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Typography
Basics
41
Art/Design
Undergraduate 1
04/26/2010

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Term
The Alphabet
Definition
a series of elemental visual signs in a fixed sequence, representing spoken sounds.  Each letter signifies its elementary sound or name.  There are 26 in the english alphabet.
Term
Baseline
Definition
An imaginary line upon which the base of each capital rests
Term
Capline
Definition
an imaginary line that runs along the tops of the captial letters
Term
Meanline
Definition
An imaginary line that establishes the height of the body of the lowercase letters
Term
X-Height
Definition
the distance from the baseline to the meanline.  Typically this is the height of the lowercase letters and is most easily measured on the lowercase x.
Term
How do characters align?
Definition

Optically on the baseline

body height of lowercase align at x height

tops of capitals align along the capline

no alignments are precise, adjustments are made to create the optical effect

Term
Apex
Definition
the peak of the triangle of the uppercase A
Term
Arm
Definition
A projecting horizontal stroke that is unattached on one or both ends, as in the letters T and E
Term
Ascender
Definition
Stroke on a lowercase letter that rises above the meanline
Term
Bowl
Definition
a curved stroke enclosing the counterform of a letter.  An exception is the bottom form of the lowercase roman g, which is called a LOOP.
Term
Counter
Definition
the negative space that is fully or partially enclosed by a letterform
Term
Crossbar
Definition
the horizontal stroke connecting two sies of the letterform as in e, A, and H. OR bisecting the main stroke as in f or t.
Term
Descender
Definition
a stroke on a lowercse letterform that falls below the baseline
Term
Ear
Definition
a small stroke that projects from the upper right side of the bowl of the lowercase roman g.
Term
Eye
Definition
The enclosed part of the lowercase e.
Term
Fillet
Definition
the contoured edge that connects the serif and stem in bracketed serifs. (unbracketed serifs are connected to the main stroke w/ an abrupt angle w/o this contoured transition)
Term
Hairline
Definition
the thinnest stroke within a typeface that has strokes of varying weights
Term
Leg
Definition
the lower diagonal stroke of the letter k
Term
Link
Definition
the stroke that connects the bowl and the loop of the lowercase roman g.
Term
Serifs
Definition
short strokes that extend from and at an angle to the upper and lower ends of major strokes of a letterform.
Term
Shoulder
Definition
a curved stroke projecting from a stem
Term

Spine

Definition
the curved central stroke of the letter S
Term
Spur
Definition
a projection -smaller than a serif- that reinforces the point at the end of a curved stroke, as in the letter G.
Term
Stem
Definition
A major vertical or diagonal stroke in the letterform
Term
Tail
Definition
A diagonal stroke or loop at the end of a letter as in R or j.
Term
Terminal
Definition
the end of any stroke that doesnt end with a serif.
Term
What 4 major variables control letterform proportion and have considerable impact on visual appearance of type?
Definition

1. stroke to height ratio

2. contrast in stroke weight

3. expanded and condensed styles

4. x height and proportion

Term
What are the different types of characters in a font set?
Definition

Capitals

Lowercase

Small caps

Lining figures

Old style figures

superior and inferior figures

fractions

ligatures

digraphs

mathmatical signs

punctuation

accented characters

dingbats

monetary symbols

Term
What are the historical classifications of type faces?
Definition

Old style

Italic

Transistional

Modern

Egyptian

Sans serif

Term
Our measurement system for typography was developed by who?
Definition
Johann Gutenberg (1450)
Term
Who introduced the point system of measurement in 1737?
Definition
Pierre Simon Fournier le Jeune
Term
Measurement system conversions?
Definition

6 Picas = 1 inch

12 Points = 1 pica

72 Points = 1 inch

Term
How is the depth of type measured?
Definition
in points and is called the point size or body size
Term
what is Type-high?
Definition
all metal type that is exactly the same height.
Term
What is set-width
Definition
the width of a piece of type. (varies w/ design of each individual letter) M & W have widest set width, and i & l have narrowest.
Term
What is the length of a line of type?
Definition
it is the sum of the set wideth of all the characters and spaces in the line.  Measured in Picas
Term
What is a quad? What are the different quads, largest to smallest?
Definition

A quad is the space between the words in a line.

Em

En

Thick

Middle

Thin

Hair

Term
What is tracking?
Definition
Adding or subracting units to expand or contract the space between letters.
Term
What is kerning?
Definition
An adjustment in the interletter space to make the interval more consistant with the other letter combinations.
Term
Who invented the typeface "Univers"
Definition
Adrian Frutiger
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