Identify that Letter! Part 9: Randomization

This is a snapshot of a large, rounded hourglass that was displayed at the furniture store Z-Gallerie. Visually, it is shaped like a capital letter “I.”   In terms of anatomy, an uppercased letter “I” is basically a single stem standing straightforward. Sometimes, it can be depicted as a letter with serifs on its baseline and cap height. The object’s top and bottom bulbs can be perceived as the serifs; moreover, its thin body can be identified as the stem. Indeed, it is a simplistic letter when it comes to its anatomy.

In order for this image of a toilet paper roll to be identified as a lowercased letter “B,” it must be flipped upside-down. A lowercased “B” is composed of a long stem – which in some cases has a serif on its baseline and ascender – and a bowl facing the right side.  The thick cylindrical roll can be thought of as the bowl while the unfurled sheets overhanging downwards can be distinguished as the stem (or ascender). Again, this image must be inverted or else the object will be recognized as a lowercased letter “G” instead.

This is an image of a twig that definitely is shaped like a lowercased letter “V” (in sans serif). It should be noted that this twig was NOT deliberately severed from a tree, bush or plant; it was found in such a state at a sidewalk in front of El Camino College (southeastern side). The snapping may have occurred naturally. Anatomically speaking, a lowercased “V” consists of two slanted stems meeting at a point situated on the baseline (in other words, an overshoot). Its stems and overshoot can have serifs as well.

This is a picture of a curved, metallic handle of a drawer. It strongly resembles the shape of a lowercased letter “U.” Both a capital and lowercased letter “U” can be best described as an open loop. At times, a lowercased “U” can have a short stem attached to its right side to differentiate it from its uppercased counterpart.  Like most letters of the alphabet, this letter can also have serifs (especially its stem, if applicable). In fact, the tiny orbs on its tips/endpoints can visually be discerned as serifs.