computer

i have this aversion to writing. like using my hands and a pen to create words on paper. i skip letters, it looks all sloppy and is very hard to read. or how my grandma describes it…interesting. my grocery lists are notorious for making no sense, and when my husband occasionally shops with me he is constantly cracking up as he reads it…”does this really say bread? cause it looks like bmmuf.”

however, when i try hard and concentrate, i have really cool handwriting. i like to create artsy swirls and loops, and when i give it some real effort i do admire my “handy” work.

so when i heard of fontifier, a website where they can create a font based on YOUR handwriting, i was pumped! finally, it will look like i put in the effort, but i didn’t have to actually WRITE! this would be great.

a very easy step-by-step can be found on their website, but here’s the basic jest:

materials needed:
computer and scanner
good felt tip pen…i don’t think this works as well with ball point pens, but that’s just my opinion. here’s some examples of how different pens look.
credit or debit card for the $9.00 fee, if you decide to upload your font to the computer for keeps.

print out a template page from their website, which has cells for every letter of the alphabet in upper and lower case, numbers and punctuation. you then should make several copies of this page before you start filling in the boxes, something i failed to do. it took several tries until i liked the looks of all my characters.

okay, painstakingly recreate your perfect handwriting on said template page, minding the little tick marks on the sides of the cells…this is the “bottom” of your handwriting line so your letter should rest along this imaginary border. here’s mine-

the little green blob is the kiddo under his sacred blanket

here's a closer look...see the tick marks on the side?

scan your template into your computer and save either as a GIF, JPEG, PNG, or TIFF. JPEG is the normal photo file type, at least on my computer. here’s what mine looked like after i saved it-

my lovely script, on it's way to becoming infamous.

uploadyour image to fontifier, give it a name…“the best dang handwriting ever” or something to that effect, and tell them your name for copy writing  purposes. it will then be loaded up for a preview.

voila! perfection. well, if not get out one of those extra template copies and repeat all of the steps above until you have it right, man!

if you like it, buy it there on the spot and download it to your hard drive. they will need a debit or credit card, and i got a receipt in my email pretty much instantly after i purchased mine. no problems paying whatsoever.

to install it, they give you simple instructions on where to save it permanently, depending on your computer type, so your system will recognize it. there is always the help section should you get completely turned around.

in my opinion, nine bucks is a great price for a font that looks like your handwriting on your best day. you can use it for scrapbooking, emails (for that “i care” touch), or your kids can use it to write excuse notes for school. okay, well, just don’t tell them you did this. i’d love to hear your thoughts on how fontifier worked for you; send me your comments on how you could use your own personalized font! til, then friends…happy crafting!