Type Anatomy

Studying type anatomy is important for understanding how to effectively use typography in design and communication. This week we started off class briefly going over the anatomy of type.

X-height: This is the height of the lowercase letters excluding the ascenders and descenders.

Ascenders: The part of a lowercase letter that extends above the x-height, such as the letter "d".

Descenders: The part of a lowercase letter that extends below the baseline, such as the letter "g".

Serifs: The small lines or flourishes at the end of the strokes that make up a letter. Serifs can be used to add personality and style to a typeface.

Counter: The negative space within a letter, such as the circular space within the letter "o".

Stroke: The main lines that make up a letter.

Stem: The main vertical stroke in a letter.

Arm: The horizontal stroke that is not connected to the stem, such as the horizontal stroke in the letter "K".

The first task we were assigned was to create our very own anatomy using are chosen typeface.

What is a Wordmark?

A wordmark is a stylised text-only typographical treatment of a company's name, used for purposes of identification and branding. It is often used as the primary visual representation of a brand, instead of an illustration or graphic symbol. The wordmark is typically designed to be unique, memorable and recognisable, and it is meant to evoke the values, personality, and ethos of the company it represents. Examples of well-known wordmarks include Coca-Cola and Google.