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When is a type face finally finished......
Posted by phrostbyte64 in
2 Feb 2009 — 4:35pm
2 Feb 2009 — 4:35pm
My question is, when is a font finished? When I'm building the vectors, I put together character combinations to see how the forms work together. I nudge a node here and there and, it is better. I can always seem to find one more thing to fix - one more node to nudge. At the same time, I am missing other fixes that are needed. When do you say, that's it, I'm done?
I use my own fonts on a regular basis, after all that is one of the reasons I created them in the first place. From time to time, I find letter combinations that I'm not proud of. Most of the time I make corrections in the design and move on. Should I correct the font file? Should I try to track down every poor soul who got the font?
Is a font ever truly complete?
If anyone has any good answers, let me know.
James
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2 Feb 2009 — 5:10pm
Answer 1: When the designer say it's done.
Answer 2: Never.
«El futuro es una línea tan fina que apenas nos damos cuenta de pintarla nosotros mismos». (La Luz Oscura, por Javier Guerrero)
2 Feb 2009 — 9:57pm
Every time I look at one of my fonts, I find something wrong.
Is it because I rushed them? Because I needed to make some money to pay bills and buy grog? Is it because I wanted to move onto some new and wonderful project? Or is it because I learned something new in the meantime? Yes to all.
I find this aspect of typeface design completely addictive. If you ever look at something you’ve done and think ‘perfection’, have your loved ones call an undertaker.
2 Feb 2009 — 10:46pm
Spend a couple decades building your list of changes and omissions. Then release Nova and charge more for it ;b
3 Feb 2009 — 5:05am
In response to a similar reflection, Matthew Carter once wrote to me: Remember that typeface are like poems: "never finished, only abandoned."
-- Kent.
3 Feb 2009 — 5:09am
Amen.
3 Feb 2009 — 5:11am
@ James – LOL! So THAT'S how it works eh?
Don't typefaces reflect the period they were designed in? Not just historically, but as in the designer's taste and style at that time? These things change...maybe that's why we keep seeing things that we should change?