← Encyclopedia Skill

The Modular Type Scale

What: Building text sizes on a fixed ratio (e.g. 1.25) instead of arbitrary sizes.

Why: A single ratio makes hierarchy feel harmonious and intentional, not random.

How: Start from the body size (16) and multiply up by the ratio for headings (20, 25, 31…).

Common mistake: Picking sizes that 'look good' with no relationship, so they clash.

Exercise: Redesign a page with three sizes built on one ratio and compare it to the original.