How to Create a Font

This article provides a detailed guide on how to create your own font using the online platform "Calligraphr." This free service allows you to create a font with up to 75 characters. With a free account, you can only create one font at a time.

Visit https://www.calligraphr.com/ in your browser. This is the Calligraphr website, where you will need to create an account to proceed.

Create a free account. You don't need to pay to use Calligraphr, but you will need to register using your email address and a password. Here's how to do it:

• Click on Get started free at the top of the page.
• Enter your email address in the "Email" field.
• Enter your password in the "Password" field.
• Re-enter your password in the "Password confirmation" field.
• Check the box for "I agree to the Terms and Conditions".
• Click on SUBMIT.

Confirm your email address. Open the inbox of the email address you used to sign up, find the email from "Calligraphr", and click on the link in the email. This will return you to the Calligraphr homepage.

• If you don't see the email titled "Confirm your account" from Calligraphr, check your Spam or Junk folder.

Click on START APP (Launch the app). This is the purple button located at the top right corner of the page.

Click on TEMPLATES (Templates). This is the heading located at the top left corner of the page.

Select a language set. Click on one of the options on the left side of the page, and make sure you are satisfied with the language set by previewing it in the center of the page.

• The free version of Calligraphr allows you to create up to 75 characters. If you select Minimal English, you can create both the alphabet and some special characters.

Click on Download Template (Download the template). This option is located at the top right corner of the page.

Click on the box next to "PNG" and "Characters as background". These options ensure that the template will be downloaded in the correct format.

Click on DOWNLOAD (Download). You will find this option at the bottom right corner of the window.

Click on the download link. This link is located to the right of the "Download your template" line at the top of the window. Your template will begin downloading immediately. Once the download is complete, you can continue editing it.

• If clicking the download link opens the template in a new window or tab, right-click on the image and select Save as. Choose a folder on your computer and click Save.
• If you prefer not to edit the font using software, you can print the template, draw the font with a marker, and scan the font into your computer in PNG file format.

Unlock the template folder. Skip this step if the template was downloaded as a PNG file. To extract the folder, double-click it and follow these steps:

• Click the Extract tab.
• Select Extract all.
• Click Extract.

Select the template. Click on the template you wish to edit to begin.

• If you downloaded a folder containing multiple templates, open the selected one to confirm it is the correct template before continuing.
• The "Template 1" option is typically the A-Z and 0-9 template.

Click the Home. This tab is located at the top-left corner of the window. The toolbar will be visible at the top of the window.

Launch the image editing program and click Ok. Choose any image editing software installed on your computer and click Ok to open the template in the selected editor. You may use programs like MS Paint, Paint 3D, Photoshop, GIMP, Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, Corel Draw, or other editing tools.

Draw each character within the labeled boxes. Use the pen, pencil, or brush tool in the image editor to carefully draw the character over the sample. Try to match the size of the character with the one in the template.

• If you have a stylus and drawing tablet, consider using them instead of a mouse. You may need to open the template in another program for this task.
• In most image editing programs, you can undo actions by pressing Ctrl+Z.
• If you're working in a program that supports multiple layers, it's best to draw the characters on a separate layer from the template.

Save the character page as a PNG image. Follow these steps to save the character page in PNG format:

• Click on File.
• Select Save As (or Export in some editing programs).
• Choose PNG next to "Format" or "Save as type".
• Enter a filename for the character page next to "File name".
• Click Save.

Select the template file. Open the folder where the template file was downloaded, then click on the template file you wish to edit to select it.

Click on File (File). This menu is located at the top of the screen. Once clicked, a list of options will appear immediately.

Select Open With (Open with). This option is located near the top of the list. A new set of choices will appear beside the cursor when selected.

Click on an image editing program. You can use any image editing software installed on your Mac. Some options include Preview, Photoshop, GIMP, Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, Corel Draw, or any other program of your choice.

Draw each character inside the labeled boxes. Use the pen, pencil, or brush tools from the image editing software to manually trace the characters within the template. Try to match the size of each character as closely as possible.

• If using Preview, click the pen icon at the top of the image, then select the pencil and stroke tool. This will allow you to draw on the image.
• If you have a stylus and tablet, use them instead of a mouse. You may need to open the template in another program to do this.
• If using software with layers, it's best to draw the characters on a separate layer from the template.

Save the character page as a PNG image. Follow these steps to save the character page as a PNG file:

• Click File.
• Click Save As (or Export in some image editing programs).
• Select PNG from the options next to "Format" or "Save as type".
• Enter a file name for the character page next to "Name".
• Click Save.

Access https://www.calligraphr.com/ via your browser. This is the page where you uploaded the template.

• If you're not automatically logged in, sign in using the username and password you created in step 1.

Click on START APP (Start App). This option is located at the top-right corner of the page.

Click on MY FONTS (My Fonts). You'll find this option at the top-left corner of the page.

Click on Upload Template (Upload Template) at the top of the page. A new window will appear immediately.

Click on Choose File (Select file). This option is located in the center of the window.

Select the character page generated from the template. Locate the file containing your font's character page.

Click on Open (Open). This option is located at the bottom-right corner of the window. The file will immediately upload.

Click on UPLOAD TEMPLATE (Upload template). This option is located at the bottom of the window. Your file will be added to the Calligraphr page.

Scroll down and click on ADD CHARACTERS TO YOUR FONT (Add characters to your font). You'll find this option at the bottom-right corner of the page. A preview of your font will appear immediately.

Click on Build Font at the top of the page. Another window will pop up immediately.

Enter a name for your font. In the "Font name" field, replace "MyFont" with any name of your choice.

• The name you choose here will be displayed when you use the font in programs like Microsoft Word.

Click on BUILD (Create). This option is located at the bottom right corner of the window. The font will be created instantly after clicking.

Click on one of the download links under "Font files". You will see a link with a .ttf extension and another with a .otf extension beneath the "Font files" title; if you are unsure, click the .ttf file. The font file will download to your computer, and you can install it by following these steps:

• Windows - Double-click the font file, then click Install at the top of the window that appears.
• Mac - Double-click the font file, then click Install at the bottom of the window.

• Connecting a stylus and drawing tablet to your computer will enhance the accuracy of the font you create.
• If you have an iPad Pro and a stylus (or an Android tablet with a stylus), you can send the font sample to yourself, open it on the tablet, draw on it, and then send the edited font back to yourself to avoid drawing directly on the computer.
• If you are using Photoshop, GIMP, Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, or Coral Draw, draw the characters on a separate layer (layer) from the reference image.

• Not all characters in the font will be compatible with the platform you intend to use. For example, editing certain special characters (such as commas) may cause rendering issues on social media platforms.