How to draw a curvy variable font without interpolation kinks (+ sneak peek at a WIP font!)
How do you draw curvy glyphs that will interpolated smoothly, with no kinks between source drawings? In this video, I give a sneak peak of an upcoming font release, then add an ampersand to it while explaining several really helpful techniques used to draw variable fonts.
I happen to be working in RoboFont, but most of these tips would be just as relevant to almost any font editor: Glyphs, FontLab, FontForge, Fontographer... etc.
Contents:
0:00 Intro: WIP font!
3:09 Sneak peak of font branding
7:05 The font sources
8:17 Adding a new glyph with Glyph Browser
9:19 How to plan an ampersand ... and a type family!
15:12 Why you can’t just reflect drawings
17:39 Getting back to pencil sketches
19:26 How to copy and paste between glyphs
21:10 Reviewing the initial drawing and fixing a related glyph
25:25 Editing a curvy serif
26:39 Scaling Edit tool: an absolute drawing must-have!
28:18 Inflected curves: a game-changer for variable fonts
32:38 Ampersand second iteration: it’s getting there!
34:15 Transform tool pro tips (adjusting proportions – the easy way)
40:30 Testing interpolations between sources (Delorean & Skateboard)
43:05 How to avoid interpolation “kinks” in variable fonts – three strategies
50:15 Bonus drawing pro tip: controlling rotation with the Transform tool
54:28 Outro (plz like & subscribe! Thank youuuu)
#typedesign #tutorial #process