Letterforms are the shapes that define each letter of the alphabet, with identifying aspects visible in written or printed form. Serifs are unnecessary for computer screens, and terms such as ascenders, descenders, and crossbars describe different parts of letterforms. Calligraphy and palaeography study the artistic and ancient forms of writing.
A letterform is the shape that defines each letter of the alphabet. Each letter is generally identified by its individual appearance and various other components and characteristics. These identifying aspects are visible in letters written or printed on paper, portrayed on a computer screen or carved into rock by ancient cultures. Several parts of letters make up the overall structure, while the height of each is also defined by appropriate terms. Additional lines called serifs, at the top and bottom of some letterform shapes, are an aspect of letterforming that has been used throughout history.
The sans serif typeface has been used since the early 1900s. Some people believe that serifs make reading more comfortable, but they are generally unnecessary unless the shape of the letter is engraved into metal or stone. Text printed on computer screens typically doesn’t have details as small as serifs; the online print is usually 12 pixels high, so these would normally not be visible.
Ascenders are lines that project upward in letter form, while descenders point downward. Crossbars are often used to connect lines as in a capital A. The top of a lowercase f, for example, is called a terminal. Other common terms for a letterform also include a shoulder, the curve of a lowercase n; and a counter, the open space within an area enclosed by solid lines as in the letter O. A curved line enclosing this space is called a bowl.
You can also analyze the height of a letterform. An average line is often used to represent the space where most of the letters in a word or phrase are contained. The baseline indicates the lower part of the letters which does not take into account the descender lines; the minimum extent of these is referred to as the minimum extent of descendants. Height limits for uppercase letters, ascenders, and the vertical extent of the letter X, if any, are also indicated.
Various writing methods can make a letter form look very different. Calligraphy is the artistic representation of letters, which can be drawn by hand to take on shapes that often don’t fit the standard rules for typefaces. The shape of the letter is often studied in palaeography, the study of ancient forms of writing, and in epigraphy, the study of engravings in materials such as stone and metal, which were often created by ancient civilizations.
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