Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats 782: The Developer’s Guide To Fonts with Stephen Nixon
Jun 14, 2024
Scott and CJ welcome Stephen Nixon, the owner of ArrowType, a type foundry focused on font design for developers. They discuss the art of font creation and the benefits of variable fonts, highlighting their flexibility for web use. Stephen shares insights on creating dyslexia-friendly fonts and offers practical tips for enhancing web typography. They explore the importance of spacing, font selection, and the advantages of fluid typography, while also addressing common web design pitfalls and showcasing tools to help designers.
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Stephen Nixon's Journey into Type Design
- Stephen Nixon's interest in type design stemmed from childhood hobbies like drawing logos and band flyers.
- This led him to study graphic design and eventually specialize in type design through a master's program.
Type Foundry Business Model
- Type foundries, like music or photography businesses, offer both retail and custom products/services.
- They license pre-made fonts and create bespoke typefaces for brands.
Font Creation Process and Tools
- Font creation involves specialized software like RoboFont and Glyphs, not Adobe apps.
- Designers use Bézier curves, similar to SVGs, to draw individual glyphs (characters).
