typography

For our font and type studio session we held a guest lecturer 'Dave Crossland' a Google Web Fonts project consultant in England who commissions new typefaces designed for the web, and offers lectures on typeface design with free software.

Our main concentration during this lecture was the understanding of the art that is to design a font, we looked at the main steps, tools and way of mentally approaching the idea to take what already exist and change it in the most unique and fun way possible.

To achieve all of this we were initially given tips and understanding on physically drawing type, once this was achieved we were then given a demonstration where we were able to interact on the right way to draw fonts.

The second and last step of this studio session with 'Dave Crossland' was to bring all we learned on to the free software that is 'Font Forge' here we had the liberty to design our unique fonts that could later on be saved and used online.

In this video you are able to see how we were taught to draw letters. I recorded myself putting into practice everything that was learnt in 'Dave Crossland's' lecture.

The first part of 'Dave Crossland's' piratical lecture was the understanding of avoiding fatal mistakes while drawing fonts.

We were all asked and given a initial chance to show if we knew the right and appropriate way of drawing fonts, after a rally of unsuccessful drawings we were then told and shown the right way.

As we all went in pencil on paper beginning to sketch the outline of the letters we were quickly stopped and told not do this but to begin with the 'fill' of the letter.

Using a soft wood pencil we began to draw the letter by its 'fill', after we were happy with the shape and form we marked and cleaned up the edges of the letter using only the pencil no eraser was used.

During our practical lecture we were encouraged to share and show our work with the rest of the class where we were able to discuss what worked and didn't.

Also this gave us the opportunity to learn from each others mistakes so when it was time go and apply all that we learnt on the free software 'Fontforge' we would all create high quality work.

This was my out come of how to draw font letters the right and appropriate way taught by 'Dave Crossland'.

USING
FONTFORGE
WITH
'DAVE CROSSLAND'

For the second part of the lecture we were introduced to the free software that is 'Fontforge'

'Fontforge' is a program that allows people to alter their favourite fonts or simply expand their passion for typography by creating their own.

During this work shop 'Dave Crossland' an expert regarding this free software, walked us through the program while allowing us to freely experiment and get familiar with it.

With the aid of another free software known as 'Inkscape' i was able to draw my personal font making it look exactly as i wanted.

By saving all of the work in 'Inkscape' and re-opening the file in 'FontForge' i was given the possibility to re edit each separate letter if found necessary.

The last step was to generate the chosen file into a '.ttf ' file and install it in font book where it woukd be saved on all the font using programs, after this the font could be used for personal use or eve public by posting it online as free open source.

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Aswell as teaching us how to craft type 'Dave Crossland' talked to us about an amazing thinker (in my opinion) 'Richard Stallman'.

One of the worlds most known Software Freedom Activist that began his quest to supply the world users with free software.

It all started with a simple thought, ' Why cant we share a program to other people that like? why must we agree to the Software sellers and allow them to conquer us?

'Richard Stallman' wrote the 'GNU' Manifesto at the begingig of the 'GNU' Project to ask for participation and support.

For the first few years changes were made to the manifesto, however it has been chosen to leave it as it is for the future and for its people that will see it.

WHY
I
MUST
WRITE
'GNU'

i consider that the Golden Rule requires that if I like a program I must share it with other people who like it. Software sellers want to divide the users and conquer them, making each user agree not to share with others.

I refuse to break solidarity with other users in this way. I cannot in good conscience sign a nondisclosure agreement or a software license agreement.

For years I worked within the Artificial Intelligence Lab to resist such tendencies and other in-hospitalities, but eventually they had gone too far: I could not remain in an institution where such things are done for me against my will.

So that I can continue to use computers without dishonor, I have decided to put together a sufficient body of free software so that I will be able to get along without any software that is not free. I have resigned from the AI Lab to deny MIT any legal excuse to prevent me from giving GNU away.