Important typographic terminologies every designer need to know
Communication connects people, but with many languages, things can get tricky. That’s why having a common language is super important. Whether we’re trading goods, making friends, or solving problems, a shared language helps us understand each other better. If we don’t share a language, it would be like you are talking to a deaf person. So to communicate with other designers, you need to know terms they are using. in this article we will dive into some typographical concepts to help you understand the tongue of designers.
X-height, Cap height and Baseline
X-height: refers to the height of the lowercase letters in a typeface, specifically the height of the letter “x” (the reason on naming the name).
Cap height: is the opposite of X-height as it refers to the height of capital letters (uppercase letters) in a typeface. It represents the distance from the baseline to the top of uppercase letters
The baseline: is an imaginary line upon which the majority of characters in a typeface sit. It serves as a reference point for aligning and positioning letters. In simple terms, it’s like the “ground” on which letters stand. you can see in the main image.
Stem and Crossbar
The stem: is the main vertical or diagonal stroke in a letter, like the straight line in a “l” or the main vertical stroke in an “h.” It’s one of the fundamental components of letterforms in typography.
The crossbar: is the horizontal stroke that connects two sides of a letter, typically found in uppercase or lowercase letters like “A,” “H,” or “t.” It’s the part that goes across the middle, making the letter complete.
Ascender and Descender
An ascender: is the part of a lowercase letter that extends above the x-height in a typeface. It’s the part that goes up, like the top of a “d.”
A descender: is the part of a lowercase letter that extends below the baseline in a typeface. It’s the part that goes down, like the bottom of a “p.”
In the next article we would talk about some concepts that are more related to the word itself such as Kerning, Tracking, Leading, Serif and Sans serif ..etc.
