Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Geek Speak => Topic started by: DiscoverDave on 23/01/2010 15:55:30

Title: I can't find the fonts I want, so how difficult is it for me to make my own?
Post by: DiscoverDave on 23/01/2010 15:55:30

I can't find the fonts I want, so how difficult is it for me to make my own? 

I was thinking of using something like a text editor to modify a copy of an existing font file.  Would this work, or is it much tougher than that?  I have programming and file editing experience, but I've never dealt with fonts.  This project doesn't need to be time or labor efficient, and I could learn as I go along -- which I'm good at doing.  Any suggestions or tips??

Title: I can't find the fonts I want, so how difficult is it for me to make my own?
Post by: DrChemistry on 29/01/2010 11:41:11

Without ever having done it myself,  I am not quite sure you can just modify an existing font file.

You can make you own fonts using your handwriting, scanner etc. Or write directly into the computer using a Pad. But thereafter you would require another piece of software, to arrange all your characters to each specific Letter (or punctuation) on your keyboard.


EDIT: Or try this page: http://www.yourfonts.com/print.html (http://www.yourfonts.com/print.html)

Title: I can't find the fonts I want, so how difficult is it for me to make my own?
Post by: LeeE on 29/01/2010 17:02:38

As I understand it, making scalable fonts is quite hard work, which is why many of them are not free and are in fact proprietary.  I get the impression that in effect, you have to make scalable vector graphics drawings (not literally in .svg format) of each character, along with defining the kerning characteristics of each different character pair (the spacing between each pair of different characters).

I'd guess that making bitmap fonts is quite a bit easier, but then they're not scalable.

Title: I can't find the fonts I want, so how difficult is it for me to make my own?
Post by: RD on 29/01/2010 21:28:45

. [ Invalid Attachment ]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Office

Title: I can't find the fonts I want, so how difficult is it for me to make my own?
Post by: Geezer on 30/01/2010 08:39:01

Quote from: LeeE on 29/01/2010 17:02:38

As I understand it, making scalable fonts is quite hard work, which is why many of them are not free and are in fact proprietary.  I get the impression that in effect, you have to make scalable vector graphics drawings (not literally in .svg format) of each character, along with defining the kerning characteristics of each different character pair (the spacing between each pair of different characters).

I'd guess that making bitmap fonts is quite a bit easier, but then they're not scalable.

Quite right Lee. I worked in the electronic typesetting business for a while, and there's a lot more to fonts than meets the eye. Well, I suppose they really do meet the eye, so I probably can't say that. Anyway, they are a tricky subject which is why they are valuable property.

Title: I can't find the fonts I want, so how difficult is it for me to make my own?
Post by: syhprum on 31/01/2010 22:52:15

x

Title: I can't find the fonts I want, so how difficult is it for me to make my own?
Post by: RD on 31/01/2010 23:33:31

. [ Invalid Attachment ]
          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_ink