The original king of font editing software is Fontographer which languished in non-development purgatory for years until FontLab bought the code and recently updated it for the Mac.
The company says that TypeTool is “for students, hobby typographers and creative professionals who occasionally need to create or customize fonts”. TypeTool from FontLab is a more entry-level product along the same lines as FontCreator.
The program works only with TrueType and OpenType fonts-no Type 1 fonts-and is for Windows only. It’s available for PC and Mac.įontCreator is another choice, more affordable than FontLab. FontMaster comes as seven different modules, which I find altogether cool and intimidating. (If you’re a Linux user, FontForge is more or less your only choice.)įor those rolling in cash, DTL FontMaster can do everything FontLab can, and more, but it’s quite expensive. FontForge is available for PC, Mac, and Linux. There was an interesting thread recently over at Typophile about FontForge that you might want to read, if you’re considering taking the open-source plunge. Also, the program is not as well documented as FontLab. That said, installing FontForge (at least under Windows) is not exactly a simple matter (you’ll need to install Cygwin first). I’ve used FontLab Studio pretty extensively, and can vouch for its excellence, and the vibrancy of the user community.įontForge can ostensibly do everything that FontLab can, and it’s free and open-source. A 30-day free trial is available, if you want to try before you buy. It is more or less the industry standard, and, as such, isn’t exactly cheap, coming in at $649 (US).
The major players are listed below: Font Editing ProgramsįontLab Studio is what I use to make my fonts. Font editing software comes in a variety of strengths and prices, and works on a variety of platforms. (What! You haven’t learned all about serifs, side-bearings, and kerning? Well, make sure you read all of the articles on ILT before you embark on font creation! You’ll need all of the knowledge you can get if you plan on being successful! And if you’re not a brilliant designer or a master calligrapher, well, don’t worry-you can still create some beautiful fonts with a little hard work, a lot of knowledge, and a little inspiration.) The Crux: Font Editing SoftwareĪll the brilliant design, precise calligraphic work, and deep knowledge of kerning won’t mean anything if you can’t translate your work into a computer-friendly format, which is why you’ll need a good piece of font editing software at your disposal. So you’re a brilliant designer, a master calligrapher, and you’ve learned all about serifs, side-bearings, and kerning.
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