{"product":{"product_id":"B01AGRSWJM","title":"Practical Font Design With FontLab 5","price":"9.99","image_url":"https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51y+qpatnJL._SL500_.jpg","url":"https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AGRSWJM"},"comments":[{"body":"[Designing Type](https://www.bookdepository.com/Designing-Type-Second-Edition-Karen-Cheng/9781786277480) by Karen Cheng\r\n\r\n[Type Tricks](https://www.bookdepository.com/Type-Tricks-Sofie-Beier/9789063694586) by Sofie Beier\r\n\r\n[Practical Font Design](https://www.amazon.com.au/Practical-Font-Design-FontLab-5-ebook/dp/B01AGRSWJM) by David Bergsland - I already knew a lot about lettering and typefaces before I made my first type, but I didn't know how to use font design software. This book got me started within a day using [FontLab](https://www.fontlab.com/) (similar tools to other drawing programs and Adobe Illustrator). FontLab is one of the industry's main programs for making professional fonts.\r\n\r\nStudying existing fonts will develop your design ability. If you're interested in historical book types, try books by [Jerry Kelly](https://www.amazon.com/Type-Revivals-Jerry-Kelly/dp/1567926479) and [Robert Bringhurst](https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Typographic-Style-Version-Anniversary/dp/0881792128/). If you're interested in historical and modern types, try [Paul Shaw](https://www.amazon.com/Revival-Type-Digital-Typefaces-Inspired/dp/0300219296) and [Paul McNeil](https://www.amazon.com/Visual-History-Type-Paul-McNeil/dp/1780679769). If you're interested in decorative display types, seek out [A Visual History of Typefaces and Graphic Styles](https://www.amazon.com.au/Type-Visual-History-Typef-Jong-dp-3836544806/dp/3836544806/) (2 vols, covering different time periods) and books on [signwriting/signpainting/lettering](https://www.handover.co.uk/tools-and-sundries/books-magazines-dvds/signwriting-books) and calligraphy.\r\n\r\nWebsites to be aware of:\r\n\r\n[OpenType Cookbook](https://opentypecookbook.com/)\r\n\r\n[TypeDrawers](https://typedrawers.com/)\r\n\r\n[Typography Guru](https://typography.guru/)","subreddit_name":"typography","author":"CalligrapherStreet92"},{"body":"I use [FontLab](https://www.fontlab.com/) and it's intuitive and you'd have no need of Illustrator. You can import your scan, draw the shape over it, and it's immediately type-able and exportable. I'm a traditional artist too and I understand the frustration with software that slows down what would otherwise be effortless by hand. I've not had any frustration with FontLab. When I bought FontLab it came with this [e-book](https://www.amazon.com.au/Practical-Font-Design-FontLab-5-ebook/dp/B01AGRSWJM) (I don't think it's sold by them nowadays) and I'd recommend reading it. It's a great introduction and after reading it, I was able to open the software for my first go, and produce meaningful results. I'm connected to a scanner and printer, so I can also print text samples (from within FontLab, without needing to export the font file), review the hardcopy, modify by hand, scan, import, repeat. The company provided good support (and good resources, which you need if you want to add OpenType features) but I've also had great support from the community at [typedrawers.com/](https://typedrawers.com/) Hope this helps!","subreddit_name":"typography","author":"CalligrapherStreet92"}]}