Comments for Understanding Fonts http://understandingfonts.com Learn Type Design Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:33:18 +0000 hourly 1 Comment on Typography extensions in Inkscape 0.49 by Conferência e Workshop de Dave Crossland @ UA « DESIGNLAB http://understandingfonts.com/blog/2011/11/typography-extensions-in-inkscape-0-49/#comment-257 Conferência e Workshop de Dave Crossland @ UA « DESIGNLAB Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:33:18 +0000 http://understandingfonts.com/?p=315#comment-257 [...] começar a desenvolver fontes (usando apenas Software Livre Open Source), pode recorrer ao workflow Inkscape + Fontforge + Spiro que descreve no site dele. Separador do vídeo do [...] [...] começar a desenvolver fontes (usando apenas Software Livre Open Source), pode recorrer ao workflow Inkscape + Fontforge + Spiro que descreve no site dele. Separador do vídeo do [...]

]]> Comment on Book Recommendations by Sarah R. http://understandingfonts.com/blog/2011/07/book-recommendations/#comment-209 Sarah R. Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:37:16 +0000 http://understandingfonts.com/?p=234#comment-209 Thanks a lot for sharing this list. Thanks a lot for sharing this list.

]]> Comment on Workshops in Portugal, January 2012 by Dave Crossland @ Aveiro « DESIGNLAB http://understandingfonts.com/blog/2012/01/workshops-in-portugal/#comment-177 Dave Crossland @ Aveiro « DESIGNLAB Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:04:10 +0000 http://understandingfonts.com/?p=320#comment-177 [...] Dave Crossland está em Portugal para ministrar um par de conferências e workshops nas Caldas da Rainha (ESAD.CR) e em Aveiro (DeCA). Vai passar no Departamento de Comunicação e [...] [...] Dave Crossland está em Portugal para ministrar um par de conferências e workshops nas Caldas da Rainha (ESAD.CR) e em Aveiro (DeCA). Vai passar no Departamento de Comunicação e [...]

]]> Comment on Collaborative Type Design Workshops – without computers by Workshops in Portugal, January 2012 http://understandingfonts.com/blog/2011/05/collaborative-type-design-workshop-without-computers/#comment-175 Workshops in Portugal, January 2012 Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:52:09 +0000 http://understandingfonts.com/?p=53#comment-175 [...] Crossland will be running 2 type sketching workshops in Portugal this month, one at the Escola Superior de Artes e Design in Caldas da Rainha (ESAD CR) [...] [...] Crossland will be running 2 type sketching workshops in Portugal this month, one at the Escola Superior de Artes e Design in Caldas da Rainha (ESAD CR) [...]

]]> Comment on Typography extensions in Inkscape 0.49 by Felipe Sanches http://understandingfonts.com/blog/2011/11/typography-extensions-in-inkscape-0-49/#comment-159 Felipe Sanches Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:55:30 +0000 http://understandingfonts.com/?p=315#comment-159 It is called SVG Font Editor because it is focused in supporting the font features described in the SVG spec. We don't plan to completely substitute FontForge, but instead to complement it with the nice drawing tools of Inkscape. The intended workflow would be to design glyphs in Inkscape and then import the SVGFont into FontForge to finish the work. It is called SVG Font Editor because it is focused in supporting the font features described in the SVG spec. We don’t plan to completely substitute FontForge, but instead to complement it with the nice drawing tools of Inkscape. The intended workflow would be to design glyphs in Inkscape and then import the SVGFont into FontForge to finish the work.

]]> Comment on Typography extensions in Inkscape 0.49 by ac http://understandingfonts.com/blog/2011/11/typography-extensions-in-inkscape-0-49/#comment-158 ac Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:35:20 +0000 http://understandingfonts.com/?p=315#comment-158 I see no reason why the Font Editor in inkscape called SVG font editor. Why cannot it be a general purpose font editor? The libfontforge provides all the functions to group splineline glyphs into whatever kind of font you want. And setting properties with the libfontforge should not be any problem. Actually, in fontforge, the difference between different font formats only show up when generating font. Therefore, the "Generate Font" dialog is the only important area where a SVG Font Editor differ from a general purpose Font Editor. I see no reason why the Font Editor in inkscape called SVG font editor. Why cannot it be a general purpose font editor?

The libfontforge provides all the functions to group splineline glyphs into whatever kind of font you want. And setting properties with the libfontforge should not be any problem.

Actually, in fontforge, the difference between different font formats only show up when generating font. Therefore, the “Generate Font” dialog is the only important area where a SVG Font Editor differ from a general purpose Font Editor.

]]> Comment on Typography extensions in Inkscape 0.49 by gemy http://understandingfonts.com/blog/2011/11/typography-extensions-in-inkscape-0-49/#comment-147 gemy Thu, 17 Nov 2011 10:05:15 +0000 http://understandingfonts.com/?p=315#comment-147 yep of course some things could be improved. The main problem is that actually very few people know SVGfont editor in Inkscape (even the type designer i know). I'm not it has to be completely redone. I guess having a complete template with main glyphs already included might be nice. May be there could one layer per glyph and that to have a best workflow. Actually the designer has to create the font and the glyphs manually. A default template should be provided so that the designer should just fill the cases. I guess this is a simple thing to begin with. During our Font Booksprint two weeks ago, i've written the part about Inkscape, so i quite understand why you thing needs to be changed (http://fr.flossmanuals.net/fontes-libres/ch025_svg-fonts-dans-inkscape) :) So let's go one thing after the other : it would be a nice thing would to have some kind of page tool to manually change the page size on convas, or some layer size (i.e. each glyph). We could then be more precise in Inkscape before importing into fontforge. yep of course some things could be improved. The main problem is that actually very few people know SVGfont editor in Inkscape (even the type designer i know). I’m not it has to be completely redone. I guess having a complete template with main glyphs already included might be nice. May be there could one layer per glyph and that to have a best workflow. Actually the designer has to create the font and the glyphs manually. A default template should be provided so that the designer should just fill the cases. I guess this is a simple thing to begin with. During our Font Booksprint two weeks ago, i’ve written the part about Inkscape, so i quite understand why you thing needs to be changed (http://fr.flossmanuals.net/fontes-libres/ch025_svg-fonts-dans-inkscape) :) So let’s go one thing after the other : it would be a nice thing would to have some kind of page tool to manually change the page size on convas, or some layer size (i.e. each glyph). We could then be more precise in Inkscape before importing into fontforge.

]]> Comment on Typography extensions in Inkscape 0.49 by Felipe Sanches http://understandingfonts.com/blog/2011/11/typography-extensions-in-inkscape-0-49/#comment-146 Felipe Sanches Thu, 17 Nov 2011 03:57:40 +0000 http://understandingfonts.com/?p=315#comment-146 I am myself the developer of the SVG Fonts editor in Inkscape. But me and Dave have decided that its user interface and workflow are not yet ideal for the typical type designers and so we want to work on some prototypes and then gather feedback from users so that we can further improve it. These typography extensions are a quick way to experiment with some ideas before perhaps actually implementing them as core features in Inkscape. I am myself the developer of the SVG Fonts editor in Inkscape. But me and Dave have decided that its user interface and workflow are not yet ideal for the typical type designers and so we want to work on some prototypes and then gather feedback from users so that we can further improve it. These typography extensions are a quick way to experiment with some ideas before perhaps actually implementing them as core features in Inkscape.

]]> Comment on Typography extensions in Inkscape 0.49 by gemy http://understandingfonts.com/blog/2011/11/typography-extensions-in-inkscape-0-49/#comment-145 gemy Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:37:59 +0000 http://understandingfonts.com/?p=315#comment-145 that sounds great. I like the idea of having glyphs placed on different layers. Whereas i think that x-height and other guides just can be placed on canvas. Anyway, my real definite question is why not use Inkscape current SVG font editor ? I'm afraid that having a depedency to forntforge will make your script unusable for many people. Could you explain the benefits you see in it ? that sounds great. I like the idea of having glyphs placed on different layers. Whereas i think that x-height and other guides just can be placed on canvas. Anyway, my real definite question is why not use Inkscape current SVG font editor ? I’m afraid that having a depedency to forntforge will make your script unusable for many people. Could you explain the benefits you see in it ?

]]> Comment on Google Web Fonts: 1,000 fonts in 2011 by Giuliano http://understandingfonts.com/blog/2011/05/google-io/#comment-98 Giuliano Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:39:54 +0000 http://understandingfonts.com/?p=66#comment-98 Google Web Fonts it's a terrific resource that I use a lot in my work. That said, I hope you will improve the average quality of the font and not only the number. Most of the fonts are not usable for professional project (due to poor anti aliasing in windows or missing weights, not taste). Why I understand the need of variety (and some of the less quality fonts sometimes can be used as display font), wouldn't be possible for Google to hire some of the best font designer to design 10 or 20 family font optimized for the web? We designed websites with 4 font families for years, and now we have also a lot of fantastic typefaces from paid services. But sometimes using those services is not possible or advisable (ie. web fonts for wordpress themes) so i am sure having 10 or 20 good free fonts would fill a greater needs than one can think. Google Web Fonts it’s a terrific resource that I use a lot in my work. That said, I hope you will improve the average quality of the font and not only the number. Most of the fonts are not usable for professional project (due to poor anti aliasing in windows or missing weights, not taste). Why I understand the need of variety (and some of the less quality fonts sometimes can be used as display font), wouldn’t be possible for Google to hire some of the best font designer to design 10 or 20 family font optimized for the web? We designed websites with 4 font families for years, and now we have also a lot of fantastic typefaces from paid services. But sometimes using those services is not possible or advisable (ie. web fonts for wordpress themes) so i am sure having 10 or 20 good free fonts would fill a greater needs than one can think.

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