The Advanced Anatomy of Letters

The anatomy of type refers to the specific names given to the various parts and strokes that make up letter characters. Understanding these forms allows designers to have greater control over text formatting, especially when creating logos or layouts where the text is the primary focus.
Points of Connection and Intersection
Different terms are used depending on where and how strokes meet:
• Apex: This is the point where strokes join at the very top of a letter, such as in an “A”.
• Vertex: Conversely, this is the point where strokes join at the bottom of characters like “V” or “W”.
• Juncture: A general term for any place where strokes meet.
Horizontal and Projecting Strokes
Strokes that extend from or between stems have distinct classifications:
• Arm or Leg: These strokes attach to a vertical stem at one end and project horizontally or at an angle.
• Bar or Crossbar: This is a horizontal stroke that either runs between two stems or directly across a single stem.
• Shoulder: This refers specifically to the downward curved stroke found on letters like “h,” “m,” and “n”.
Curved Strokes and Enclosures
• Bowl: A curved stroke that creates an enclosed space, known as a counter.
• Eye: A specialized term for the counter specifically found in the lowercase “e”.
• Spine: This is the central, curving stroke that forms the core of the letter “S”.
Terminals and Decorative Appendages
The ends of strokes and small protrusions also have specific names:
• Terminal: This is the end of any stroke that does not have a serif. They come in various styles, including angled, ball, beak, cupped, hook, square, tapered (finial), and tear.
• Tail: A stroke that reaches downward from a bowl or stem, commonly seen in “j,” “K,” “Q,” and “R”.
• Spur: A very small, pointed stroke that pokes out from a curved stroke.
• Flexed Stem: A stem that features a slight calligraphic bend rather than being perfectly straight.
The Unique Anatomy of the Two-Story “g”
The lowercase “g” features three specific anatomical parts not found in most other letters:
• Ear: A short stroke protruding from the upper right of the bowl.
• Loop: The enclosed lower bowl of the letter.
• Link: The stroke that connects the upper bowl to the lower loop.
Understanding the anatomy of type is much like studying human or architectural anatomy; just as a doctor must know the difference between a femur and a tibia to understand how a body moves, a designer must recognize the difference between a “spine” and a “link” to understand how a typeface functions and communicates.