Extending PostScript Font: Creating Type 3 Font Glyphs (Extraglyphs) in Standard Fonts like Courier

Extending PostScript Font: Creating Type3 Font Glyphs (Extra Glyphs) with Standard Fonts like Courier

In the world of typography and font creation, PostScript Type3 fonts offer a unique opportunity to extend and customize existing fonts by adding extra glyphs. This article focuses on how to create Type3 font glyphs using a standard font like Courier, providing a detailed walkthrough of the process and covering key concepts.

Understanding PostScript Fonts

PostScript is a vector graphics language developed by Adobe Systems. PostScript fonts are scalable and can be used to render text at any size or resolution. There are three types of PostScript fonts: Type1, Type2 (also known as CFF), and Type3. Type3 fonts are the most flexible, as they allow for custom glyph designs and can include bitmaps or outlines.

Creating Type3 Font Glyphs

To create Type3 font glyphs with a standard font like Courier, you'll need a PostScript font editor, such as FontForge or Type3 Tools. The process involves several steps:

1. Open the standard font in the PostScript font editor.
2. Create a new glyph for the character you want to add. This can be done by either drawing the glyph from scratch or importing an existing vector image.
3. Edit the glyph properties, such as its width, height, and baseline position.
4. Save the new glyph as a Type3 font.

Adding Extra Glyphs to Courier

Here's a detailed example of how to add extra glyphs to the Courier font:

1. Open the Courier font in a PostScript font editor, such as FontForge. Navigate to the "Glyphs" window and click on the "New" button to create a new glyph.

   // Example code for FontForge
   Edit > Font Info > Glyphs
   New Glyph
   

2. Draw the new glyph or import an existing vector image. You can use the editor's drawing tools to create the glyph or import a vector file, such as an SVG, using the "Import" function.

   // Example code for FontForge
   Element > Bezier Curves > Edit Contours
   File > Import
   

3. Edit the glyph properties. Set the glyph's width, height, and baseline position to match the rest of the font. You can also adjust the glyph's contours and nodes to fine-tune its appearance.

   // Example code for FontForge
   Element > Font Info > Glyphs
   Glyph Window > Metrics
   Glyph Window > Contour
   

4. Save the new glyph as a Type3 font. In FontForge, you can do this by exporting the font as a PostScript (.pfb) or TrueType (.ttf) file with the "Type3" encoding.

   // Example code for FontForge
   File > Generate Fonts
   PostScript (Type 3)
   

References

• Adobe Systems. (n.d.). PostScript Primer.
• FontForge. (n.d.). Documentation.
• Type3 Tools. (n.d.). Documentation.

By following the steps outlined in this article, you can extend standard fonts like Courier by creating custom Type3 font glyphs and adding extra glyphs to your font library.