for logos. This can have a negative impact on your logo’s appearance across different media. Don’t worry, this does not mean you have to find a new font for your logo. Designers like the ones at Vector Crush can take the ink traps out of your font, and have your logo looking great at all sizes.
