Pica Ruler
Posted: 30 Aug 2025, 13:14
Slightly OT perhaps, but I just bought a metal Pica ruler. One thousand, two hundred and ninety six points long!
I've had a plastic point rule for some time, but finally got my hands on a metal one. I've always preferred working in points, as it fits for all purposes -- 1pt line, 12pt type, 48pt margin, etc. (Finale's EVPUs are 0.25 points.)
The other side of the ruler has inches and Agates. An Agate is 5.5pt, and was the name of a size of type before measuring with points was standard.
There are names for many different sizes of type. Interestingly, some names are shared with the names of music rastral sizes -- Pearl, Middle, English -- though there is no correlation between the sizes.
I've had a plastic point rule for some time, but finally got my hands on a metal one. I've always preferred working in points, as it fits for all purposes -- 1pt line, 12pt type, 48pt margin, etc. (Finale's EVPUs are 0.25 points.)
The other side of the ruler has inches and Agates. An Agate is 5.5pt, and was the name of a size of type before measuring with points was standard.
There are names for many different sizes of type. Interestingly, some names are shared with the names of music rastral sizes -- Pearl, Middle, English -- though there is no correlation between the sizes.
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