{"id":49924,"date":"2018-07-24T10:08:39","date_gmt":"2018-07-24T17:08:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/?p=49924"},"modified":"2024-04-17T06:28:33","modified_gmt":"2024-04-17T13:28:33","slug":"font-anatomy-design-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/font-anatomy-design-guide","title":{"rendered":"The Only Font Anatomy Design Guide You\u2019ll Ever Need"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Lovers of <a href=\"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/what-is-typography\">typography<\/a> can&acirc;&euro;&trade;t resist any deep look at <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/5-fonts-every-designer-needs\">font<\/a><\/strong><strong> anatomy<\/strong>, which is the study of the different parts of fonts. The words you&acirc;&euro;&trade;re reading right now, the words you read inside your favorite app, and even the words telling you the dinner specials at the restaurant you visited last week all possess the same features that determine how easily you can read the text you&acirc;&euro;&trade;re viewing.\nUnderstanding this font anatomy is crucial to you as a designer because it helps with choosing the right fonts for specific projects and goals. It&acirc;&euro;&trade;s not just a matter of what looks more attractive: it&acirc;&euro;&trade;s a matter of ensuring that your design is legible and readable. And if it&acirc;&euro;&trade;s also aesthetic, then that&acirc;&euro;&trade;s just a spectacular bonus.\nIdentifying the various parts of a font goes a long way toward empowering designers to make sense of how to use and pair fonts, depending on the project they&acirc;&euro;&trade;re working on.\nHere&acirc;&euro;&trade;s a deep dive into the specific parts of characters, sure to stimulate the budding typographer in you.\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Letterform\"><\/span>Letterform<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nThis term refers to the specific shape of a letter, making it one of the fundamental terms in all of typography.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49926\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031100\/Letterform.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"675\" height=\"361\">\nA letterform is a form of glyph, or a definitive and real way of writing down an abstract character.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Baseline\"><\/span><strong>Baseline<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nVery straightforward, the baseline is the imaginary line upon which all fonts in a typeface sit and beneath which descenders extend.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49928\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031105\/Baseline.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"679\" height=\"303\">\nOther closely related imaginary lines are the capline for a character&acirc;&euro;&trade;s cap height and the midline or mean line for a character&acirc;&euro;&trade;s x-height.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stroke\"><\/span><strong>Stroke<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nThe component of any character, the stroke can be straight line segment or a curved or rounded line in a letterform. If a stroke is straight&acirc;&euro;&rdquo;as in an uppercase L, lowercase d, or capital Z&acirc;&euro;&rdquo;then it can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. If the stroke is curved&acirc;&euro;&rdquo;as in a lowercase c or a lowercase o&acirc;&euro;&rdquo;then it&acirc;&euro;&trade;s either open or closed.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49929\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031110\/Stroke.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"643\" height=\"699\">\nDepending on its use within a character, the stroke can take on many names and purposes, as you&acirc;&euro;&trade;ll soon see.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stem\"><\/span><strong>Stem<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nOne of the most fundamental portions of any character, its stem is the main stroke running vertically in upright letters. Examples include the main, vertical segment in an uppercase L, but also the main, vertical segment in a lowercase k.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49930\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031115\/Stem.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"673\" height=\"679\">\nA stem can also be the diagonal, main stroke of a character that has no upright segments. Examples would include the diagonals in an uppercase A and the diagonals in both a lowercase z and uppercase Z.\nFor an up-close-and-personal look at this font feature and others, browse our wide selection of font families and take a look at some of our standout fonts:    <figure id=\"card-1332314-781802609\" class=\"product-card full 1\" data-product-id=\"1332314\" data-index=\"0\" data-width=\"full\" data-pin_it=\"1\" data-module=\"Product Embed\" data-block-id=\"781802609\"><\/figure>\n        <figure id=\"card-2220659-1978804754\" class=\"product-card full 1\" data-product-id=\"2220659\" data-index=\"0\" data-width=\"full\" data-pin_it=\"1\" data-module=\"Product Embed\" data-block-id=\"1978804754\"><\/figure>\n        <figure id=\"card-2095752-1818481718\" class=\"product-card full 1\" data-product-id=\"2095752\" data-index=\"0\" data-width=\"full\" data-pin_it=\"1\" data-module=\"Product Embed\" data-block-id=\"1818481718\"><\/figure>\n        <figure id=\"card-2706772-1826137904\" class=\"product-card full 1\" data-product-id=\"2706772\" data-index=\"0\" data-width=\"full\" data-pin_it=\"1\" data-module=\"Product Embed\" data-block-id=\"1826137904\"><\/figure>\n        <figure id=\"card-2698341-1835920259\" class=\"product-card full 1\" data-product-id=\"2698341\" data-index=\"0\" data-width=\"full\" data-pin_it=\"1\" data-module=\"Product Embed\" data-block-id=\"1835920259\"><\/figure>\n        <figure id=\"card-2694795-1907992191\" class=\"product-card full 1\" data-product-id=\"2694795\" data-index=\"0\" data-width=\"full\" data-pin_it=\"1\" data-module=\"Product Embed\" data-block-id=\"1907992191\"><\/figure>\n        <figure id=\"card-2671933-1825828682\" class=\"product-card full 1\" data-product-id=\"2671933\" data-index=\"0\" data-width=\"full\" data-pin_it=\"1\" data-module=\"Product Embed\" data-block-id=\"1825828682\"><\/figure>\n    \n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bar\"><\/span><strong>Bar<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nSometimes called the crossbar, the bar is the horizontal stroke in a character that connects stems to each other.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49932\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031121\/Bar.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"675\" height=\"687\">\nExamples of bars in letters include the horizontal strokes of the uppercase A and H and the lowercase l and f.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Arm\"><\/span><strong>Arm<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nIn font anatomy, a character&acirc;&euro;&trade;s arm is the part of the letter that reaches up or out. It&acirc;&euro;&trade;s attached on one end and free on the other and can either be straight or curved.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49933\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031126\/Arm.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"653\" height=\"692\">\nExamples of arms include the horizontal line segments on an uppercase E and the diagonal strokes on both the lowercase v and uppercase V.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Leg\"><\/span><strong>Leg<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nThe leg of a font is the counterpart of its arm. Whereas the arm would extend up or out, the leg is simply the portion that extends down and is connected at one end and free on the other.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49934\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031131\/Leg.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"639\" height=\"634\">\nAn example of a leg includes the diagonal line segment that extends down on a lowercase k.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"X-Height\"><\/span><strong>X-Height<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nUnlike many of the other font anatomy terms in this guide, a font&acirc;&euro;&trade;s x-height isn&acirc;&euro;&trade;t a part of the character. Instead, it&acirc;&euro;&trade;s a way of measuring it.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49935\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031136\/X-Height.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"679\" height=\"287\">\nAlso called the corpus size, the x-height refers to the distance between the mean line (or midline) and baseline of lowercase letters in a <a href=\"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/fonts-with-script-serif-sans-serif-styles\">font family<\/a>. The mean line refers to half the distance between the cap height and baseline. The baseline refers to the line on which a character sits and below which descenders proceed.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cap_Height\"><\/span><strong>Cap Height<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nIn many ways the counterpart to a letter&acirc;&euro;&trade;s x-height, the cap height refers to the maximum height of a capital letter that rises above the baseline for any given font family.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49936\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031142\/Cap-Height.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"615\" height=\"513\">\nTo be precise, cap height refers mainly to flat uppercase letters&acirc;&euro;&rdquo;such as H or T&acirc;&euro;&rdquo;instead of rounded capital letters like O or pointed ones like A. Both of these can present overshoot.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Overshoot\"><\/span><strong>Overshoot<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nIn <a href=\"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/10-commandments-of-typography\">typography<\/a>, overshoot occurs in a rounded or pointed letter when said letter extends either higher or lower than a similarly sized flat character, such as a capital X or H. In other words, overshoot is the degree to which uppercase characters go beneath the baseline or above the cap height and to which lowercase characters extend beneath the baseline or above their x-height.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49937\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031146\/Overshoot.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"571\" height=\"293\">\nOvershoot actually occurs to create the visual effect of letters being the same size, even though they&acirc;&euro;&trade;re not. Its purpose is to compensate for any inaccuracies in visual perception.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ascender\"><\/span><strong>Ascender<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nThe ascender is the section in a letter that reaches up beyond its x-height.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49938\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031151\/Ascender.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"677\" height=\"314\">\nThe purpose of an ascender is to increase the legibility of the words formed by the letters, thus making them more <a href=\"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/typography-tricks-readable\">readable<\/a>.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Descender\"><\/span><strong>Descender<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nThe descender is the section in a letter that goes beneath its baseline.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49939\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031157\/Descender.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"669\" height=\"387\">\nAn example is the lowercase y&acirc;&euro;&trade;s so-called tail, which extends below the vertex of the &acirc;&euro;&oelig;v&acirc;&euro; that&acirc;&euro;&trade;s created from the two diagonal lines in the y. In a letter like the lowercase p, the descender is the stroke running past the baseline.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bowl\"><\/span><strong>Bowl<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nA bowl is quite straightforward: It&acirc;&euro;&trade;s the curved and closed stroke that forms an enclosed space within a letter&acirc;&euro;&rdquo;which also has its own typeface term.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49940\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031202\/Bowl.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"667\" height=\"648\">\nExamples of bowls include the curved strokes in the lowercase b and d and the uppercase B. In the case of the capital B, the letter has two bowls.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Counter\"><\/span><strong>Counter<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nAlluded to above, the counter is an interesting feature in font anatomy because it incorporates a design term called white or <a href=\"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/designing-with-negative-space-inspiring-examples-tips\">negative space<\/a>. Contrary to popular belief, white or negative space doesn&acirc;&euro;&trade;t have to refer to a large area.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49941\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031207\/Counter.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"636\" height=\"560\">\nIn a character, the counter is simply the small negative space that&acirc;&euro;&trade;s created by either curved or straight strokes. Counters are therefore either open or closed. Examples of closed counters are these areas in lowercase a, b and e while examples of open counters are found in lowercase c, m,&Acirc;&nbsp;and n.\n<strong><em>Fun font fact: <\/em><\/strong>In the lowercase e, the counter is called the eye.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Corner\"><\/span><strong>Corner<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nSomewhat related to the negative space in counters, a corner is an angle, as opposed to an area, of white or negative space.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49942\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031212\/Corner.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"667\" height=\"594\">\nFor example, the lowercase w has three, distinct corners.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Spine\"><\/span><strong>Spine<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nAppropriately enough, the spine of a font is found in only one character: the &acirc;&euro;&oelig;s.&acirc;&euro;\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49943\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031218\/Spine.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"634\" height=\"427\">\nIt&acirc;&euro;&trade;s defined as the curved and central stroke of both the lowercase s and uppercase S. Since this stroke mimics the human spine, the naming makes a lot of sense.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ear\"><\/span><strong>Ear<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nThis feature is a decorative addition found on the right side of bowls. It&acirc;&euro;&trade;s unique in that it can be an identifying feature of specific typefaces.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49944\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031223\/Ear.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"677\" height=\"516\">\nAn ear is the very small stroke that you see showing up in the lowercase g. You&acirc;&euro;&trade;ll see it from the upper right side of the bowl of this character. You&acirc;&euro;&trade;ll also notice it in the curved or angled lowercase r.\nNote how some of these <a href=\"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/how-to-design-your-own-typeface\">typeface<\/a> terms are now venturing into overlap with human anatomy terms.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Apex\"><\/span><strong>Apex<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nLike the summit of a mountain, an apex in typography is the upward-pointing section in specific characters. Examples of an apex include the pointed top of an uppercase A, the middle, upward point in a lowercase w, and the topmost point of a lowercase t.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49946\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031227\/Screen-Shot-2018-07-01-at-11.25.56-PM.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"679\" height=\"693\">\nThe opposite of the apex is the vertex.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Vertex\"><\/span><strong>Vertex<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nThe counterpart of the apex, the vertex refers to the sharp point created when two strokes converge at the bottom of the strokes.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49947\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031231\/Screen-Shot-2018-07-01-at-11.28.17-PM.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"677\" height=\"320\">\nExamples of a vertex are the sharp points at the bottom of uppercase characters like V and W.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Link_in_Font_Anatomy\"><\/span><strong>The Link in Font Anatomy<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nAgain related to specific characters such as the lowercase g, a link is precisely what its name implies: It&acirc;&euro;&trade;s the tiny and curved stroke attaching the loop and bowl of the lowercase g.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49948\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031237\/Link.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"678\" height=\"705\">\nOther names for the link are neck and collar.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Loop\"><\/span><strong>Loop<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nSome characters have specific features that are exclusive to them. Accordingly, they also have font terms that only apply to them.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49950\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031242\/Screen-Shot-2018-07-01-at-11.30.14-PM.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"559\" height=\"674\">\nThe loop is a feature you&acirc;&euro;&trade;ll only find in the lowercase g; it&acirc;&euro;&trade;s found at the bottom of the character.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Terminal\"><\/span><strong>Terminal<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nThe terminal is another word for the end. It refers to the end of either an outstroke or instroke. This little ending feature is commonly a <a href=\"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/bold-serif-fonts-in-web-design-20-stunning-examples\">serif<\/a>, which is a little line or foot connected to the end of a character.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49951\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031246\/Screen-Shot-2018-07-01-at-11.32.17-PM.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"593\" height=\"595\">\nOther names for the terminal are a slab, wedge, teardrop, and bulbous&acirc;&euro;&rdquo;all depending on the type of the specific font being used.\nFor an in-depth look at this interesting feature and others, check out our huge selection of font families:    <figure id=\"card-2701523-984228184\" class=\"product-card full 1\" data-product-id=\"2701523\" data-index=\"0\" data-width=\"full\" data-pin_it=\"1\" data-module=\"Product Embed\" data-block-id=\"984228184\"><\/figure>\n        <figure id=\"card-2696228-1396948482\" class=\"product-card full 1\" data-product-id=\"2696228\" data-index=\"0\" data-width=\"full\" data-pin_it=\"1\" data-module=\"Product Embed\" data-block-id=\"1396948482\"><\/figure>\n        <figure id=\"card-2685177-126760550\" class=\"product-card full 1\" data-product-id=\"2685177\" data-index=\"0\" data-width=\"full\" data-pin_it=\"1\" data-module=\"Product Embed\" data-block-id=\"126760550\"><\/figure>\n        <figure id=\"card-2694795-1354294529\" class=\"product-card full 1\" data-product-id=\"2694795\" data-index=\"0\" data-width=\"full\" data-pin_it=\"1\" data-module=\"Product Embed\" data-block-id=\"1354294529\"><\/figure>\n        <figure id=\"card-2679816-1793945406\" class=\"product-card full 1\" data-product-id=\"2679816\" data-index=\"0\" data-width=\"full\" data-pin_it=\"1\" data-module=\"Product Embed\" data-block-id=\"1793945406\"><\/figure>\n        <figure id=\"card-2675656-558716253\" class=\"product-card full 1\" data-product-id=\"2675656\" data-index=\"0\" data-width=\"full\" data-pin_it=\"1\" data-module=\"Product Embed\" data-block-id=\"558716253\"><\/figure>\n    \n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Spur\"><\/span><strong>Spur<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nA spur is similar to a terminal, but still its own unique feature in <a href=\"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/7-unfortunate-type-trends-we-wish-we-could-all-forget\">typography<\/a>. You&acirc;&euro;&trade;ll find a spur off of a main stroke, such as its appearance as a tiny projection on the uppercase G of some serif fonts.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49952\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031251\/Spur.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"677\" height=\"737\">\nSmaller than a terminal (which is already quite small), a spur usually shows up on an angle instead of at a terminal. Another example of where you&acirc;&euro;&trade;ll find one is a lowercase serif e.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lowercase\"><\/span><strong>Lowercase<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nAnother way of indicating the non-capitalized form of letters within a typeface. This letter&acirc;&euro;&trade;s height only reaches to the x-height or midline in a line of type.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49953\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031257\/Screen-Shot-2018-07-01-at-11.37.20-PM.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"679\" height=\"542\">\nLowercase letters form the majority of all written copy and text, as capital letters are usually reserved for the start of sentences, proper nouns, or special, stylized cases.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Uppercase\"><\/span><strong>Uppercase<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nThe opposite of lowercase, uppercase refers to a character that&acirc;&euro;&trade;s capitalized.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49954\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031302\/Screen-Shot-2018-07-01-at-11.38.40-PM.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"679\" height=\"267\">\nAs such, its height reaches all the way to the cap height in a line of type. The cap height is twice the height of the midline.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Swash\"><\/span><strong>Swash<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nAlso closely related to finishers like terminals and spurs, a swash is an ornamentation in the form of a flourish on a letter. This flourish usually shows up as an embellished terminal, spur, serif or tail.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49956\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031306\/Screen-Shot-2018-07-01-at-11.41.32-PM.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"598\" height=\"596\">\nNot all fonts have swashes. If a font has a swash, it will usually be a serif font that&acirc;&euro;&trade;s also italicized.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tail\"><\/span><strong>Tail<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nAnother form of ornamentation in typography, the tail of a character refers to the decorative descender that extends out of specific letters.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49957\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031311\/Tail.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"706\">\nExamples include the decorative ornamentation seen in the uppercase Q, K and R. On occasion, the descenders of the lowercase y, q, p, j, and g are also termed tails.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stress\"><\/span><strong>Stress<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nStress is a reference to the disparity between thin and thick strokes in the same character. This illustrates how strokes can have different widths. The effect of stress on the viewer looking at a font is a change in optical perception.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49958\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031317\/Stress.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"675\" height=\"691\">\nAn example of a character that uses stress is the lowercase g. Note how the strokes on the sides of the g are noticeably thicker than the strokes on the top and bottom of the character.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shoulder\"><\/span><strong>Shoulder<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nThe shoulder of a letter, in font anatomy, is its curved or arching stroke that extends downward from the stem.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49959\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031321\/Shoulder.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"728\">\nAn example of a shoulder is seen in the top of the uppercase R, as well as the in the midlines of the lowercase h, n,&Acirc;&nbsp;and m.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tittle\"><\/span><strong>Tittle<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nThe tittle is yet another part of font anatomy that only applies to a few letters.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49960\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031325\/Tittle.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"678\" height=\"742\">\nAlso called the jot or dot, the tittle is the tiny, distinguishing mark that you&acirc;&euro;&trade;ll see on top of lowercase letters like j or i.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bold\"><\/span><strong>Bold<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nBolding is a type of emphasis in typography that&acirc;&euro;&trade;s used as a way to strengthen the words in a piece of text. By utilizing a bold font weight, you&acirc;&euro;&trade;re able to make the letters of a specific text thicker than other words around it.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49961\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031331\/Bold.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"678\" height=\"517\">\nAs a result, the text stands out from the rest, which makes it ideal as a method to highlight vital words that you want the reader to focus on or remember. Bolding also helps with legibility, as the bolded words are easier to scan and skim.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Italics\"><\/span><strong>Italics<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nAnother form of emphasis in typography, the use of italics doesn&acirc;&euro;&trade;t rely on making the text thicker to emphasize a certain word or group of words.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49962\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031338\/Italics.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"679\" height=\"735\">\nWith italics, which takes influence from <a href=\"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/calligraphy-fonts\">calligraphy<\/a>, text is written in script (cursive) style, so that each letter is slanted to the right. Use italics to highlight vital points in a text or to quote a speaker to indicate the words they stressed.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lobe\"><\/span><strong>Lobe<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nThe lobe refers to the projecting and curved stroke that&acirc;&euro;&trade;s attached to the main structure of a character.\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-49963\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031343\/Lobe.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"679\" height=\"741\">\nAn example of a lobe is the curved stroke that&acirc;&euro;&trade;s coming off the main stem of the uppercase P.\n<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Twists_and_Turns_of_Font_Anatomy\"><\/span><strong>The Twists and Turns of Font Anatomy<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>\nFont anatomy is a highly captivating part of typography. Many people reading this line of text likely didn&acirc;&euro;&trade;t realize how many terms can be applied to all the features of the letters they&acirc;&euro;&trade;re reading right now.\nFor typographers and designers, it&acirc;&euro;&trade;s an opportunity to further understand how almost every part of a character is another chance to use skillful design to communicate legibility, readability,&Acirc;&nbsp;and aesthetics in the fonts you&acirc;&euro;&trade;re working with or creating from scratch.\nThe more you know about the makeup of every letter, the more you can pick fonts intelligently for the next project you&acirc;&euro;&trade;re working on, thereby creating happy clients and successful outcomes.\n<\/p><hr><strong>Products Seen In This Post:<\/strong><\/p>    <figure id=\"card-1807973-2002308881\" class=\"product-card half no-pinit\" data-product-id=\"1807973\" data-index=\"0\" data-width=\"half\" data-pin_it=\"no-pinit\" data-module=\"Product Embed\" data-block-id=\"2002308881\"><\/figure>\n        <figure id=\"card-184499-430956436\" class=\"product-card half no-pinit\" data-product-id=\"184499\" data-index=\"0\" data-width=\"half\" data-pin_it=\"no-pinit\" data-module=\"Product Embed\" data-block-id=\"430956436\"><\/figure>\n        <figure id=\"card-51042-1049353167\" class=\"product-card half no-pinit\" data-product-id=\"51042\" data-index=\"0\" data-width=\"half\" data-pin_it=\"no-pinit\" data-module=\"Product Embed\" data-block-id=\"1049353167\"><\/figure>\n    \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lovers of typography can&acirc;&euro;&trade;t resist any deep look at font anatomy, which is the study of the different parts of fonts. The words you&acirc;&euro;&trade;re reading right now, the words you read inside your favorite app, and even the words telling you the dinner specials at the restaurant you visited last week all possess the same [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":144,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[37,693],"topics":[],"class_list":["post-49924","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-creative-inspiration","tag-typography","tag-design-basics"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.6 (Yoast SEO v28.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Only Font Anatomy Design Guide You\u2019ll Ever Need - Creative Market Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/font-anatomy-design-guide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Only Font Anatomy Design Guide You\u2019ll Ever Need\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Lovers of typography can&acirc;&euro;&trade;t resist any deep look at font anatomy, which is the study of the different parts of fonts. The words\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/font-anatomy-design-guide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Creative Market Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/crtvmrkt\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-07-24T17:08:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-04-17T13:28:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2018\/07\/17031100\/Letterform.jpg.webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Marc Schenker\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@creativemarket\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@creativemarket\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Marc Schenker\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"13 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creativemarket.com\\\/blog\\\/font-anatomy-design-guide\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creativemarket.com\\\/blog\\\/font-anatomy-design-guide\",\"name\":\"The Only Font Anatomy Design Guide You\u2019ll Ever Need - Creative Market Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creativemarket.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creativemarket.com\\\/blog\\\/font-anatomy-design-guide#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creativemarket.com\\\/blog\\\/font-anatomy-design-guide#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/17031100\\\/Letterform.jpg.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-07-24T17:08:39+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-04-17T13:28:33+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creativemarket.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b1e20fb9aeef6b45762dbab55e31c7c8\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creativemarket.com\\\/blog\\\/font-anatomy-design-guide#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/creativemarket.com\\\/blog\\\/font-anatomy-design-guide\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creativemarket.com\\\/blog\\\/font-anatomy-design-guide#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/17031100\\\/Letterform.jpg.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/17031100\\\/Letterform.jpg.webp\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creativemarket.com\\\/blog\\\/font-anatomy-design-guide#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creativemarket.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Only Font Anatomy Design Guide You\u2019ll Ever Need\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creativemarket.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creativemarket.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Creative Market Blog\",\"description\":\"Creative Market Blog\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creativemarket.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Only Font Anatomy Design Guide You\u2019ll Ever Need - Creative Market Blog","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/font-anatomy-design-guide","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Only Font Anatomy Design Guide You\u2019ll Ever Need","og_description":"Lovers of typography can&acirc;&euro;&trade;t resist any deep look at font anatomy, which is the study of the different parts of fonts. 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