How to make a font darker (semibold)

JSWolf · 05-03-2012, 06:05 PM

What is the best way to take a font and make it darker (kind of like semibold)?

taming · 05-03-2012, 08:23 PM

The most common way is to buy/download a font that has the weight you want and load it onto your device. You will still want normal, italics, bold and bold italics. The difference is that you will use a font in which the base (that would be normal) is darker than usual.

For example, I recently needed to use a font called museo-sans in a project. I had a huge number of choices for the font http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/exljbris/museo-sans/. Chief among the differences was the weight or darkness of the base font and all of the variants that build from there.

A great many of the fonts that we get for free on our computers have other "versions" that may be darker. You have to look for them though.

JSWolf · 05-03-2012, 08:24 PM

I will see if I can find a semibold font I like. But in the meanwhile, I'm looking how to modify a font family I do like.

taming · 05-03-2012, 08:58 PM

John, search on the name of the font you like and see if it comes in a different weight.

fjtorres · 05-03-2012, 09:40 PM

There are plenty of font editors that let you modify existing truetype fonts and generate new ones from them.
I haven't played with fonts since the Win95 era but I remember one app that let you convert a regular font to slanted, outline, and several levels of boldness with just a click.
(Don't even remember the name, much less where I stashed the Floppies.)

You might want to try a web search...

Edit: Something like this MAC application:
http://glyphsapp.com/

Barty · 05-04-2012, 12:58 AM

With a font editor, it's pretty easy to create a bolder font. You can tweak it to get the exact boldness you want. This is probably easier than trying to hunt down a font with the right weight.

On Windows, you can try FontCreator or Fontlab. They're pretty expensive, but have free trials that may do the job.

Try searching for free font editor.

jackie_w · 05-04-2012, 10:43 PM

Or if you like the Georgia font, there's the GeorgiaEInk range which comes in 5 different weights (05/10/15/20/25) and has all 4 files (reg, it, bold, boldit) for each weight.

fjtorres · 05-05-2012, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackie_w

Or if you like the Georgia font, there's the GeorgiaEInk range which comes in 5 different weights (05/10/15/20/25) and has all 4 files (reg, it, bold, boldit) for each weight.

Hey! Thanks for the tip.
I'm a big fan of the "classic" Georgia family.
Didn't know about the eink variants.
Now I do.

Coops · 05-06-2012, 10:13 AM

I'll take a look at that GeorgiaEink... the different weights are useful.

Currently I use Fontin (free at http://www.exljbris.com/fontin.html ). I chose it due to its heavier lines - produces better contrast on my Sony 350 than the 'usual' serif fonts.

Coops

elemenoP · 05-06-2012, 12:14 PM

where does one find Georgia Eink font?

eP

JSWolf · 05-06-2012, 12:17 PM

Message deleted because Georgia eInk is defective.

wannabee · 05-15-2012, 05:55 AM

Oh gawd......that's just what I need. Another flamin' font.

JSWolf · 05-15-2012, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wannabee

Oh gawd......that's just what I need. Another flamin' font.

http://www.fontspace.com/category/flames

wannabee · 05-18-2012, 07:49 AM

HEh heh! Luv ya' Jon.

05-03-2012, 06:05 PM	#1
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 80,782 Karma: 150249619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	How to make a font darker (semibold) What is the best way to take a font and make it darker (kind of like semibold)?

05-03-2012, 08:24 PM	#3
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 80,782 Karma: 150249619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I will see if I can find a semibold font I like. But in the meanwhile, I'm looking how to modify a font family I do like. Last edited by JSWolf; 05-03-2012 at 08:50 PM.

05-03-2012, 09:40 PM	#5
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	There are plenty of font editors that let you modify existing truetype fonts and generate new ones from them. I haven't played with fonts since the Win95 era but I remember one app that let you convert a regular font to slanted, outline, and several levels of boldness with just a click. (Don't even remember the name, much less where I stashed the Floppies.) You might want to try a web search... Edit: Something like this MAC application: http://glyphsapp.com/ Last edited by fjtorres; 05-03-2012 at 09:47 PM.

05-06-2012, 10:13 AM	#9
Coops Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 77756 Join Date: May 2009 Device: Kindle Oasis, Sony T3 backup	I'll take a look at that GeorgiaEink... the different weights are useful. Currently I use Fontin (free at http://www.exljbris.com/fontin.html ). I chose it due to its heavier lines - produces better contrast on my Sony 350 than the 'usual' serif fonts. Coops Last edited by Coops; 05-06-2012 at 10:19 AM.

05-06-2012, 12:17 PM	#11
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 80,782 Karma: 150249619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Message deleted because Georgia eInk is defective. Last edited by JSWolf; 02-01-2013 at 06:31 PM.

05-03-2012, 08:23 PM	#2
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	The most common way is to buy/download a font that has the weight you want and load it onto your device. You will still want normal, italics, bold and bold italics. The difference is that you will use a font in which the base (that would be normal) is darker than usual. For example, I recently needed to use a font called museo-sans in a project. I had a huge number of choices for the font http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/exljbris/museo-sans/. Chief among the differences was the weight or darkness of the base font and all of the variants that build from there. A great many of the fonts that we get for free on our computers have other "versions" that may be darker. You have to look for them though.

05-03-2012, 08:58 PM	#4
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	John, search on the name of the font you like and see if it comes in a different weight.

05-04-2012, 12:58 AM	#6
Barty doofus Posts: 2,555 Karma: 13089041 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Voyage	With a font editor, it's pretty easy to create a bolder font. You can tweak it to get the exact boldness you want. This is probably easier than trying to hunt down a font with the right weight. On Windows, you can try FontCreator or Fontlab. They're pretty expensive, but have free trials that may do the job. Try searching for free font editor.

05-04-2012, 10:43 PM	#7
jackie_w Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,269 Karma: 16544702 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: UK Device: ClaraHD, Forma, Libra2, Clara2E, LibraCol, PBTouchHD3	Or if you like the Georgia font, there's the GeorgiaEInk range which comes in 5 different weights (05/10/15/20/25) and has all 4 files (reg, it, bold, boldit) for each weight.

05-06-2012, 12:14 PM	#10
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	where does one find Georgia Eink font? eP

05-15-2012, 05:55 AM	#12
wannabee Media Bloke Posts: 2,382 Karma: 113956855 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NSW - Australia Device: iOS	Oh gawd......that's just what I need. Another flamin' font.

05-18-2012, 07:49 AM	#14
wannabee Media Bloke Posts: 2,382 Karma: 113956855 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NSW - Australia Device: iOS	HEh heh! Luv ya' Jon.

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