Automated engraving software

Vasil Stanev
Vasil Stanev Posts: 775
in Type Design Software
The 3D extrude option in Adobe Illustrator wasn't able to do a spectacular job for a client who wanted to color each face of the letter in different ways for Figma purposes. So I had to spend some time separating the outlines artistically. I wonder if there is a way to do this automatically, because I will most probably have to repeat this for the whole font. I had a hard time figuring out where the middle part of ovals in letters like B must be, I know there will still be some work on my part to get the faces right, but I hope to be able to automate the more boring parts.
Help?

Comments

  • Andreas Stötzner
    Andreas Stötzner Posts: 792
    This task can’t get automated.

    Apart from that, your plain B seems to be a little unbalanced, the upper half of it too narrow. Your C looks like it had been chunked to 90% horizontally, there is something strange with the endings.

    In your ‘carved’ B there is one line missing in the middle.
  • Vasil Stanev
    Vasil Stanev Posts: 775
    Thanks for the input! This isn't my design tho, it's Futura PT...
  • Jasper de Waard
    Jasper de Waard Posts: 639
    Maybe this is useful: https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/how-do-you-make-an-inline-font/7409
  • Yves Michel
    Yves Michel Posts: 181
    Hi Vasil,
    I designed a font (Via Appia, available on daFont). In the spirit of what you're searching.


    I never found an automation for this project.
    I worked in FL7 using the Outline action (with negative values), the Create Parallel Contour and a lot of Copy/Paste and adjustments to obtain the desired result.
    I think there should be, at least, a tool to create a curve or line in the middle of the stem. This would certainly help.

  • Jasper de Waard
    Jasper de Waard Posts: 639
    The top of that A looks like an optical illusion
  • Vasil Stanev
    Vasil Stanev Posts: 775
    edited October 2021
    I used circles inside the contrours that slightly touch them to determine the center line. Another method would be decomposing the outlines in Illustrator and using a blend with steps:1, but I figured this would create more problems than it would solve. Also, mathematical center does not always equal a visually pleasing design, so I would have to finetune by hand anyway. Using the outline/offset function would lead to the same. 
    So, there is no automated way to get around the hard work, especially in glyphs like @ and &.
  • Simon Cozens
    Simon Cozens Posts: 740
    This reminds me of the work that Andy Clymer did in automatically producing Obsidian from Surveyor, using some complex Robofont scripting. I'm sure that once upon a time I saw a video explaining how it was done, but I can't find that now; this article has some detail, but not as much as the video did.

    So it is possible, it's just very complicated.
  • Yves Michel
    Yves Michel Posts: 181
    And it made me revise the whole font! Again, thanks
  • Jasper de Waard
    Jasper de Waard Posts: 639
    Happy to help :)
  • James Puckett
    James Puckett Posts: 1,992
    You should do two variations of this typeface. One with realistic chiseling and one with MC Escher chiseling.
  • Vasil Stanev
    Vasil Stanev Posts: 775
    edited October 2021

    This is how it looks shaded by hand by the client.
  • Yves Michel
    Yves Michel Posts: 181
    James Puckett said:
    You should do two variations of this typeface. One with realistic chiseling and one with MC Escher chiseling.

    During the design, it crossed my mind. And then I forgot. I'll give it a try.
    Thank you James!
  • Grzegorz Luk (gluk)
    Grzegorz Luk (gluk) Posts: 161
    Vasil Stanev said:

    This is how it looks shaded by hand by the client.
    I'm working now on similar font, then put my two cents worth there. :smile:

    you need to divide the glyph into more areas for a better effect, therefore is no full
    automated way for it. In the picture below, as an example, my glyph "B"



  • Jasper de Waard
    Jasper de Waard Posts: 639
    @Grzegorz Luk (gluk) That looks very cool! Might be even cooler without the thin dark lines, though. Also, don't know if this has anything to do with embossing it, but the overshoots feel a bit too small to me? Anyway, nice stuff :smile:
  • Grzegorz Luk (gluk)
    Grzegorz Luk (gluk) Posts: 161
    Jasper de Waard said:
    That looks very cool! Might be even cooler without the thin dark lines, though.
    thank You. I am currently testing the contours so they are set as variable (colors and widths). As far however, I like the thin, dark ones the most.





  • Jasper de Waard
    Jasper de Waard Posts: 639
    I like the bottom version the most, but hey, it's your baby!

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