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Reference

Type Up-Close

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  • Arm: The stroke that stretches away from the letterform.

  • Ascender: The vertical strokes of a letterform that rise from the main body or x-height. Can be taller than the cap height.

  • Baseline: The horizontal line that the letters rest upon (rounded forms and descenders can cut below for visual balance).

  • Bowl: The rounded shape of a letterform.

  • Cap Height: The vertical measurement of the capital letters. Varies from typeface to typeface.

  • Counter: The interior space inside a letter. From the old type foundry's process of counter punching the metal or wooden type blocks.

  • Cross Bar: The linking horizontal stroke of a letterform.

  • Descender: The vertical strokes of a letterform that drop from the main body or x-height.

  • Leg: The diagonal stroke of a letterform.

  • Serif: The small strokes found along the tops, or ends of letter forms.

  • Terminal: The end stroke of a letter form. Vertical versus angled terminals can help define closely resembled typefaces.

  • x-Height: The vertical measurement of the lowercase letters. Varies from typeface to typeface.

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