31754724

17 Comments

Latin sample: Vergil: Aeneid, Book I.

Comment by Frodo7 14th may 2022
Comment by Frodo7 14th may 2022

The sample was truncated at 700 pixels. The font needs proper kerning. Not too shabby, though.

Comment by Frodo7 14th may 2022

Smooth and elegant. I like it.

Comment by elmoyenique 14th may 2022

I've tried this transition for curves, but it makes the arcs thinner...

Comment by elmoyenique 14th may 2022
Comment by elmoyenique 14th may 2022

@elmoyenique: Thank you for your comments. First, you have to realize, that this is a pixel font (although it looks like a dotted font). In the case of a dotted font, you may place the dots wherever you like, and adjust their position in fine increments. As with true pixel fonts, you are restricted by the pixel matrix. Thus, you have to make concessions, because perfect curves are not attainable. In fact, curves and shapes don't really exist in this font, but isolated square pixels. Curves and shapes only emerge in the reader's mind, after connecting the dots/pixels and filling in the gaps.

There are limitations to consider if you want to experiment with a similar design. I couldn't make a simple capital A with straight legs, because it would have been too wide. The same goes with the V and the W. Furthermore, I had difficulty in making some glyphs with curves (B, S, 3, 6, 8, 9). I think their current version is acceptable. I quite like the O, C, and €, however. I plan to add more language support and OpenType features. Kerning is a must.

Comment by Frodo7 15th may 2022

Beautiful work, the curves look so good in your samples, at first glance I didn't realise the pixels sit in a grid.

Comment by four 15th may 2022

@Frodo7 - Beautiful design and execution.  Congratulations!  :^)

Comment by Goatmeal 15th may 2022

@four and Goatmeal: Thank you for your comments and kind ratings. Yes, this font strictly adheres to the pixel grid. I think it is a big deal. This simple rule will dictate the spacing and kerning as well: adjustments of any kind are only possible by whole pixel increments. 

I've completed the small caps (a separate fontstruction); made minute adjustments to the original character set (z, Cyrillic т). I'm working on the extended Latin set (Central European support); adding ligatures, stylistic alternates, old-style figures, some arrows, and dingbats. Later I may support Greek, Katakana, and Hiragana as well. The curvier the script the better. 

Comment by Frodo7 17th may 2022

Basic Latin, Latin-1 Supplement, and Latin Extended-A are now fully supported.

Comment by Frodo7 20th may 2022
Congratulations! FontStruct Staff have deemed your FontStruction worthy of special mention. “Umbriel” is now a Top Pick.
Comment by Rob Meek (meek) 6th june 2022

Congrats on the double TP, Maestro!

Comment by elmoyenique 7th june 2022

@Rob Meek: Thank you very much for the special mention. This font was created de novo, not as a modification of existing work. Technically, however, it was started as a clone of another pixel font, which I used merely as a template for the extent of the basic character set. Umbriel is not a scaled-up version of Mallory Pixel in any way.

@elmoyenique: Thank you for your kind support.

Comment by Frodo7 7th june 2022

WOW! that's a lot of glyphs!

Comment by Miguelcabrerisso 25th january 2024

Your pixel fonts are really something special. 

> Curves and shapes only emerge in the reader's mind, after connecting the dots/pixels and filling in the gaps.

Couldn't have said it better myself, a true psychovisual effect.

It's similar to how old video games seemed to look better on scanline CRT screens. Great work!

Comment by mmontag 7th february 2025

Somehow, you made the squares turn into literal curves.

Comment by davilarichard683 16th february 2025

Also of Interest

Fontself

Make your fonts on iPad

GlyphsApp

Get the world’s leading font editor for OSX.

More from the Gallery

Ereborby Frodo7
My Compositesby Frodo7
Avensys Inlineby Frodo7
Bevel Dreamby Frodo7
db Jolieby beate
STF_DOBINI BALWAUM (Inline)by Sed4tives
ztandby eYe/FSby elmoyenique
AJN Jellybeanby AidenFont

From the Blog

News

Color Competition Results

News

Color Competition