Write On! Preserve Your Handwriting Style With Your Own Personal Font
By Broadwell, Bethany; Quest, Vol. 14, No. 6, pp. 56-58Publication Date: November-December 2007
Review of personalized print fonts for generating an individual’s own handwriting with a computer. Services that create fonts from handwriting samples can be helpful for individuals with impaired motor functioning from conditions such as muscular dystrophy who wish to retain their penmanship, which is often felt to be a distinctive part of a person’s identity. Custom fonts are created from templates provided by the customer in printed or cursive form. Six services are reviewed: (1) Fontifier offers a do-it-yourself means of creating a print font with a scanner. A preview feature allows the customer to view the resulting design prior to purchase and uploading. It is low-cost at $9. (2) FontShop HandFont provided the reviewer with a cursive font with a close likeness to her handwriting, but with some letter linkages slightly disconnected; (3) FontGod Standard Handwriting Font in Cursive Handwriting provided a font remarkably similar to the reviewer’s handwriting, with smooth letter linkages; (4) vLetter Pro includes a computer application that converts typed text to the handwriting font at the touch of a button and also includes an automatic signature feature. (5) WalterWare Handwriting Fonts includes an application that randomizes slight variations on the letters for a realistic output. (6) Chank: Custom Font Services is the most expensive (a cursive font is $399) but was deemed to create the most stylish font.
Published by: Muscular Dystrophy Association (Website:http://www.mdausa.org)
Link to text: http://www.mdaquest-digital.com/mdaquest/20071112/?u1=texterity
