Prototypo

I'm reposting a blogpost I saw on the 'youthedesigner' blog recently, it's a new piece of software created entirely to build, edit and develop typefaces. It looks great visually, and I'm really keen to try it out:

Prototypo: A Streamlined Online Typeface Editor

Articles April 18, 2014

London-based international type foundry, ByteFoundry has created a slicker and smoother way in creating and editing typefaces. Called “Prototypo”, the open source online editing application will make the work of type designers less tedious and repetitive.

Prototypo features a streamlined way of editing typefaces with over twenty parameters to modify all built-in glyphs at once. Type designers can play, experiment and refine spacing and outlines of a wide range of body text fonts using sliders. The application brings a whole new approach of type design by letting you focus on shape design, integrating historical, mathematical and visual rules of this discipline to automate repetitive tasks.

ByteFoundry worked for five months to create the prototyping tool which now allows to quickly experiment with glyph shapes. The application is user-friendly to the point  that it can be done by anyone regardless of prior knowledge and experience in type design. The application exports “A-Z” characters in .svg font files that can be converted online or in FontForge to .otf files, then refined using classical type design softwares before being used like any other font.

Prototypo is currently being funded through a Kickstarter campaign that will realize more exciting features for the application mainly allowing anyone to refine the type designs right inside the application. Thus making way for other new features including manual modifications of glyph outline, spacing and kerning, extended glyph sets, serif and glyph variations and auto exporting to various font files.

The funding goal of the Prototypo was reached quickly and now heading to hit the stretched goals with a lot more days left for people to pledge their support. Check out the video below or head over to the Kickstarter campaign page for more information.