Universal Web · 2005 Archive

1.3 Font Weight

Guidelines for font weight selection: use regular to slightly bold weights, avoiding thin or heavy/black weights for accessibility.

1 min read

Use regular to slightly bold font weights. Avoid fonts that are thin or that are heavy to black in weight.

What to Avoid

  • Light typefaces possess generous counter spaces but lack sufficient stroke contrast for users with low-vision
  • Bold/black weights feature decreased counter spaces, reducing overall legibility

Rationale

Thin fonts compromise contrast for low-vision readers, while extremely heavy fonts reduce the white space inside letters, hindering readability for all users. The ideal weight balances stroke visibility with open counter spaces.


Original Plates

Dunbar variable font weight and width axes