Contrast is the difference between the thick and thin parts of a letterform’s stroke, which establishes its structural axis of stress.
- Low-contrast (monolinear): uniform stroke thickness throughout (common in sans-serifs).
- High-contrast: dramatic shifts between thick stems and hairline strokes (common in modern serifs).
Contrast must adapt to scale to preserve legibility:
- Display sizes (headlines): high contrast. Hairlines are drawn razor-thin because large scales keep them visible and elegant.
- Body sizes (text): low contrast. Thin strokes are kept sturdier so they don’t disappear or blind at small reading sizes.
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