Hi, New here!

matt
matt Posts: 5
edited December 2021 in Introductions
Hey,

I just joined here yesterday after searching for tutorials/courses on type design but I can't really find anything.

I'm a complete newbie to type design and have never tried designing my own fonts until recently when I was asked to recreate a logo for one of my clients and their logo looked like it used a hand drawn font so I started to recreate the letters in the font and it got me thinking I could maybe turn it into a font.

I know some basics like overshooting but I would like to learn more so I can create a somewhat good font and maybe eventually turn it into different weights.

My questions is, are there any courses/tutorials that anyone can recommend for me? Ones that I can watch at my own pace and not have to attend in person or via a Zoom call.

Any help would be appreciated.

/Edit - forgot to mention that I mainly use a windows PC so would probably use something like FontLab to create the font.

Thanks

Matt
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Comments

  • Fontfruits
    Fontfruits Posts: 51
    Hi Matt!

    I use Fontlab, and have for years - it's hard to find tutorials on using it - but I find that having fumbled my way through with trial an error has been a good way to learn. Its a super powerful app, so long as you know how to use it. I reckon if you get stuck with anything, the FontLab masters who are here might help you and point you in the right direction. Start small, and work your way up, enjoy the process.
  • matt
    matt Posts: 5
    Hey,

    I've noticed that, it seems like most people use Glyphs and although I do have a MacBook Pro it mainly sits in my cupboard collecting dust, I must have used it a handful of times since purchasing it.

    I find it easier to learn by watching and then doing which I did with the Adobe apps. I've watched some tutorials on the FontLab YouTube channel but it's not catered to newbies like me, they assume you know what Sidebearings are and how to use the app.

    I would really like to find somewhere (if possible) that explains the best practices when it comes to type design and how to make a font multiple weights. Is there anything out there like that?

    Thanks

    Matt
  • Jasper de Waard
    Jasper de Waard Posts: 639
    If you're beginning I'd say Glyphs is a lot more intuitive than Fontlab. They have a pretty clear manual (also explaining basics like sidebearings) and a lot of tutorials on the website. To start, you can learn a lot by just opening the application and having a look around. Have fun!
  • matt
    matt Posts: 5
    Jasper de Waard said:
    If you're beginning I'd say Glyphs is a lot more intuitive than Fontlab. They have a pretty clear manual (also explaining basics like sidebearings) and a lot of tutorials on the website. To start, you can learn a lot by just opening the application and having a look around. Have fun!
    Ahh I'll have a look at Glyphs but I do prefer using Windows. If I were to learn Glyphs would it then be easier to use Fontlab?
  • Jasper de Waard
    Jasper de Waard Posts: 639
    edited December 2021
    Yes I'd say the general principles are the same, but learning Glyphs to learn Fontlab seems a bit backwards to me... If you don't want to use that macbook (which is a waste if you ask me) then it might make more sense to just start with Fontlab and accept the steeper learning curve. There's also FontCreator but I have the feeling very few people on this forum use that. 
  • matt
    matt Posts: 5
    Jasper de Waard said:
    Yes I'd say the general principles are the same, but learning Glyphs to learn Fontlab seems a bit backwards to me... If you don't want to use that macbook (which is a waste if you ask me) then it might make more sense to just start with Fontlab and accept the steeper learning curve. There's also FontCreator but I have the feeling very few people on this forum use that. 
    I agree, it's definitely a waste but I've used it a handful of times within the 5 years I've had it. I've always used Windows machines.

    It's a shame there's not a lot more courses/tutorials out there for either programs but I will just see what I can find and if I have to use Glyphs I'll have to blow the dust off the MacBook.

    Thanks

    Matt
  • Craig Eliason
    Craig Eliason Posts: 1,436
    A few piecemeal online resources: 
    https://ohnotype.co/blog/tagged/teaching


    Perhaps @Karen Cheng's book would be helpful. 
  • Matthew Smith
    Matthew Smith Posts: 89
    If you’re willing to give Glyphs a shot, I think Lynne Yun’s free Type Design School would be a great fit.

    It is compiled as pre-recorded videos so you can follow along at your own pace.

    https://typedesignschool.com


  • matt
    matt Posts: 5
    Awesome thanks @Craig Eliason and @Matthew Smith I’ll check those out  :)

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