Mastering Letter Spacing- A Comprehensive Guide to Adjusting Typography in Adobe Illustrator

How to Change Letter Spacing in Illustrator

When working with text in Adobe Illustrator, adjusting the letter spacing can greatly enhance the readability and overall aesthetic of your design. Whether you’re creating a poster, logo, or any other graphic, proper letter spacing is crucial. In this article, we will guide you through the process of how to change letter spacing in Illustrator, ensuring that your text stands out and conveys the intended message effectively.

Firstly, let’s start by selecting the text object you want to modify. You can do this by clicking on the text box or object, which will make it active. Once the text is selected, you will notice that the Type tool (T) is highlighted in the toolbar. This tool allows you to make changes to the text properties.

Now, to change the letter spacing, you have a couple of options. The first one is to use the Character panel. To open the Character panel, go to the Window menu and select Character. Alternatively, you can press Shift + Ctrl + T (Windows) or Shift + Command + T (Mac) to quickly access it.

Within the Character panel, you will find a section dedicated to spacing. Look for the “Kerning” option, which is represented by a K symbol. By default, Illustrator uses “Auto Kerning,” which automatically adjusts the spacing between characters. However, you can override this setting and manually adjust the letter spacing.

There are three main options for changing letter spacing in Illustrator:

1.

Enlarging the Space: If you want to increase the space between letters, you can simply type a positive value in the “Kerning” field. For example, entering a value of 20 will make the space between letters 20 units wider than the default.

2.

Decreasing the Space: Conversely, if you want to decrease the space between letters, you can enter a negative value in the “Kerning” field. For instance, entering a value of -10 will make the space between letters 10 units narrower than the default.

3.

Using Absolute Kerning: Illustrator also offers an “Absolute Kerning” option, which allows you to set the exact spacing between two specific characters. To use this feature, select the two characters you want to adjust, then enter the desired spacing value in the “Kerning” field.

After making the desired changes, click outside the Character panel or press Enter to apply the new letter spacing. You can preview the changes in real-time as you adjust the values.

It’s worth noting that changing letter spacing can also affect the overall line spacing. To maintain consistency, you may need to adjust the line spacing as well. You can do this by using the “Leading” option in the Character panel or by using the “Line Spacing” feature in the Paragraph panel.

By following these simple steps, you can easily change the letter spacing in Illustrator and achieve the desired visual impact for your text. Remember, proper letter spacing is key to creating professional and visually appealing designs.