Books/courses specifically about FONTS?

[Hitch]

Hey, Dudes and Lovely Ladies:

Okey-doke. I've found, over the past 7 years as the Great High Doyenne of my biz, that I've had to learn more about fonts (kinda, which is the point here) than I ever hoped to know. But what I've learned is mostly...push-button stuff. In other words, if font A doesn't work at the KDP, I simply try font B, after some efforts with A. I know that, for example, some fonts don't work at the KDP. Not even their "clones" or faux-versions. Like Papyrus. (urgh). I know that if we're going to have trouble, it will most likely be an Adobe Foundry font--but I don't know WHY.

BUT, I don't really understand fonts. I have a moderate grasp of typography, mostly from Bringhurst, but fonts, themselves? Not so much. I'm weird that way--I don't want to just push buttons; I want to understand what I'm doing when I push a button.

I just purchased Suitcase Fusion 6. I'd been using Typograf, pretty happily, but it had some glitches or weird methods of operating that I wasn't crazy about. Or, possibly, it was intended for people who already know positively everything about fonts. My straw was, I couldn't get the bloody thing to print a font-samples list, from all the fonts in Typograf, to save my life. I reached out to Alexander Neuber, the developer, but he didn't have any real help for me. As Typograf is a paid program...well. No point kicking a dead mule.

So: I'm seeking books on fonts. I have Bringhurst, and I have Stop Stealing Sheep. But I'd like something more down in the nitty-gritty, that will explain all the realities behind Type1, otf, ttf, etc., how to manipulate fonts, font alteration or design, and so on.

Suggestions?

Best,
Hitch

[GrannyGrump]

Hi Hitch
Firstly IANAT (not a typographer), IAAD (I am a dabbler).

I can't say about specific books, but
https://www.typewolf.com/resources
has links to lots of good stuff, including free and paid books.
http://practicaltypography.com/ ====BUTTERICK'S PRACTICAL TYPOGRAPHY [online ebook/web-book] might be useful.

I have only dipped my toes in this one, but another good source for you might be
http://ilovetypography.com/
It is LOADED with tutorials and information.

While I'm here, let me recommend a simple font editor from
http://www.cr8software.net/software.html

TypeLight is free, and slightly feature-limited (no easy way to re-size glyphs, no vector import).
The Pro version Type 3, is currently $55, but the demo version is free, not time-limited, and is only feature-limited in that it only saves the first 50 glyphs ---- but you can cheat, like I do --- use the free demo to import SVG outlines to create new glyphs, or use it to re-size or skew glyphs, save an abbreviated font with those changes, then borrow those new glyphs into a font using the freeware TypeLight to create a full font with as many glyphs as you like.
The pdf help files for those two softwares are a fairly good introduction to font creation.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by GrannyGrump

Hi Hitch
Firstly IANAT (not a typographer), IAAD (I am a dabbler).

I can't say about specific books, but
https://www.typewolf.com/resources
has links to lots of good stuff, including free and paid books.
http://practicaltypography.com/ ====BUTTERICK'S PRACTICAL TYPOGRAPHY [online ebook/web-book] might be useful.

I have only dipped my toes in this one, but another good source for you might be
http://ilovetypography.com/
It is LOADED with tutorials and information.

While I'm here, let me recommend a simple font editor from
http://www.cr8software.net/software.html

TypeLight is free, and slightly feature-limited (no easy way to re-size glyphs, no vector import).
The Pro version Type 3, is currently $55, but the demo version is free, not time-limited, and is only feature-limited in that it only saves the first 50 glyphs ---- but you can cheat, like I do --- use the free demo to import SVG outlines to create new glyphs, or use it to re-size or skew glyphs, save an abbreviated font with those changes, then borrow those new glyphs into a font using the freeware TypeLight to create a full font with as many glyphs as you like.
The pdf help files for those two softwares are a fairly good introduction to font creation.

Granny:

LOL, we must be sisters from a different mother, or something like that. As mentioned, I have SSS and Bringhurst, and in my Chrome Speed Dial, I have (wait for it), TypeWolf (we're a paid member), Butterick and ilovetypography. ;-)
I'll look into the two programs you mentioned. My desire is to get into the "nitty gritty," as it were, so that I can better manipulate fonts, and for better, more logical font groupings in my font-managers. I become vexed when I do something in Typograf (like, "find similar") only to see a result turn up that makes ZERO sense to me!

Thanks for the heads-up on TypeLight's Pro version. I might spring for that. Thanks!

Isn't it weird that it's such an obscure topic, really??? I had expected that a decent search would turn up all types of results, but it did not.

(And if anyone is interested, in some time, I'll post what I think about the new font manager I acquired. It has a built-in Word and Powerpoint plugin, which is already quite useful. Not for using Word itself, but for instant designing feedback, it's quite lovely. (Comes with an INDD plugin, also, but I haven't played with that yet.)

Hitch

[GrannyGrump]

Suitcase Fusion sounds lovely, but I have no valid requirement for a paid font manager. (Maybe as a mental-health aid, and see if medical insurance would pay for it?)

It is too bad the freeware ones are so limited. I still use The Font Thing (designed in 1999 for Win98!!!) --- it still works in Windows 8, but does not recognize OTF fonts. For those I use freeware Nexus font manager. (which I had some speed-bumps learning to use after more than a decade of The Font Thing). They both have simple methods to create collections, print samples, and load/unload (as opposed to INSTALL) fonts. FontViewOK seems to have its fans also.
Search capability in these free programs seems wonky, maybe you have to pay for better search algorithms.

I mention these freewares for the possible interest of other forum users whose pockets, like mine, only contain lint, and rely on freeware.

[Toxaris]

I use NexusFont as library. I miss a lot of features, but at least I can add fonts without installing them. I would love an option to search for similar fonts, that would be very helpful, but I can imagine that is hard to program.

One difference between ttf and otf is that an otf can for example also contain the smallcaps and the ttf not. however, otf ≠ otf. I will probably not use the correct words now, but an otf can contain either spline (TTF-style) or Bezier (PostScript Type 1-style) curves. Sometimes this is the reason why the ttf looks great and the otf not, in those cases it is a usually a poor conversion.

Now, to make it a little more complex, a ttf can also an OpenType font... Older ttf files are in ANSI-Windows truetype format, but this is not a given.

Specifications for otf: https://www.microsoft.com/typography/otspec/

Some more about the difference (focused on usage): http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...opentype-fonts

WOFF is a kind of super compressed otf or ttf. Subsetting can be cumbersome and support is also tricky. One advantage is that usually the filesize is a little lower.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by GrannyGrump

Suitcase Fusion sounds lovely, but I have no valid requirement for a paid font manager. (Maybe as a mental-health aid, and see if medical insurance would pay for it?)

No kidding! How do you think I justified it? There I was--with an existing paid font manager, Typograf--and I couldn't print out a font-sample sheet? I was like, What The Font?

It is too bad the freeware ones are so limited. I still use The Font Thing (designed in 1999 for Win98!!!) --- it still works in Windows 8, but does not recognize OTF fonts. For those I use freeware Nexus font manager. (which I had some speed-bumps learning to use after more than a decade of The Font Thing). They both have simple methods to create collections, print samples, and load/unload (as opposed to INSTALL) fonts. FontViewOK seems to have its fans also.
Search capability in these free programs seems wonky, maybe you have to pay for better search algorithms.

I tried both, but...need more pizzazz. :-)

I mention these freewares for the possible interest of other forum users whose pockets, like mine, only contain lint, and rely on freeware.

Originally Posted by Toxaris

I use NexusFont as library. I miss a lot of features, but at least I can add fonts without installing them. I would love an option to search for similar fonts, that would be very helpful, but I can imagine that is hard to program.

One of my absolute reasons for a font manager in the first place, is "find similar." When you make eBooks for folks, who have unwittingly used foundry fonts, and want their files to look like the foundry fonts they used, well...you can see my need.

One difference between ttf and otf is that an otf can for example also contain the smallcaps and the ttf not. however, otf ≠ otf. I will probably not use the correct words now, but an otf can contain either spline (TTF-style) or Bezier (PostScript Type 1-style) curves. Sometimes this is the reason why the ttf looks great and the otf not, in those cases it is a usually a poor conversion.

I knew that kinda intuitively, due to some number of failed experiments. :-) But I don't know it intellectually or in any smart way.

Now, to make it a little more complex, a ttf can also an OpenType font... Older ttf files are in ANSI-Windows truetype format, but this is not a given.

Specifications for otf: https://www.microsoft.com/typography/otspec/

Some more about the difference (focused on usage): http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...opentype-fonts

WOFF is a kind of super compressed otf or ttf. Subsetting can be cumbersome and support is also tricky. One advantage is that usually the filesize is a little lower.

Ah...my brains are melting! THANK YOU!!!

Hitch

[PeterT]

Interesting. I see I need to experiment with WOFFs; the Kobo supported feature list does say that their eink devices support WOFF format. See https://github.com/kobolabs/epub-spec#supported-fonts

[najgori]

fontlab.com links

they are also organizing webinars. here is the last one:

Better Glyph Outlines for Better Fonts
with Thomas Phinney
Tuesday 9 February 2016
9:00 am Pacific / noon Eastern / 18.00 CEST

In this live online webinar, you will learn:

Better placement of on-curve and off-curve points.
Why proper construction makes your fonts render quicker and better
To make your glyphs easier to edit later.
Why so many designers think they have points at extrema when they don’t.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by najgori

fontlab.com links

they are also organizing webinars. here is the last one:

Better Glyph Outlines for Better Fonts
with Thomas Phinney
Tuesday 9 February 2016
9:00 am Pacific / noon Eastern / 18.00 CEST

In this live online webinar, you will learn:

Better placement of on-curve and off-curve points.
Why proper construction makes your fonts render quicker and better
To make your glyphs easier to edit later.
Why so many designers think they have points at extrema when they don’t.

Dang. Didn't see this until now. BUMMER!

Hitch

[grumbles]

There is a book from O'Reilly, "Fonts & Encodings" by Yannis Haralambous that will probably tell you more about fonts than you either need or ever want to know. It was published in 2007.
It's a fascinating look at the what is the toxic quagmire of character sets and encodings.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by grumbles

There is a book from O'Reilly, "Fonts & Encodings" by Yannis Haralambous that will probably tell you more about fonts than you either need or ever want to know. It was published in 2007.
It's a fascinating look at the what is the toxic quagmire of character sets and encodings.

Howdy:

Thanks! I'm a big reader (duh...isn't everyone on this forum???), and I'll get a copy of that.

Hitch