Type Specimen Sheet Calculator
Specimen layout metrics from family characteristics.
Inputs
Results
Sample sizes shown
17
Total content height (pt)1,466
Total content height (in)20.36
Pages needed3
Chars/line at largest size13
Usable page height (pt)720
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter Smallest size (pt), Largest size (pt), and Line-height ratio.
- Set Lines per sample, Page height (pt), and Total margin (pt).
- Review the Sample sizes shown result.
- Use Total content height (pt) and Total content height (in) to inform your decision.
How the result changes with Smallest size (pt)
| Smallest size (pt) | Sample sizes shown |
|---|---|
| 11 | 12 |
| 28 | 5 |
| 48 | 3 |
| 65 | 1 |
What each input means
- Smallest size (pt)
- Smallest point size to include in the specimen.
- Largest size (pt)
- Largest point size to include in the specimen.
- Line-height ratio
- Line-height multiplier for each sample paragraph.
- Lines per sample
- Number of text lines shown at each sample size.
- Page height (pt)
- Page height in points. US Letter = 792, A4 = 842.
- Total margin (pt)
- Combined top + bottom margin in points (1 inch = 72 pt).
What each result means
- Sample sizes shown
- Number of distinct point sizes displayed on the specimen sheet.
- Total content height (pt)
- Total vertical space needed for all samples in points.
- Total content height (in)
- Total content height converted to inches.
- Pages needed
- Number of pages required to fit all samples.
- Chars/line at largest size
- Approximate characters per line at your largest point size on a US Letter page.
- Usable page height (pt)
- Available vertical space per page after margins.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersSmallest size (pt) = 6, Largest size (pt) = 72, Line-height ratio = 1.4, Lines per sample = 2 = 6 input(s) provided
- Calculate Sample sizes shownSample sizes shown17 = 17
- Calculate Total content height1466 = 1466
- Calculate Total content heightTotal content height = totalContentPt / 7220.36 = 20.36
Engine last updated . Checked against 3 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators.
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