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Turn your handwriting into a font

myscriptfont.com

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Re: Turn your handwriting into a font

#31

Post by WalterBright »

WalterBright wrote: post #20

One of the charms of a printed book is the imperfection of the fonts and the impressions of the fonts. Each 'a' impression is slightly different - maybe a little higher, a little lower, a little blotchier, etc. But if I read an ebook, the letters are always identical. I've often thought that if I wrote an ebook reader, I'd use a font that mimics the imperfections in printed works. I'd have maybe 20-30 different 'a' i…

I should add that I buy paperbacks regularly, often paying more for them than the ebook. I then run 'em through the scanner and read the scanned book on my tablet. I just like the imperfect look of a scanned paperback page than the perfect ebooks. I also like the paperback formatting better than the auto-flow ebook layouts.

I figure I get the best of ebook and hardcopy this way!

Re: Turn your handwriting into a font

#32

Post by WalterBright »

OJFord wrote: post #21
WalterBright wrote: post #20

One of the charms of a printed book is the imperfection of the fonts and the impressions of the fonts. Each 'a' impression is slightly different - maybe a little higher, a little lower, a little blotchier, etc. But if I read an ebook, the letters are always identical. I've often thought that if I wrote an ebook reader, I'd use a font that mimics the imperfections in printed works. I'd have maybe 20-30 different 'a' i…

> I've often thought that if I wrote an ebook reader, I'd ... Please write an eBook reader.

I've thought about it now and then, but the D compiler consumes all my efforts. I have emailed suggestions to Amazon, and so far they have implemented 0 of them, nor have they responded to any.

Once all the diverse books are converted to ebooks, them all being rendered in the same perfect font on the ereader kinda lends them an off-putting sterility.

Re: Turn your handwriting into a font

#34

Post by mattparcher »

WalterBright wrote: post #20

One of the charms of a printed book is the imperfection of the fonts and the impressions of the fonts. Each 'a' impression is slightly different - maybe a little higher, a little lower, a little blotchier, etc. But if I read an ebook, the letters are always identical. I've often thought that if I wrote an ebook reader, I'd use a font that mimics the imperfections in printed works. I'd have maybe 20-30 different 'a' i…

I realize that you’re referring to traditionally-typed text, but Monotype was recently commissioned to design a typeface for the illustrator of Roald Dahl’s books, and they did indeed include alternates for each letter (along with variations in kerning):

>…He selected four subtly different alternates for each character that, combined, would make the text look random enough to look authentic while keeping the glyph set manageable

Article: http://www.monotype.com/expertise/case-studies/a-bespoke-han...

Visual comparison of the alternates: http://www.monotype.com/media/1837/quentin-alternates2.png

Re: Turn your handwriting into a font

#35

Post by state »

WalterBright wrote: post #31
WalterBright wrote: post #20

One of the charms of a printed book is the imperfection of the fonts and the impressions of the fonts. Each 'a' impression is slightly different - maybe a little higher, a little lower, a little blotchier, etc. But if I read an ebook, the letters are always identical. I've often thought that if I wrote an ebook reader, I'd use a font that mimics the imperfections in printed works. I'd have maybe 20-30 different 'a' i…

I should add that I buy paperbacks regularly, often paying more for them than the ebook. I then run 'em through the scanner and read the scanned book on my tablet. I just like the imperfect look of a scanned paperback page than the perfect ebooks. I also like the paperback formatting better than the auto-flow ebook layouts. I figure I get the best of ebook and hardcopy this way!

This is delightfully insane.

Re: Turn your handwriting into a font

#37

Post by ctdonath »

WalterBright wrote: post #20

One of the charms of a printed book is the imperfection of the fonts and the impressions of the fonts. Each 'a' impression is slightly different - maybe a little higher, a little lower, a little blotchier, etc. But if I read an ebook, the letters are always identical. I've often thought that if I wrote an ebook reader, I'd use a font that mimics the imperfections in printed works. I'd have maybe 20-30 different 'a' i…

Tangent: I've been looking for an update of the old Unix screensaver of "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" using a similar technique with a typewriter font. Anyone know?

Re: Turn your handwriting into a font

#38

Post by jv22222 »

eternalban wrote: post #27
WalterBright wrote: post #20

One of the charms of a printed book is the imperfection of the fonts and the impressions of the fonts. Each 'a' impression is slightly different - maybe a little higher, a little lower, a little blotchier, etc. But if I read an ebook, the letters are always identical. I've often thought that if I wrote an ebook reader, I'd use a font that mimics the imperfections in printed works. I'd have maybe 20-30 different 'a' i…

> .. slightly different ... https://handwriting.io/

That's pretty awesome. Interesting to see the entry level price is $199/month

Re: Turn your handwriting into a font

#39

Post by WalterBright »

state wrote: post #35
WalterBright wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I should add that I buy paperbacks regularly, often paying more for them than the ebook. I then run 'em through the scanner and read the scanned book on my tablet. I just like the imperfect look of a scanned paperback page than the perfect ebooks. I also like the paperback formatting better than the auto-flow ebook layouts. I figure I get the best of ebook and hardcopy this way!

This is delightfully insane.

I like disco music, too.

Re: Turn your handwriting into a font

#40

Post by WalterBright »

mattparcher wrote: post #34
WalterBright wrote: post #20

One of the charms of a printed book is the imperfection of the fonts and the impressions of the fonts. Each 'a' impression is slightly different - maybe a little higher, a little lower, a little blotchier, etc. But if I read an ebook, the letters are always identical. I've often thought that if I wrote an ebook reader, I'd use a font that mimics the imperfections in printed works. I'd have maybe 20-30 different 'a' i…

I realize that you’re referring to traditionally-typed text, but Monotype was recently commissioned to design a typeface for the illustrator of Roald Dahl’s books, and they did indeed include alternates for each letter (along with variations in kerning): >…He selected four subtly different alternates for each character that, combined, would make the text look random enough to look authentic while keeping the glyph se…

That is a step in the right direction.

My parents' handwriting was borderline illegible, so they took to typing letters on a manual typewriter. Typewriters suffering from all the problems of complex finicky mechanisms, and being a write-only medium, resulted in a pleasing quirkiness that is completely absent from email. Read enough typed text, and you begin to recognize a person's particular "hand" at the typewriter, as well as the machine's individual quirks. Electric typewriters put an end to most of that, and email finished it off.

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