Friday, 30 December 2011

TYPE (typographic terms)

In this post, I will show the main terms used to describe specific shapes used in the characters formation and their surroundings. These terms will be repeated throughout the posts I will add to this blog so you can always used it as a reference.



Terms

Ascender: Part of the character that extends above the baseline.

Bar: Or Cross Bar, is a horizontal stroke that crosses a character.

Baseline: Line where the type sits.

Bowl: Curved stroke that makes the counter area.

Cap Height: Height of a capital letter.

Counter: White space inside a letter.

Descender: Part of the character that extends below the baseline.

Ear: Upper stroke of a lowercase g.

Link: Stroke connecting upper and lower parts of a letter, as in the lowercase g.

Loop: Lower portion of a lowercase g.

Serif: Short line that extends from the main stroke.

Spine: Curved stroke of the letter S.

Stress: Direction of thickening on the curved stroke of a letter.

Stroke: Or Stem, is the main stroke of the character.

Terminal: The end of a stroke that does not end in serif.

X- Height: Height of a lowercase letter without ascenders or descenders.

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