Underlining Text

by Ilene Strizver

In the world of digital typesetting, underlining is rarely used to emphasize text. This “treatment” is a holdover from typewriter days, when it was the only way to highlight text. Today, italics and/or boldface are commonly used to add emphasis, depending on the context and desired degree of attention. But there are still some instances where underlining (also called underscoring) is an effective and attractive way to emphasize text. It can add an appealing design element and is useful for type of all sizes, including: headers and footers, headlines and subheads, pull quotes, and important callouts in body text.

The good news is that today’s design software offers a lot of control over underscores. In some instances, you can easily and quickly create and access a customized style. Your underscoring can be creative and eye-catching, as you can customize the style, thickness, color, and offset from the text. In certain cases, it’s also possible to import and export the styles. In both Quark® and InDesign®, these capabilities are somewhat hidden. They are worth exploring and fun to use. Here’s how to get started:

QuarkXPress

To create custom underline styles or to edit the default style, go to:

• Edit > Underline Styles.
• Select color, shade, width, and offset. Underline Styles can also be exported or imported from this dialog box.
• Select OK, then Save. To apply an underline style, highlight text and go to:
• Styles > Underline Styles.
• Select Preview if desired, then select OK to save.

InDesign

InDesign’s Underline feature offers you many options for some very creative results.

• Select type to be underscored.
• Go to Character palette’s drop down menu > Underline Options.
• Select style (located under Type), weight, and color of underscore.
• If you select a more decorative underscore, you can customize the color of the gaps.
• Select Preview if desired, then select OK to save.

Underline Options can also be created via Paragraph and Character Styles.

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• Editor’s Note:Ilene Strizver, founder of The Type Studio, is a typographic consultant, designer and writer specializing in all aspects of typographic communication. She conducts Gourmet Typography workshops internationally. Read more about typography in her latest literary effort, Type Rules! The designer's guide to professional typography, 4th edition, published by Wiley & Sons, Inc. This article was commissioned and approved by Monotype Imaging Inc.