The right font size for a stamp

We get asked this question regularly from our clients so here’s a short guide on what font sizes you should really avoid and look at.

So what is the right font size for a stamp?

The answer is avoid choosing font sizes below 6.5 point. Text fonts below 6.5 point fail to deliver the ink consistently because in the centre of small fonts hooped letters like e, a, d, p etc the ink can bubble across and give a solid looking centre. This is accentuated when the ink pads are new and fully charged up with ink and reduces when older. See example below.

As a stamper it’s important to know what font sizes we choose so we can avoid having blobs.

Below is a good explanation to help you understand the differences between fonts, points, pixels and point sizes.

Fonts

Font sizes come in points, picas, pixels and ems. Twelve points equals one pica, although points and picas are both relative sizes. Pixel sizes indicate pixels on the screen, and ems are a relative sizing method used for web and print.

Points vs Pixels

Points are the smallest measurement of a font. Exactly what size a point is varies from computer to computer due to the user’s screen settings and browser settings. Font sizes in pixels are more commonly used in web design, where more specific sizing is needed to keep text from “breaking” the design. These font sizing issues are not a problem in the printing industry, where points and picas are the standard.

Point Size

Font point sizing is relative and involves the measurement of the font type’s ascent, descent and leading space. The ascent is the font’s maximum height, and the descent measures how far below the typed line letter tails go. The leading space is space between the descent of one line and the ascent of the line just below it. Point sizing measures from the line’s ascent up through the above line’s descent.