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Add note about optical size file-size impact (#4567)

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Dave Crossland 2022-04-28 14:53:14 -04:00
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cc-by-sa/knowledge/modules/choosing_type/lessons/choosing_typefaces_that_have_optical_sizes/content.md
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[Optical sizing](/glossary/optical_sizes) refers to the practice of [type foundries](/glossary/type_foundry) creating slightly different versions of a [typeface](/glossary/typeface) intended to be used at different sizes. Generally speaking, small ([body](/glossary/body) or caption) optical sizes tend to have less stroke [contrast](/glossary/contrast), larger [x-heights](/glossary/x_height), wider [characters](/glossary/character), and more open spacing. Their large (or [display](/glossary/display)) counterparts have refined features and tighter spacing—characteristics that would hinder their readability at small sizes.
On the web, there is a file-size cost for using each addition axis in a variable font. Generally, any time you add an Optical Size axis, the font file-size will typically double, but this depends on the family and the other axes used – it can range between 1.2× and 2.6×.
<figure>
![On the left, text set in four different optical sizes—display, subhead, body, and caption—at the intended font sizes for each. On the right, a close-up of each optical size, set at the same font size to emphasize the difference between each.](images/thumbnail.svg)