Postproduction.... where and how to start?

Andrew Wood

Let's assume I've designed my typeface. It's beautiful. It has lots of weights and widths and italics and accents and Icelandic characters etc etc. Spacing and kerning are perfect. 

What comes next?

Please could you point me in the right direction.

Sorry to be so naive, but what are the errors I should be looking for? How do I recognise them if I find them? How do I find them in the first place?

What are the books and tutorials that help? There's loads of advice on how to design and space fonts. But I'm struggling to find their equivalents for type post-production.

Many thanks in advance.

Andrew

Thomas Phinney

I think this quite recent thread has lots of information that may help. https://typedrawers.com/discussion/3086/font-production-frustrations-and-solutions#latest

Andreas Stötzner

Type post-production??

When a font is generated, the production of it is finalised.

But you may wish to test your fonts in real composing, in various cases. To actually see how it works, to spot the last issues and to eliminate them in the very-last round of production.

When everything on the fonts is done, I always enjoy to create the banners and posters.

Artur Schmal

Andreas Stötzner said:

Type post-production??

When a font is generated, the production of it is finalised.

Well not per se. After exporting your font files it's recommendable to test those files.
At minimum:

• check if they appear correctly in the font menus of operating systems and applications that you intended them to work in.
• check if you select your fonts in the font menu they actually display your font.
• check if hinting is working as you intended.
• check if the kerning works
• check if the opentype features do their work
• run the files through a testing tool like Font Validator for example

If you find a bug or error you have basically two options: either go back to your source file and fix the problem, or use a tool like OTMaster to modify the font files.

My preference is to solve the problem in the source file, so it doesn't arise anymore the next time you export your font, but sometimes there are cases where you need to fix something in a post-production tool.

Artur

Andreas Stötzner

Artur Schmal said:

• check if they appear correctly in the font menus of operating systems and applications that you intended them to work in.
• check if you select your fonts in the font menu they actually display your font.
• check if hinting is working as you intended.
• check if the kerning works
• check if the opentype features do their work
• run the files through a testing tool like Font Validator for example

I agree. However, I do count these steps being a part of the production process.

Raphaël Ronot

I guess what @Andrew Wood means by "post production" could be understood as "font engineering" (or mastering ?), where you work on rendering the font, as opposed to the prior process of drawing and spacing it. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd think it includes

• Path directions and outlines
• Vertical metrics
• Open type features
• Language compatibility
• Glyphset standards compatibility
  
• Hinting 

All of which I'd also be happy to learn more about myself !

Andrew Wood

Andreas Stötzner said:

Type post-production??

I wasn't sure what the term was, so I borrowed it from TV/video/film. BTW -- nice poster!

Thomas Phinney

One can debate where to draw the line, but the way I am used to hearing the terms, it is “font production” as opposed to ”type design.” The later stages in “productizing” what has already been designed.

It definitely includes hinting and probably OpenType features. Maybe even kerning, or at least expanding kerning that was started by the designer.

It normally does not include outline work or glyph design.

Andrew Wood

Thanks everyone.