Typeface localization services

Ray Larabie

I've had a few type designers contact me in search of clients requiring typeface localization. And I've heard from clients requiring localization for languages beyond my scope. Is there a place where these people can find one another? We have a category for Job Postings. What about a section for type designers offering localization or other services such as hinting?

karambir S Rohilla

We have provide service translate their brand values into custom designed type. Through consistent usage, custom typefaces can help increase the recognition of your brand.

You may already have ideas on how your typeface should reflect your corporate identity. Our design experts can work with you to enable you to deliver your vision. Whether you re looking for a complete typeface family in a range of weights or special character sets, we can deliver.

Our Services Include

Custom typeface design, Digitization of existing artwork, Creation of logo and symbol fonts, Development of custom character sets, Creation of fine-tuned ESQ  (Enhanced Screen Quality) fonts, Non-Latin font development, Font format conversions, Multilingual and Unicode -compliant font solutions, Custom editing of printer fonts, Multiple platform font support, Consulting on typefaces, fonts and font technologies

We are passionate about custom font design and we look forward to sharing our expertise and enthusiasm. Whether you need a variant of an existing typeface, need to commission an original custom font design or have a small font project  we create typography to exact specifications and competitively priced.

Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian

For non-Latin, always ping Granshan.
@granshanconf

Adam Ladd

Yes, would be nice to have a central resource page or link to those specialists and their services.

Andreas Stötzner

‘Fontists help fontists’ – an interesting idea. The business becomes more than ever manifold, no one can really bite all the bullets. Sounds like a business case for some vigilant start-uppers?

Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian

fonttalentscout.com?

Ray Larabie

It's a good idea. Does anyone think this would make a good new category here? I'm concerned that if it goes beyond the scope of localization, that it could become a general job site which could get cluttered and spammy. I think most type designers do freelance work so maybe narrow it down to localization for non Latin or at least beyond Latin Extended A. Because those people are very hard to track down due to the language barrier and in some cases, their scarcity. Just to be clear, I have no personal interest in doing localization for anyone's fonts. I just hate when clients ask me if I know anyone who can handle Devangari, Korean etc. and I have to answer, "nope."

George Thomas

I have zero interest in working on a particular part of someone else's fonts. Usually they are asking me to do some part of it they hate doing, but my time is better spent.

Adam Ladd

Agree about keeping it focused (non-spammy)... but I did also like the initial idea about including things like hinting, kerning, complex opentype features, etc (beyond just localization services) in it. Sometimes resources or time might make it more viable to lean on a "specialist" or provide a recommendation, so it'd be nice to know what/who's available for specific tasks.

Dave Crossland

Its basically my day job to maintain a rolodex for these kinds of projects. 

However, I don't think its wise for people like me to write out opinions into public databases, because

(a) the utility is low, there are so many people out there who can do this kind of work, and who is relevant for any particular job depends on the particulars; and

(b) a database where vendors sign up to post their own info is inherently spammy. Most vendor database sites (ebay, amazon, airbnb, trip advisor, booking.com, etc) try to balance that with also soliciting customer ratings, but there's all kinds of RateMyTeacher.com slander risks, lol

Having said that, http://luc.devroye.org is a pretty comprehensive result of surveying every country's type design scene from online sources and may be as close as you can get to a public source for such referrals, Ray.

And I could imagine that typedrawers or even myfonts/fontspring/adobefonts/typenetwork could offer type designers a "classified ads directory" page, where type designers would pay $120/year or whatever to be listed.