Anatomy of Type & Typographic Terminology

Anatomy of Type & Typographic Terminology

Graphic Design (Level 04) // OUDG403 - Lecture Notes

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Typeface - Artist interpretation, or design of a collection of alphanumeric symbols. A type face is usually grouped together  in a family containing 

Fonts -  A collection of letters, numbers, punctation and other symbols used to set a text matter. 

Lettering -  Is a unique image, essentially illustration of letters, words and phrases. It is a system of letters thatch be rearranged and work together.

Display type - Face is for heading and titles etc

Font - Is what you have used a typeface is what you see! 

Cap-height - The height from the baseline to the top f the uppercase letters (not including diacritics

X-height - The height of the lowercase letters, disregarding ascenders and defenders,typically exemplified by the letter x. 

The Imaginary line upon which the letters in font appears to rest.

Serif - The little extra stroke on the end of a type 

Bracket - Is a curved or wedge-like connection between the stem and the serif of some fonts.

Sans Serif - Without a serif so not with flicks. 

Terminal - The end of the stroke is a terminal

Italic - A slanted type style which takes its basic shapes from a stylised form of handwriting. They are usually used for emphasis of text, mainly from serif designs 

Oblique - Slanted type style, but it is the same as the original font, it has not been re-designed like and italic

Descender - Part of a lowercase letter form that extents below the baseline

Ascender - Any letter that extends above the x-height, and to the cap-height

Diacritic - Is an ancillary mark or sign added to the letter which changes the sound value of the letter, they always keep in which in the type grid

UPPERCASE - THE CAPITALS OF A TYPEFACE

lowercase - the lowercase of a typeface

Superscript - A letter or symbol that is placed or printed above. Temp

Subscript - This is placed below the normal line of type

Underline - Also know as underscore 

Strikethrough - A line going through the centre of a word, used to identify a mistake or something that has been recently deleted

Counter - The negative space within the middle of the letter

Eye - The negative space in the letter ‘e’ 

Aperture - Is the partially enclosed, somewhat rounded negative space in some characters

Crossbar - The middle part of a caps A

Ear - The flick on the letter g

Tail - Designing stroke on the letter Q

Colophon - Typographic or specifications usually listed at the end of a publication, the specs conation the information about the typefaces used

Kerning - Refers to the process of adding or subtracting space between letters or characters

Tracking - Refers to the process of loosening of tightening a block of text