TypeTalk: Create Your Own Fonts

TypeTalk is a regular blog on typography. Post your questions and comments by clicking on the Comments icon above. If Ilene answers your question in the blog, you’ll receive one Official Creativepro.com T-Shirt!
Q. How can I create my own font? What program is best to use?

A. The answer depends on what you want to do. To create new, full-blown, professional-quality OpenType fonts, FontLab Studio ($649) is the way to go. This professional font editor is used by foundries and typeface designers alike. It is the only program that fully supports the advanced OpenType features, including extended characters sets, advanced kerning and hinting capabilities, and complete Unicode support. If you go this route, check out Learn FontLab Fast by Leslie Cabarga.
Font Lab Studio 5’s Glyph Window.

Ilene Strizver is a noted typographic educator, author, designer and founder of The Type Studio in Westport, Connecticut. Her book, Type Rules! The designer’s guide to professional typography, is now in its 4th edition.
  • Terri Stone says:

    Thanks to spamjim for the info on FontForge. Has anyone here used it? I have not.

    Terri Stone
    Editor in Chief, CreativePro.com

  • spamjim says:

    I used Fontographer in the past but now use FontForge as it supports more modern features than my old Fontographer. I never upgraded after Macromedia passed off the app.

    FontForge is a bit of a bear to set up if you are not comfortable with running X11 in MacOS or cygwin in Windows. Installation is easy in Linux. As one that bounces among all these platforms, it is nice to have a single app that works the same on each platform.

  • Anonymous says:

    Nice find.I have found answer to question interesting me. Thanks for finding the time to explain it.
    https://pc.de/fonts/

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