The Verge’s Creative Director Reveals Favorite Font-Making Software
Kristen Radtke, creative director at The Verge, has shared insights into her role and highlighted her preferred software for digital font creation, Calligraphr. This web-based tool allows users to transform their handwriting into a customized digital font, offering both accessibility and affordability.
Calligraphr stands out in the font-making landscape with its user-friendly interface and flexible pricing options. The software provides a free version for basic use, while its paid version, priced at $8 for a month or $24 for six months, offers advanced features without the burden of auto-renewal.
To use Calligraphr, users need access to a printer for templates and a smartphone for capturing images. The software then facilitates easy editing of individual letters, making it an ideal choice for both beginners and professionals.
Radtke’s experience with Calligraphr has been overwhelmingly positive. She recently hosted a font-making workshop with friends, where participants successfully created their fonts in just one afternoon. “Calligraphr proved to be the most straightforward and professional DIY font maker we’ve encountered,” Radtke stated.
The creative director emphasized the software’s importance in comic and graphic story creation, where digital lettering is crucial for legibility. Her previous experiences with font-making underscored the need for updated, efficient software – a need that Calligraphr fulfills.
Among Calligraphr’s standout features are its cost-effectiveness, speed, and the ability to make adjustments for a more authentic hand-drawn appearance. The software also offers padding adjustments for individual letters to enhance readability, and a ligature function in the paid version for cursive writing styles.
However, Radtke noted some areas for improvement. The process of cleaning up letters can be time-consuming, and while the tools are straightforward, they do require some familiarization.
Despite these minor drawbacks, Radtke highly recommends Calligraphr for anyone interested in creating a personal handwriting font. Whether for professional projects or personal use, such as sending personalized cards, Calligraphr offers a versatile solution for digital font creation.
