Type Anatomy & Classification · Page 1 of 8
Can you name that typeface?
Learn the parts of a letter, and you can read any typeface like a designer.
Designers don’t just say a font “looks old” or “looks modern.” They point to the parts of the letters: the serifs, the contrast between thick and thin strokes, the angle of the stress. Learn that vocabulary, and you can name a typeface’s category, describe it to a client and choose fonts with confidence.
Every letter is built from the same parts. The way a typeface draws those parts is what puts it in a category.
In this lesson
Where do letters sit?
The five guidelines every letter sits on, plus kerning, tracking and leading.
What are the parts of a letter?
Stems, bowls, serifs, terminals and the rest of the vocabulary designers use.
Try it: label the letter
Drag the right term onto each numbered part. Three rounds.
What are the seven type categories?
Old Style, Transitional, Modern, Slab Serif, Sans Serif, Script and Display.
How do you tell them apart?
Read serifs, contrast and stress like clues to name any typeface.
Practice: flash cards and quiz
Study 28 flash cards on screen or print them, then quiz yourself on real typefaces.
Test your knowledge
Five quick practice exercises. They are not graded.
Choosing Fonts. Once you can name a typeface, that lesson shows you how to match it to a message and pair it with a second font.
© Created by Sara Rosenstock, Marietta College Graphic Design.