Typography is the art of arranging type on a page and influences the overall look more than any other visual element. Type determines the tone of a design and should be carefully selected to match the design's purpose. The document defines and explains key typographic terms including font, letterform, character, dingbat, kerning, leading, baseline, ascender, descender, counter, and x-height. Understanding these terms is essential for designers to successfully use type to communicate ideas.

1. Typography is the art and process of arranging type on a
page, and it influences the overall look and feel of a page
more than any other visual element.
Type is an important element of design because it
determines the tone of the entire design.
You will want to carefully select type that matches the
purposes of the design.
.
Type
WD131: Fundamentals of Design
Unit 6: Type
Module 1: Using Type as a Design Element

2. Type is one way of communicating a visual message. It is
essential that designers understand the key typographic
terms in order to successfully utilize letterforms for
communicating ideas.
Type
WD131: Fundamentals of Design
Unit 6: Type
Module 1: Using Type as a Design Element

3. Type
WD131: Fundamentals of Design
Unit 6: Type
Module 1: Using Type as a Design Element
 Font
 Letterform
 Character
 Dingbat
 Kerning
 Leading
 Baseline
 Ascender
 Descender
 Counter
 X-Height
A single weight and design of a given
typeface, including capital and lowercase
letters, numbers, and punctuation.

4. Type
WD131: Fundamentals of Design
Unit 6: Type
Module 1: Using Type as a Design Element
 Font
 Letterform
 Character
 Dingbat
 Kerning
 Leading
 Baseline
 Ascender
 Descender
 Counter
 X-Height
The shape of a letter and the unique
characteristics of its strokes.

5. Type
WD131: Fundamentals of Design
Unit 6: Type
Module 1: Using Type as a Design Element
 Font
 Letterform
 Character
 Dingbat
 Kerning
 Leading
 Baseline
 Ascender
 Descender
 Counter
 X-Height
The individual form of each letterform,
number, or symbol in a given typeface.

6. Type
WD131: Fundamentals of Design
Unit 6: Type
Module 1: Using Type as a Design Element
 Font
 Letterform
 Character
 Dingbat
 Kerning
 Leading
 Baseline
 Ascender
 Descender
 Counter
 X-Height
You may know someone who fits this
description, but in type this refers to an
ornamental symbol used for emphasis or
decoration.
        
   

7. Type
WD131: Fundamentals of Design
Unit 6: Type
Module 1: Using Type as a Design Element
 Font
 Letterform
 Character
 Dingbat
 Kerning
 Leading
 Baseline
 Ascender
 Descender
 Counter
 X-Height This refers to the adjustment of the spacing
between individual pairs of letters.

8. Type
WD131: Fundamentals of Design
Unit 6: Type
Module 1: Using Type as a Design Element
 Font
 Letterform
 Character
 Dingbat
 Kerning
 Leading
 Baseline
 Ascender
 Descender
 Counter
 X-Height It is the length of distance between one
baseline and the line above it.

9. Type
WD131: Fundamentals of Design
Unit 6: Type
Module 1: Using Type as a Design Element
 Font
 Letterform
 Character
 Dingbat
 Kerning
 Leading
 Baseline
 Ascender
 Descender
 Counter
 X-Height
The invisible line upon which the characters
of a typeset line, except the descenders,
appear to sit.

10. Type
WD131: Fundamentals of Design
Unit 6: Type
Module 1: Using Type as a Design Element
 Font
 Letterform
 Character
 Dingbat
 Kerning
 Leading
 Baseline
 Ascender
 Descender
 Counter
 X-Height
The upward vertical stem of some lowercase
letters, such as h and b, which extends
above or ascends beyond the x-height

11. Type
WD131: Fundamentals of Design
Unit 6: Type
Module 1: Using Type as a Design Element
 Font
 Letterform
 Character
 Dingbat
 Kerning
 Leading
 Baseline
 Ascender
 Descender
 Counter
 X-Height
The downward portion of some lowercase
letters, such as g and y, which extends below
or descends beyond the baseline

12. Type
WD131: Fundamentals of Design
Unit 6: Type
Module 1: Using Type as a Design Element
 Font
 Letterform
 Character
 Dingbat
 Kerning
 Leading
 Baseline
 Ascender
 Descender
 Counter
 X-Height
The space within an enclosed character.

13. Type
WD131: Fundamentals of Design
Unit 6: Type
Module 1: Using Type as a Design Element
 Font
 Letterform
 Character
 Dingbat
 Kerning
 Leading
 Baseline
 Ascender
 Descender
 Counter
 X-Height The height of lowercase letters, excluding
ascenders and descenders.

14. Type
WD131: Fundamentals of Design
Unit 6: Type
Module 1: Using Type as a Design Element