POINT AND PIC
Above: small unit, the point, is.35136 mm, about 1/72 of an inch. The larger unit, the pica, is made
up of 12 points. All type sizes measured over the overall body of the type) are specified In points. Larger distances, especially column widths, are traditionally measured in picas, although many digital designers now prefer to work in millimeters or1nches.
THE POINT SYSTEM
Digital processing allows designers to work on screen in a range of interchangeable measurement systems, to their own choice. However, when dealing with type, most people find it more practical to work with a common system that allows everyone to grasp and quickly appreciate the values being talked about. The point system used for measuring type¬ unique to the printing industry- has, surprisingly, remained the same since the days of metal type. In the days of phototypesetting, an attempt was made to use millimeters as