How to Turn Your Handwriting Into a Unique Font

Create your own fonts with computer software.

The word "font" means "an assortment or set of type or characters all of one style and sometimes one size," according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. While there are hundreds of thousands of fonts in existence, if you're not happy with any of them or simply want to make your own, software programs make the chore easy.

Things You'll Need

• Font-creation software
• Scanner
• Image editing software
• Pen
• Paper

Instructions

1. Find a font-creation program. There are several available online for free or at a minimum cost. Fontifier, for example, is a popular program that lets you create and try your font for free. If you like it, you pay $9 to download the software, as of publication.

2. Print out a font template sheet. With Fontifier, the template shows a grid, with each grid box corresponding to a letter of the alphabet. Each grid box has a pair of tick marks near the bottom. The invisible line connecting the tick marks acts as the baseline for the letter that you'll be entering into the box.

3. Write a letter inside each template box, using a pen, marker, or any other writing instrument that produces a solid line. Leave a margin around your letter, with the bottom of the letter aligned with the template box's baseline. Also add numerals if you want them, and any other characters you might want to use. Be careful that your characters aren't too small to scan clearly.

4. Scan the completed template into image editing software like Photoshop. Save the template in gif, jpeg, png or tiff file format. Use software tools to eliminate excess pixels or smudges.

5. Upload your completed template into the company's online font-creation software to preview your font's digitized look. If the preview function doesn't work, you might need to go back to your image editing software to resize the template, then upload it again.

6. Download the new font.

7. Install the font. See installation instructions for Windows at the Microsoft website.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not use ballpoint pen to create font characters. Most ballpoint lines are too thin or irregular.

References

• Fontifier:

Resources

• Microsoft Font Installation Instructions