To start, before you dive into drawing your Chicano Letters, you need a "Lettering Grid." So, let me break down the terms for you.
"Lettering Grid" or "Baseline Grid" is a set of lines used as a framework to align and position typographic elements within a design composition. These imaginary lines serve as a guide for arranging letters, words, and lines of text to ensure consistency and visual harmony in typographic layouts. The typographic grid is an indispensable tool for designers seeking to achieve precision and balance in their typography.
Headline: The uppermost imaginary line upon which the tops of the letters in a line of text sit.
Waistline: The imaginary line marking the height of the main body of lowercase letters, excluding ascenders and descenders.
Baseline: The imaginary line upon which the letters in a line of text rest, defining the bottom of the letters.
Descender Line: The imaginary line marking the lowest point reached by the descenders of letters in a line of text.
Slant Line: An imaginary line indicating the angle at which the letters in a slanted or italic font are designed to lean.
X-Height: The height of the lowercase letters in a typeface, measured from the baseline to the top of the main body of lowercase letters, excluding ascenders and descenders.
Chinano Letter Anatomy Lexicon
- Hairline: The thin and delicate part of a stroke, as opposed to the full part.
- Stroke: The main line or mark that forms part of a letter's shape.
- Entry Stroke: The initial stroke made when beginning to write a letter.
- Exit Stroke: The final stroke made when completing a letter.
- Stem: The main vertical or diagonal stroke of a letter, excluding any serifs or terminals.
- Ascender: The part of a letter that extends above the x-height, such as in "b", "d", or "h".
- Descender: The part of a letter that extends below the baseline, such as in "g", "j", or "p".
- Serif: The small decorative strokes attached to the ends of the main strokes in certain typefaces.
- Terminal: The end of a stroke that does not include a serif.
- Counter: The enclosed or partially enclosed space within a letter, such as the opening in "o", "e", or "a".
- Bowl: The curved part of a letter that encloses the counter, as seen in "b", "d", or "p".
- Crossbar: The horizontal stroke that connects two sides of a letter, such as in "A", "H", or "t".
- Ear: A small stroke or flourish that extends from the upper right side of the bowl in letters such as "g" or "r".
- Tail: A stroke that extends from the bottom of a letter, often seen in letters such as "Q" or "j".
- Space: The area between letters, words, or lines of text.
- Flourishes: Decorative curves and embellishments used to adorn letters and words in calligraphy.
"What is the difference between 'stem' and 'stroke'?"
Stem: The "stem" specifically refers to the main vertical or diagonal segment of a letter. It is the part that forms the letter's main body, such as the central vertical line of an "H" or a "b". The "stem" can also refer to the backbone of a letter, which can be straight or inclined depending on the font style.
Stroke: The "stroke", on the other hand, refers to any line or mark that forms part of the letter, whether vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. This includes all lines used to draw a letter, including the "stem", as well as other elements such as ascenders, descenders, intersections, curves, etc. In summary, the "stroke" encompasses all individual traits that make up the letter as a whole.
The terms "Ascender" and "Descender" refer to specific elements of letters in the alphabet, especially in the realm of Chicano tattoo lettering where typefaces may include characters with parts that extend beyond the x-height (the height of lowercase letters excluding ascenders and descenders).
Ascender: An ascender is the part of a letter that extends above the x-height, meaning above the baseline. Letters that feature ascenders in this style include characters like "b", "d", "f", "h", "k", "l", and "t". For example, in the letter "b", the vertical straight part that rises above the baseline is the ascender.
Descender: The descender, is the part of a letter that extends below the baseline. Letters that have descenders in this style include characters like "g", "j", "p", "q", and "y". For instance, in the letter "g", the part that descends below the baseline is the descender.
These terms are particularly important in the creation of Chicano tattoo lettering as they influence the aesthetics and readability of the final piece. Understanding these concepts enables artists to create balanced and expressive compositions that captivate the eye and imagination.
