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Anatomy of Type

Individual letter forms have unique parts which have changed in visual form over the centuries. A nomenclature helps identify major elements of their construction. The evolution of lettering styles over time is a result of optical adjustments to the basic components by type designers over the ages.

Counter

Ascender

Shoulder

Stroke

Hairline

Spine

Apex

Bowl

Spur

Capline Meanline x-height Baseline Beardline

Apocalypse
Descender Crossbar Terminal Fillet Serif Tail

Eye

Understanding Anatomy

Different families of type show endless variety when compared. That is why it is important to understand that each face has a purpose and the only thing im common with all type is the stroke and baseline.

Apocalypse Apocalypse Apocalypse

Understanding Anatomy

Which is more legible when covered, the bottom half of the word or the top half of the word? When the bottom half of the word is covered it is more legible. The top is more legible because we read left to right, top to bottom.

Apocalypse Apocalypse Apocalypse

Anatomy Cropping

Each individual square and its letter form should be seen as an independent typographic composition that investigates form and counterform, gure ground relationships, asymmerty / symmetry, static and dynamic placement.

Anatomy of Type

Anatomy of Type | Form and Counterform

Counterpart and Counterpoint

Form/Counterform

When creating a visual hierarchy in typographic space, a designer balances the need for harmony, which unies a design, with the need for contrast, which lends vitality and emphasis.

As in music, elements can have a counterpart or a counterpoint relationship. Typographic counterparts are elements with similar qualities that bring harmony to their spatial relationship. Elements have a counterpoint relationship when they have contrasting characteristics, such as size, weight, color, tone, or texture. Counterpoint relationships bring opposition and dissonance to the design.

Typographic Kinetics

Every letter has a personality you can identify. Fragmentation is not the goal in and of itself. Everything is adjustable and its a case-by case decision of how far to go. The form you seek is one that to be able to read the word. So this determines the degree of fracture. Its the part (letterform) towhole (word). Both must

be juggled to value. You cant use the same element over and over just because it worked in one place. Every example should change somewhat. Because range is a persistent goal of design, you want to invent in each example. Expect some noble necessary part of any assignment.

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L c o A P pc L E P y L A c y P A P o
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Anatomy of Type | The Structure of Letters

The most elementary forms of letters are a visual code of simple strokes that is recognizable through our experience with handwriting. Each of the upper and lower case letters is distinct in structure. All are built by combining vertical, horizontal, slanted, and curvilinear strokes. Letter forms derive their character from combinations of these basic strokes and not from being light or bold, wide or narrow, Roman or italic, sans serif or serif. An entire alphabet can be categorized using only six basic underlying visual combinations of strokes as the example illustrates.

EFHILT

it

KMNY

VXW

vwxy

AZ

BDPRJU

abdghmnpqru

CGOQS

ceos

Anatomy of Type | The Structure of Letters

A P
While upper and lower case letters are distinct in structure, they all are built by combining 4 strokes; vertical, horizontal, slanted, and curvilinear. These elementary strokes form the foundation, a visual code that is recognizable through our long experience with reading and writing regardless of style. Therefore, letter forms derive their visual character from combinations of these basic strokes and not from being light or bold, wide or narrow, Roman or italic, sans serif or serif. An entire alphabet can be categorized using only six basic underlying visual combinations of strokes as the example illustrates.

Typographic Page with a Chair

Using the initials of your designer, impose the letterforms in a typographic study that interprets a relationship to the form of the chair they designed. The goal is to discover relationships in form and division of space. Then using the designers name, the name of the chair, the date of its manufacture, impose the words in a typographic study that demonstrates relationships to the chair.

Size + Weight

MB
Width + Size

Size + Case

Weight + Face

M
Weight + Width

Weight + Slant

E L M A R C

R B R E U E

L E R C A M
1 9 2 5

L C E R M A

R U E E B R

1 9 2 5

E L C A R
W A S S I L Y

E R U E B R

L M A R C E

R B R E U E

A S S I L Y

Chair Hang Tag

Type generally falls into two primary categories; informational and or expressive. Its not uncommon to have a strategy for both present in layouts. Informational text is more common and the form responds to long traditions and conventions of size, spacing and established habits of organization on the page. In a book or website it is information

design that takes the lead. On a poster or motion graphics expression could lead. The ratio is determined by the designer and the needs of the communication. An emphasis or hierarchy must be clear and decisive so the roles each plays in the communication are clear. In design things are not equal.

WASSILY CHAIR
B Y M A R C E L B

ost and m tury. rnism 20th cen e d o e m h f t o f o s op ster the t e ma of th hitects at One c r a lar E U popu

R
rn was bo Breuer Marcel Pecs, 1902 in , 21 t off May y. He se -Hungr hen he Austria ation w uc ed rt A ed for an cogniz was re d e an age. H was 18 d early nt at an try le en ta r rp fo a ca of ad e he and becam sculpted here he e was shop w ood. H with w d ke rior wor first inte ed his assign at got and th in 1927 t project gnmen si as r anothe 1932. In him to use in ho a gn the AIA to desi arded was aw ed. 1968 he 81 he di al. In 19 et M : The d Gol r works la pu t po adCO he His mos , UNES House er (his Geller ust Tow Ameritr , d rs an te ect) quar er proj yscrap only sk ir. ha C ly si the Was

E L R C A M

W A S S I L Y

Thonet in Germany first manufactured the chair. It came in folding and non folding models. After the war years another company picked up the license to market. In the 1950 manufacturing picked up again as the design patent expired and many companies sold the same chair under different marketing names.

M A R C E L

B R E U E R

Designer: One of the masters of modernism and most popular architects at the top of the 20th century, Marcel Breuer was born May 21, 1902 in Pecs, Austria-Hungry. He set off for an Art education when he was 18 and was recognized for talent at and early age. He became head of a carpentry shop where he sculpted and worked with wood. He was assigned his

first interior project in 1927 and that got him to another assignment to design a house in 1932. In 1968 he was awarded the AIA Gold Metal. In 1981 he died. His most popular works: The Geller House, UNESCO headquarters, Ameritrust Tower (his only skyscraper project) and the Wassily Chair.

C H A