Hot Stuff
Weekly Contest - Expression Studio
1 Winner Selected
The Big Picture Magazine - FREE
Real-world solutions to design challenges
Get Creative Videocast
New every week. Watch what's important to you.
Comments
Login
Login to post a comment. Not a member? Sign up here
Forgot your password?
Font substitution==bad
As a matter of course I always turn font sub off on all my users' macs.
We too do package design and sometimes the info panels on the packs have 3 or 4 font changes inside one panel's body text, any reflow or such problems can create real nightmares. Much rather have some super-visible courier than anything else.
(Along with all the Garamonds around, Futura and Frutiger is a real pain - I hate these fonts!)
Funny typo game
I like your last article, you made good points about Adobe Sans/Serif remplaced in printed documents. I laugh everytime I saw theses fonts in action, a real funny typogame! Thanks John.
Jean-François Porchez
Vice president ATypI
One Of My Favorites
The CD jacket for ATM Deluxe 4.0, WinNT version - on the interior of the gatefold the designer included examples of the Adobe typefaces included, and upon closer inspection you'll see that Ex Ponto Regular is bitmapped (most likely the printer font was deactivated or not present on the output system).
It would've been funny on any other Adobe product, but to happen on the ATM packaging? Priceless!
8^)
Close is worse than nothing
I have to watch for the font substitution setting for ATM Deluxe on my Macs (I take care of about 25 in a packaging prepress company) because if the font comes out as Courier, we will notice. But if it comes out close, it is hard to catch. We have made some pregress in convincing designers to send files in with all fonts converted to outlines. This works in packaging, where jobs are worked one "page" at a time. At the most we have a front and back panel. The files are a bit larger, but it is worth it. If changes are needed, the disigner should do it anyway.
Send the fonts!
As a designer, I can't count on the print house to have the fonts that I've used in a design. Even if I use a common font, I still will either send a copy of the font suitcase, or convert my text to outlines. In QuarkXpress I've found an extention that allows me to collect the fonts for output. I think knowing your print house is another rule of thumb. I have a great relationship with my output house. If there is any question on a piece of artwork, they make sure to let me know. Last but not least, match prints and press checks.
Burned twice, shame on me.
I'm fortunate to work with a service provider who is obsessive about the quality of there output. If they have any problems with my designs, they call! Still, in the rush to meet deadlines, mistakes happen.
When a recent job was returned to us for distribution, one font was printed with the screen version of a Poscript font. It was uuuuugly! And very obvious. Apparently I failed to include the printer version of the font within the fonts sent with the job. Unfortunately the printer missed it as well.
So, learn from my mistake. Always send your fonts, double check your output and always see a proof before printing.