Fonts come in all styles, but the majority stick to displaying the alphabet, numbers and punctuation.
Fonts are a fantastic way to produce clean and clear type for all occasions, but despite their different typefaces, they all have one thing in common: the alphabet. Sometimes you need a font that doesn't contain any letters or numbers, just pictures. Whether you are digitizing your own signature or putting together a collection of alien hieroglyphs, knowing convert line art to font typefaces is a must.
Instructions
1. Draw the line art you want to use to create a font, using a pen and some paper. If you are creating an icon font such as Wingdings, remember that you will need art for all 26 letters of the alphabet (both upper and lower case) plus 10 extra for numbers. Remember also that you will be reducing these images to fit the font software, so try not to make them too complex.
2. Download and install font creation software (see Resources), or visit a font creation website and download its font template. If using font creation software, save a copy of its font template. Load the template you either saved or downloaded in your graphics software, such as Photoshop, PaintShop Pro or Gimp.
3. Scan your images into your graphics software using a scanner. This will usually be achieved using the "Import from scanner" option in the "Import" sub-menu (often found under "File"), but consult your software's manual for specific instructions. For best results, use a high bit rate such as 300 DPI, but no less than 72 DPI or you will lose too much detail from your scans.
4. Copy and paste each of your images into one of the squares on your font template. Save the template as a new file.
5. Load the file into your font creation program or website. Click the "Make font" button. The software or website will then generate a font for you. Save a copy of this file for backup purposes.
6. Install the font by copying the file into the "Fonts" folder in your "Windows" folder (click "Start," "Computer" and open your "C:" drive to find your "Windows" folder).
