Changes this weekend for Wednesday's class. Mainly adding musical tones for Yoruba, changing some weights and making baseline flatter.
I enjoyed making the 'schwa', 'esh' and the 'integration' symbol.
It looks better with every change update. But still a long way to go.
#GoobyFont
Close up of a photograoh of my screen showing gooby at '60' demonstrating light seepage, or haleation, which is the way I experience most fonts on large screens. Larger sizes feel more 'crisp' because the fuzz' doesn't merge them.
A test of readability might be the gradual degradation in comfort as a font reduces in size (design changes) or increases in fuzziness (simulate macro degeneration changes)
4 more hours and uppercase, numerals are completd. V2.0 is ready to compile for the proofing template.
Then I'll catch the shared videos on point placement. I know, I did that in the wrong order....
4hrs on Saturday to adjust circa 2 terminals per lowercase character, and I'm too close to really see the improvement. The z has changed, but I suspect its retained its monster status. I prefer the t and j. I suspect the class may lobby me to remove the tilt.
You'll notice I've added some 'gaps' to : d,e,g,p,q
Thos is in keeping with the 'open' hugs theme and shouldn't (but might) compromise low (fuzzy) vision users because the fuzzy will join up the gaps.
#goobyfont
Another rule to guide my student behaviour. Proofs are delivered in light mode - white background dark text. The astute people amongst you will have noticed that I prefer dark mode. I suspect the mode that you review-in will influence the designs you make. I will switch between modes, working in Dark and showing proofs in light as requested.
I think this is a little of what it feels like to mask - when your comfortable, authentic self is not accepted because of some historically determined (paper is white, printing will be dark text on white) is taken to a place where it isn't needed - Gooby is for digital use, not printing, for the light sensitive.
Robofont warns 'Complex curve' in low-luminance-contrast yellow text.
I feel like there should be SIRENS sounding & flashing lights.
It seems like design tools are set up to warn you of anything that might deviate from well trodden systems, emotionally blackmailing you into a continuous regression to the mode, at the expense of evolution. Also they reduce novice errors. Everyone's first typeface design should be Arial or Helvetica, by another name, with a subtle variation that only the designer knows.
Deviance is warned out of existence.
Of course I'm overreacting. Thats what I'm here for. The outrage at a complex curve.
Do you like my lowercase d?
This will be a shift from V1 to V2. I'm considering starting from scratch and getting great point-placement applied when I do this. Just need to understand great point placement before I start editing.
Its possible that the easiest way to do this is to learn to program. Are there any tools that kw you draw visual templates and put them together like a jigsaw puzzle? This is essentially how I'm seeing the type design process process, tweaking things across characters using templates shapes, regions, curves.
#GoobyFont
150 terminals checked and most of them will be changed to a system of 5 options. The overall impact keeps the intent and theme of the typeface intact - so I'm very happy. I suspect it will also look subtly, much higher quality. How to do this with minimal effort is beyond me, at the moment. Suggestions welcomed.
The Capitol G and lowercase q have unique terminals. The uppercase T top will be flat. I might introduce some gaps: A, H, B, D, P, R
Sketching a restricted set of character terminals by picking the intended template, copy-paste and screen grab and overlaying to get a picture of what the whole thing will look like if I make these changes.
Maybe the next step is starting from scratch with a 'Version 2' and use these as the templates, being careful about point placement to be at widest part of the curve and maintain measurements precisely.
I'll be going to the couse office hours next week to talk strategy...
Hilary Palmén