upstroke

An upstroke is a movement in an upward direction of a tool or instrument stroke, typically described in relation to a baseline or reference plane. The term is widely used across fields to distinguish from a downstroke, the corresponding downward motion. In many contexts, upstrokes are associated with lighter pressure, shorter duration, or different tonal or visual effect.

In music, upstrokes indicate the direction of the motion of a pick or bow. On plucked instruments such as guitars and basses, an upstroke is the stroke made from the string toward the ceiling, usually alternated with a downstroke to create rhythmic patterns or to articulate certain notes. In bowing for violin, viola, and cello, the term up-bow is used for the stroke drawn from the tip toward the frog, effectively an upstroke relative to the instrument's body.

In handwriting and calligraphy, the upstroke refers to the stroke moving upward, often lighter in pressure. Writers and artists use upstrokes as part of letter shapes and brush or pen techniques, where the contrast with a stronger downstroke helps define form and legibility.

In mechanics and engineering, upstroke describes the ascending phase of a reciprocating motion, such as a piston, pump, or cam under motion. The upstroke is typically paired with a downstroke during a cycle, and its timing affects efficiency and output.