Typography is an ever present component of our life; however, few people think about typography and fonts to the extent that designers, brand managers, and marketers do. For our design team, the world of fonts and font anatomy is where they live and thrive, and it’s crucial for them to have a complete understanding of font anatomy. We wanted to share some of the basics of Font Anatomy in case it may help you and your business.
What is Font Anatomy?
Font Anatomy at its core is the components and characteristics that makeup a font or typeface. This can include serifs, stems, font height, and more.
What are the key components that make-up Font Anatomy?
Baseline
A baseline is the line (more often than not an invisible one) whereupon a character sits. This line helps determine the positioning of the characters in the font.
Cap Height
The Cap Height is the span from the top of the characters to the baseline of the characters in the font.
X-Height
The X-Height is the height of the lowercase characters in a type face. This height varies from the Cap Height, which includes the height of the uppercase characters in a font.
Ascender
At times there are font elements that rise above a the Cap Height. These elements are considered to be an Ascender.
Descender
Much in the same way an Ascender rises above a Cap Height, a Descender dips below the baseline. This may be seen in a “y” or a “q” for instance.
Serif
A Serif is a decorative element of a font that can give a typeface a certain style or characteristic. Not all fonts have Serifs as some are considered Sans Serif.
Stem
A Stem is the primary vertical line that makes up a letter, such as an “I” or an “L”.
Counter
A Counter, as opposed to a Stem, is the primary enclosed element in a character. This can be seen in an “d” or “b”.
Bowl
A Bowl is the rounded or curved part of a letter, which may include such letters as “d” or “b”.
Terminal
A Terminal is the end of a stroke that is without a serif.
References:
Interaction Design Foundation
https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/anatomy-of-type
Typography 101
http://www.typography101.net/type_anatomy.html
Typography Terms and Definitions
https://www.monotype.com/resources/studio/typography-terms