The Elements of Typography

The Anatomy of Type

Baseline: The invisible line where letters sit

The Anatomy of Type X-height: the height of the main body of a lower case letter

The Anatomy of Type Cap height: the height from the baseline to the top of the upper case letters

The Anatomy of Type Ascenders: an upward vertical stroke of lower case letters that extends above the x-height Descenders: the portion of lower case letters that extends below the base line

The Anatomy of Type Ascender line: the invisible line marking the height of ascenders in the font

The Anatomy of Type Descender Line: the invisible line marking the lowest point of the descenders within a font

The Anatomy of Type Crossbar: A horizontal stroke in letters such as A or H

The Anatomy of Type Tittle: a small round mark used with a lower case i or j

The Anatomy of Type Stem: the vertical, full-length stroke in upright characters Stroke: a straight or curved diagonal line

The Anatomy of Type Counter: the enclosed or partially enclosed circular or curved negative space of some letters such as d, o, and s Eye: specific to the letter e

The Anatomy of Type Serif: a slight projection finishing off a stroke of a letter such as T compared with T Sans Serif: a style of type without serifs

Testing 1, 2, 3 Is this font considered a serif or sans-serif font? How about this one? And this one? …And this one?

The Optics of Type The spacing of letters in words, sentences, and paragraphs is vital to create a uniform reading experience with minimal distractions Remember, type must always be LEGIBLE!

S pa c i n g Each typeface has a distinct rhythm of strokes and spacing You don’t want your spacing to be too condensed, otherwise it is extremely difficult to read! This typeface is too loose, and can also become a distraction to readers. This spacing is just right. It is logical and easy to read

Types of typefaces All licensed, commercial typefaces are available in a number of styles and weights: usually roman (aka plain or book), italic (sometimes called oblique), bold, and bold italic This is known as a type family Remember that these fonts are different from using the bold and italic controls on word processing programs

Why Type Matters Typography sets the mood of a piece Flowing, curved type gives off a softer feeling than angular, hard edged type Elegant type gives off a sense of sophistication

Why Type Matters Which typeface is the most appropriate for each word below?

Things to Consider when Choosing Type Which font will best communicate the message of your design? Does your font harmonize with the other pieces of the design, or does it detract from them? Would using two or more different fonts be more effective in conveying your message than one? (i.e. sans-serif and serif) How large should your font be to best convey the idea of your design?

Things to Consider when Choosing Type Is the type placed properly in the design so as to have the most impact on the viewer? Are the shapes of the letters pleasing or unattractive? Should your font be one that will hold up over time (classic) or should it be more current and trendy?