Typography Fundamentals: A Deep Dive Into Type Anatomy Part Two

Loop 

In the letter ‘g’, a loop is the encircled section that dips beneath the baseline. Loops also exist on the extenders of cursive letters like ‘p’, ‘b’, and ‘l’. 

Midline 

The midline marks the top edge of lowercase letters, not including the ascenders in letters like ‘b’, ‘d’, ‘k’.

Overshoot 

Round letters like ‘c’, ‘o’, and ‘s’ extend slightly past the baseline and midline to keep them from seeming smaller than letters with flat tops or bottom.

Spine 

The spine is the middle curve of the letter ‘S’. 

Spur 

Spurs are tiny extensions, most often occurring at the meeting point between a curve and a straight vertical stroke. 

Stem 

Any vertical letter stroke is considered a stem. 

Swash 

A swash is an ornamental extension added to a letter. 

Tail 

The tail is the downward, decorative embellishment on the letter ‘Q’. 

Terminal 

A terminal exists at the end of any letter stroke that doesn’t have a serif. 

Tittle 

A tittle is the tiny dot that sits atop the letters ‘i’ and ‘j’. 

You can use the above tips to make amazing flyer printing.