The state of the spec
Where OpenType is, and where it’s going Bianca Berning opens the day with an update on the adoption of Variable Fonts, the development of solutions for VF rendering, and progress on workflows for VF testing and development.
Tag Variable fonts
Amstelvar and Roboto Flex: Unprecedented Flexibility in Text Typography
The Font Bureau was commissioned by Google Fonts in 2016 with the purpose of showcasing what the new variable font technology could do with two new fonts: Decovar Alpha and Amstelvar Alpha. While the former showed how more than a dozen axes of stylistic variations can be used (and abused) for display typography, the latter… Continue reading Amstelvar and Roboto Flex: Unprecedented Flexibility in Text Typography
Variable Fonts in Google Fonts
Google Fonts aims to make typography fast, easy, and open. The company met the advent of variable fonts with excitement, but not without reservations. Although variable fonts offer immense potential, they come with new complexities, placing the goal of “easy” somewhat at risk. Simplicity is a particular concern when starting from a user base that… Continue reading Variable Fonts in Google Fonts
Parametric Fallback Fonts for the Web
A common issue with multiscript typography arises when a graphic identity, originally designed with only Latin in mind, is later extended to cover other scripts—more often than not, the fonts lack the necessary characters. The problem becomes particularly acute on the web, where texts in scripts unforeseen by a site’s designers may need to be… Continue reading Parametric Fallback Fonts for the Web
Happy Fifth Anniversary, Variable Fonts
It’s been five years since OpenType 1.8 and variable fonts were announced at ATypI 2016 in Warsaw. Peter Constable will take a look at where this innovation in type is at after five years: What’s worked well? What are ongoing challenges? Has it been a success? This session will also consider some future innovations in… Continue reading Happy Fifth Anniversary, Variable Fonts
FontCreator Goes Variable
Since FontCreator is a Windows-only application, not all font designers know it has many powerful features. In this presentation, Erwin Denissen will demonstrate how to use the OpenType Designer, along with feature code generation, proofing, and feature code compilers. Within a few weeks, FontCreator 14 will be released with support for variable fonts. This session… Continue reading FontCreator Goes Variable
Use Your Variable Fonts Better
Variable OpenType fonts were introduced five years ago. You can buy them today or download them for free or as part of a subscription. But where can we all use them? Are you a type designer who wants to test variable fonts in end-user applications? Would you like to start offering quality assurance services to… Continue reading Use Your Variable Fonts Better
Variable First, Variable Everything
“How are variable fonts built? Can we build them in a better way? And is there more that we could do with variable fonts than we’re currently doing? In this presentation, Simon Cozens will first give a tour of the existing open-source font toolchain and demonstrate a new method of producing variable fonts which is… Continue reading Variable First, Variable Everything
Make Your Variable Fonts Better
In this presentation, Adam Twardoch will demonstrate how to use FontLab 7 and several other applications to check variable font projects. All popular font editors now have some mechanisms for designing variable fonts and exporting them as variable OpenType fonts and static instances. Type developers may use FontLab or any other font editor for their… Continue reading Make Your Variable Fonts Better
Calibrating Type
Working on truly advanced and inclusive typography could not begin until variation technology was implemented five years ago. With the introduction of variable fonts, significant gains were made, from compression and animation to smoother weight, width, and optical size transitions. Many interesting font products have been introduced since the launch of variable fonts, but few… Continue reading Calibrating Type