What Is Your Type? A book about your type and typography.
Undressing and understanding your type.
“The beauty of type lies in its utility; prettiness without readability serves neither author nor reader.� - James Felici
INTRODUCTION
01
ANATOMY OF TYPE
03
DECONSTRUCTING TYPE
15
END NOTE
55
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction.
Volume 01 explores anatomy of type. Before we choose our desired type, what contitutes them and know that it is more than just their good looks.
01
Time to learn why...
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
02
Capital Height Mean Line
Baseline Descender Line
03
Anatomy
of Type x
X - Height
04
Capital Height The height of a capital letter measured from the baseline. In typography, cap height refers to the height of a capital letter above the baseline for a particular typeface. It specifically refers to the height of capital letters such as H or I- as opposed to round letters such as O, or pointed letters like A, both of which may display overshoot. The height of the small letters is referred to as x-height.
05
Cap Height Baseline
Capitalism
06
X-Height The height of lowercase letters reach based on height of lowercase x; does not include ascenders or descenders. In typography, x-height is the distance between the baseline of a line of type and tops of the main body of lower case letters, this is the distance between the baseline and the mean line of lower-case letters in a typeface. The x-height is a factor in typeface identification and readability.
07
Cap Height Baseline
Mean Line
x-height
X-height
08
Mean Line Imaginary line running along the top of non-ascending, lowercase letters. The meanline falls at the top of many lowercase letters such as “e,” “g” and “y.” It is also at the curve of letters like “h.” Also known as midline, is the line that determines where non-ascending lowercase letters terminate in a typeface. The distance between the baseline and the mean line is called the x-height.
09
Cap Height Baseline
Median
Mean Line
10
Baseline The invisible line where all characters sit. In most typefaces, the descenders on characters such as g or p extend down below the baseline while curved letters such as c or o extend ever-so-slightly below the baseline. It is the point from which other elements of type are measured including x-height and leading. The baseline is also significant in the alignment of drop caps and other page elements.
11
Cap Height
Baseline
Spacious
12
What is a Font? A font is a grouping of typefaces that have similar characteristics. Each font of a typeface has a specific weight, style, condensation, width, slant or italicization.
Helvetica Light
Helvetica Oblique
13
Helvetica Light Oblique Helvetica Bold
Helvetica Regular Helvetica Bold Oblique
What is a Typeface? A typeface is referring to an individual family member of that font. Also known as font family is a set of one or more fonts each composed of glyphs that share common design features.
HELVETICA is a typeface.
14
ASCENDER
JOINT
HAIRLINE
DOT
ARC
HOOK
EAR
SERIF
DOUBLE STORY
ARC
SPUR SPINE
CROTCH
STRESS
DIAGONAL STROKE
AXIS
VERTEX
BILATERAL SERIFS
TEARDROP TERMINAL
BALL TERMINAL
DESCENDER
BRACKET
FOOT
DIAGONAL STROKES
COUNTER
LINK
STEM
CROSSBAR
LOOP FINIAL
EYE
TERMINAL
APERTURE
LEG
Sphinx of black quartz judge my vow.
BEAK
Deconstructing Type
Typeface Anatomy
Aperture
Apex
Arc
Arm
Ascender
Axis
Ball Terminal
Beak
Bilateral Serif
Bracket
Counter
Crossbar
Crotch
Descender
Diagonal Stroke
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
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10.
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14.
15.
30.
29.
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27.
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Stress
Stem
Spur
Spine
Shoulder
Loop
Link
Leg
Joint
Hook
Hairline
Foot
Eye
Ear
Dot
Vertex
Double Story
Teardrop Terminal
Tail
Typographic characters have basic component parts. The easiest way to differentiate characteristics of type designs is by comparing the structure of these components. It also used to differentiate one typeface from another. Sometimes it is obvious while at times, the difference can be subtle. One example is Helvatica and Garamond. The difference between both is that on is a sans-serif and the other a serif. Knowing the structure of a type will help you understand the structure of the design and the differences among them.
A Typographic Foundation
34.
33.
32.
31.
Aperture
17
The partially enclosed, somewhat rounded negative space in some characters. Some of the characters include the letters n, C, S, the lower part of e, or the upper part of a double-storey a.
now APERTURE
18
Apex
19
A point at the top of a character where two strokes meet. The point at the top of a character such as the uppercase A where the left and right strokes meet is the apex. The apex may be a sharp point, blunt, or rounded and is an identifying feature for some typefaces.
APEX
Ark 20
Arc
21
A curved stroke that is continuous with the stem (horizontal, vertical or daigonal; if curved, open or closed. Letters such as b, d, o, p, q, D, O, P, Q, R, has a closed curved stroke. The letter m has a vertical stroke.
pom ARC
ARC
22
Arm
23
The arm of a letter is the horizontal stroke on some characters that does not connect to a stroke or stem at one or both ends. The top of the capital T and the horizontal strokes of the F and E are examples of arms. The diagonal upward stroke on a K is also its arm.
ARM
ARM
TK 24
Ascender
25
An upward vertical stroke found on the part of lowercase letters that extends above the typeface’s x-height. he upward vertical stem on some lowercase letters, such as h and b, that extends above the x-height is the ascender. Height of ascenders is an identifying characteristic of many typefaces.
ASCENDER
ASCENDER
hub 26
Ball Terminal
27
A circular form at the end of the arm in letters. Ball terminal is a combination of a dot (tail dot) or circular stroke and the curved bit (hook) at the end of some tails and the end of some arms (a, c, f).
BALL TERMINAL
af
BALL TERMINAL
28
SSS
SERIFS also known as the body.
Serifs Serifs are the small lines tailing from edges of letters and symbols , separated into distinct units for typesetting.
Readability The serifs carry reader’s eyes between letters as they read the text on a page.
30
Beak
The half-serif finishon some horizontal arms. A beak is a type of decorative stroke at the end of the arm of a letter, connected to the arm by the terminal. Similar to a spur or serif, it is usually more pronounced.
31
BEAK
BEAK
SET BEAK
32
Bracket
33
A curved or wedge-like connection between the stem and serif of some fonts. Brackets can have different shapes with deep or gentle curves. It is the transition between the seirf and the stem.
rust BRACKET
BRACKET
34
Counter
35
The negative space within letterform, either fully or partially enclosed. The shape and size of the counter and bowl (curved stroke enclosing the counter) can affect readability and is also an identifying factor for some typefaces.
COUNTER
Qod COUNTER
COUNTER
36
Cross Stroke
37
A horizontal stroke in a letterform that intersects the stem. The varying positioning, thickness, and slope of the cross stroke is an identifying feature of many type designs on various letterforms.
fit
CROSS STROKE
CROSS STROKE
38
Descender
39
The portion of the stem of a lowercase letterform that projects below the baseline. The length and shape of the descender can affect readability of lines of type and is an identifying factor for some typefaces.
pyq DESCENDER
40
Ear
41
A stroke extending out from the manin stem or body of the letterform. This is typically found on the lower case g, an ear is a decorative flourish usually on the upper right side of the bowl. Similar to a serif, the ear can be a distinctive, identifying element of some typefaces.
gear EAR
42
Hairline
43
A thin stroke usually common to serif typefaces. A hairline is the thinnest stroke found in a specific typeface that consists of strokes of varying widths.
xing HAIRLINE
44
SANSSANSSERIFS SERIFS also known as
Titles & Headers
45
ATTENTION Made you look.
ATTENTION Made for attention grabbing. The size and shape of the font suggest importance and draws the reader’s eye to that text.
ATTENTION Sans-serif is a typeface that does not have the small projecting features called “serif” at the end of the strokes. “Sans” in French means without.
46
Leg
47
Short, descending portion of a letter. The leg is the short stroke off the stem of the letterform, either at the bottom of the stroke (L) or inclined downward (K, R).
KL LEG
LEG
48
Link
49
A stroke that connects the top and bottom bowls of lowercase double-story g’s. It is a the link is that small, usually curved stroke that connects the bowl and loop of a double-storey g.
god
LINK
50
Stem
51
Vertical, full-length stroke in upright characters. Also known as a stroke of a letterfrom.
STEM
kiss 52
Terminal
53
The end of a stroke that does not include a serif. In typography, the terminal is a type of curve.
taQ Terminal
Terminal
54
COUNTER
BOWL
FINIAL
a BRANCH
STEM
A N ATO M Y o f TYPE Now that you know you know the type anatomy, the next step is to carefully choose the right typeface. The right typeface does not mean the ones that look good. Looks and communication plays a different role in typography. Let us look at the well-known typefaces and what they are all about in...
VOLUME 02
55
End of VOLUME 01
NOTES
NOTES
NOTES