BitFontMaker
Later this week we’ll be taking an exhaustive and eye-straining look at the world of bitmap fonts, those tiny pixel-based typefaces that were all the rage a couple years ago. (Oh, and also back before computers had things like vector fonts, GUIs and USB-powered coffee mug heaters). But before you leech everyone else’s fonts, you might want to check out BitFontMaker. The web application allows you to design your own bitmap font pixel by pixel, then download your creation in .ttf format.
Designing your own typeface, even in simple bitmap form, is a good introduction to the frustrating creative realities of type design. Once you’ve struggled with maintaining a consistent look and feel with your little pixel font, you might appreciate the work of those designers whose fonts you’re hoarding just a little bit more.
10 Comments
anon / February 21, 2005 @ 3:27 pm
cool blog. i’m a free fontaholic so please continue to feed my habits.
badger / February 21, 2005 @ 9:31 pm
nice stuff.
how about more on font editing software, preferably free.. :)
joey / February 21, 2005 @ 9:50 pm
There will be more! But i wouldn’t get your hopes too high for the quality of free font editing software.
Bryan Price / February 22, 2005 @ 12:31 pm
Keep your nose out of my hard drive! It’s actually scary. I see that I haven’t checked this in awhile:
90699 File(s) 5,733,974,567 bytes
Hoarding fonts! Indeed! I’m not a font hoarder, I’m a font _collector_. Don’t you know the difference? Neither do I, but it certainly gets to be fun!
mnimyi / February 22, 2005 @ 11:49 pm
Anyone have luck in successfully saving + using a font made with this? I just spent 3 hours on a font that doesn’t work!
mark / February 25, 2005 @ 4:04 pm
mnimyi: yep, i used it to make this.
tia / February 26, 2005 @ 11:19 pm
software.fonthit.com
For all font ‘collectors’ this is the FREE software for you. Download fonthit font tools and all you have to do is drag and drop the font zip file and your font is installed, and for the hundreds and even thousands of font files, it can help you organize them into categories. It is the best thing that could have happened to my fonts and my computer.
Take care,
tia
Raoul Duke / March 3, 2005 @ 4:19 am
@tia
i was lookin for something like that since i migrated from apple to pc! And in a few weeks from now the new version will also support postscript 1 fonts in preview (currently only when installed). I love this program, they should make a decent post about it here.
cheeeers
AkaXakA / March 12, 2005 @ 4:12 pm
I actually made a font, but when I save it as ttf,
it’s useless, as it only gives the name, copyright holder and then
(where the font _should_ be) a couple of numbers!
Luckily I still have the text export of it, so I haven’t
lost it, but still, I’d like to use it.
Anyone had any luck with getting it to save properly?
AkaXakA / March 12, 2005 @ 4:19 pm
Update: Only works when set to 10 pixels in size.
I’ll publish my font on my website soon.
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