Typography: The Anatomy of a Letter

Learn the basics of typography in this quick video!

The more we communicate, the closer we become. Typography inspires us by reminding the world of a simpler time without connection. As designers and artists, we can carry that fascination into our work by studying the makeup of letters.

Start with the basics with this quick video below. Learn the anatomy of a letter.

Common Typography Terms

Familiarize yourself with these terms to get a better handle on typography.

Baseline

The invisible line letters rest on.

Stem

A single vertical stroke upwards to create letters like L or F. Connect one stem to another using a crossbar detail, like the letter H.

Ascender/Descender

Letters with downward strokes that extend past the baseline have Descender strokes. Alternatively, if the stroke moves upward and away from the main body of the letter, we call that the Ascender stroke.

Ascender and Descender - Anatomy of a Letter

Upper/Lowercase Letters

Uppercase letters are capital letters. Lowercase letters are smaller ones. Use uppercase letters for names and places, and lowercase letters for casual settings and more readability.