Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats

782: The Developer’s Guide To Fonts with Stephen Nixon

Jun 14, 2024

01:02:10

Snipd AI

Font expert Stephen Nixon discusses font creation, variable fonts, animating fonts, and designing for dyslexia accessibility. Tips on visually appealing web typography, using type scale calculations, favorite type tools, and exploring the legacy of font designer Matthew Carter.

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Quick takeaways

Understanding the process and intricacies of font creation from a professional type designer's perspective.

Exploring the benefits and applications of variable fonts in web development for design flexibility and data efficiency.

Implementing 80/20 rules in typography design to enhance visual appeal with fluid type scales and controlled type hierarchies.

Deep dives

Fascination with Font Design

Exploring the speaker's deep interest in designing fonts from childhood experiences sketching logos to formal font design training in the Hague.

Embrace Efficiency with Variable Fonts

01:18

Design with Consistency: Embrace Base Units

01:21

Diverse Recommendations

01:21

Intro

5min

Evolution and Impact of Variable Fonts

20min

Exploring the Legacy of Font Designer Matthew Carter

2min

Exploring Typography History, Design, and Web Development

20min

Exploring the pitfalls of faux bold and italic font styles

2min

Exploring Font Tools and Techniques for Web Development

2min

Discussing Ligatures in Coding Fonts

8min

Book Recommendations, Font Creations, and YouTube Channel Showcase

3min

Scott and CJ are joined by Stephen Nixon of ArrowType to delve into the world of fonts and type for developers. They explore the intricacies of font creation, the utility of variable fonts, and offer tips for making visually appealing typography on the web.

Show Notes

00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
00:57 Who is Stephen Nixon?
- Process Type Foundry.
- Mark Simonson Proxima Nova.
05:42 What is a type foundry exactly?
- ArrowType.
09:09 Font / type making.
- 09:15 How do you make a font?
  - RoboFont.
  - Glyphs.
- 11:58 Fonts vs typefaces.
- 13:02 How many fonts have you made?
- 14:17 What are variable fonts and how can web developers utilize them?
- 19:22 Animating fonts.
  - Variable Fonts.
  - Recursive.
- 20:28 Do you code your demo sites yourself?
- 21:50 Are variable fonts more complex to design (and develop).
- 27:03 Hand painted fonts.
- 29:39 Creating a monospace font.
- 32:19 Creating fonts with dyslexia accessibility in mind.
37:58 Typography for the web.
- 38:29 What are some 80/20 rules developers can employ to make more visually appealing typography?
- 40:58 Type scale calculations.
  - Scott’s Fluid Type Calculator.
- 45:42 What are your biggest web type pet peeves.
- 48:46 Do you have any favorite type tools?
  - Wakamifondue.
  - Fixing Variable Font Inheritance.
50:34 Supper Club Questions.
- 50:44 How do you feel about ligatures in coding fonts?
  - Ligatures In Programming Fonts Hell No.
- 55:11 What font do you use?
  - Name Sans v05.
  - Name-Mono.
- 56:43 What is your favorite font of all time?
  - Typotheque.
  - Soehne.
  - Grillitype Typefaces.
  - Phnotype.
58:49 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs.