Handwriting vs. Fonts

Allan_ecker · Post by **Allan_ecker** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 7:01 am

Now, I have neat enough handwriting that, if I really didn't care what happened to my hands, I could hand-letter my comics. In practice, the difficulty of editing, the writer's cramps, and the fact that it STILL will never look NEAR as good as the great hand-leterer's works like you see in Sandman and the like have me using fonts for most projects. Scott McCloud himself goes with fonts a lot of the time, including for Making Comics.

HOWEVER, I already know that handwriting evokes a richer emotional response, gives you another knob to turn for emotional impact, and helps a very hand-crafted looking style stay coherant. So personally I'm a fence-sitter on fonts.

How's about the rest of you?

Black Sparrow · Post by **Black Sparrow** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 7:21 am

At it's neatest, my handwriting is chicken scratch. At its worst, my handwriting could be mistaken for some archaic derivative of cuneiform.

Therefore, fonts are essential.

Dracomax · Post by **Dracomax** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 7:29 am

Black Sparrow wrote:At it's neatest, my handwriting is chicken scratch. At its worst, my handwriting could be mistaken for some archaic derivative of cuneiform.

Therefore, fonts are essential.

chickens are angered by comparing my writing to chicken scratch.

schicken scratch is neater.

TheSuburbanLetdown · Post by **TheSuburbanLetdown** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 8:08 am

I don't consider lettering and handwriting to be the same thing. Handwriting is just something I crap out when jotting down notes, but I'm much more careful with lettering since I draw guide lines and then write in all caps.

If you have an organic-lookin comic, go with hand lettering. If the style is slick and clean, go with a font. It's all about being consistent with the feel of the comic.

Perk_daddy · Post by **Perk_daddy** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 8:17 am

Handwriting, when done well, adds more personality and style to your comic than fonts, in my opinion, but there's just as much a case to be made for fonts, too. I handwrite cuz I can do it legibly and it's easier. What I'd really like is to make a font out of my own handwriting. Does anyone know if it's possible to do that for free? Right now it's not worth it to me to spend money for it.

Siabur · Post by **Siabur** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:25 am

I was one of those unfortunate souls in school who got to learn how to type because my hand writing is bad. My early comics have handwritten lettering. They are being redone digitally, so they will be able to be read. Horrible handwriting personally. If I could, I would get a font program and do a version of my handwriting, legible of course, and go that route.

RobertBlake · Post by **RobertBlake** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 2:03 pm

Aside from the rare exception where computer lettering is called upon, I hand letter everything. Like drawing, and just about everything else, lettering is one of those things that will get better with practice.

Joel Fagin · Post by **Joel Fagin** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 2:24 pm

Most people don't have neat enough writing. Fonts also lets you pick and choose to match the feel of the comic.

- Joel Fagin

Mobi · Post by **Mobi** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 2:30 pm

I have really neat handwriting (I write all caps all the time), but I still like a font because of the neatness value. Unless youre a professional, your characters will still change shape each time you write them. Im not really fond of that ... Fonts for me.

Snail · Post by **Snail** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:24 pm

I have such bad writing

Fonts are necessary.

Dburkhead · Post by **Dburkhead** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 4:48 am

For most of my text, I use fonts for a couple of reasons. First off, while I can write neatly, it's actually quite a strain to do so, so neatness comes down on the side of fonts. The other thing is, with the use of layers, I don't have to work in my word balloons before inking. By using fonts on one layer and the word balloons on another, I can juggle things around as necessary to try to keep the text flowing smoothly without covering up important parts of the art.

OTOH, for sound effects I'm about evenly split. Sometimes I'll use a font, sometimes I'll hand draw the effect.

RadPal · Post by **RadPal** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 11:17 pm

theSuburbanLetdown wrote:If you have an organic-lookin comic, go with hand lettering. If the style is slick and clean, go with a font. It's all about being consistent with the feel of the comic.

I think he's pretty much right on that one. You shouldn't see it as handwriting vs. font, you should decide what type of lettering is best for your comic. Then, it depends on whether handwriting or fonts would be a better way of successfully producing that type and feel of lettering.

Siabur · Post by **Siabur** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 9:23 am

I've mentioned earlier that I have handwriting that is bad, sometimes I can't even read my notebook of scripts. My biggest issue is updating old comics that were drawn by hand and lettered by hand. I've been having issues with lettering, the originals are hard to read due to some fading and the previously mention handwriting quality. What are some good fonts the have handwriting like style? I know comic sans is overused, I like the print quality of it, but would like something different. Also trying to hide the old dialog balloons have hindered the process but a new way has been tried...

Dburkhead · Post by **Dburkhead** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 9:38 am

I like Comic Book Commando, available free at 1001fonts.com

Pattyannboyd · Post by **Pattyannboyd** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 3:46 pm

I have nothing but respect for hand letterers (and word-bubble-ers) but sadly, I blow at those. *laughing* so I let the computer do the work and sit back and stare in awe at the awesome skills of those who can (such as joe england)

Guyford · Post by **Guyford** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 10:26 am

My handwriting is horrible, so I have to use fonts. But I've seen a few comics where the hand lettering is awesome.

Jackhass · Post by **Jackhass** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:30 pm

I might do hand lettering, but it just doesn't come out sharp enough when scanned for my likings.

Siabur · Post by **Siabur** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 6:17 am

Comic book commando wasn't bad. I'll use it in one project I'm sure. I've found Komica is good too. Which is what I'll likely use. Just looks right to me, just need to get the perfect size figured out. Arrggg it's always one thing or another.

I swear sometimes trying to figure the technicle parts out is harder than coming up with the ideas and then drawing them.

Deaths Head II · Post by **Deaths Head II** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 12:14 pm

I made my earlier versions of my comics using handwriting, and the biggest complaint about them was that they were completely impossible to read. Looking back on them these days, I think those complainers were 100% right. Fonts are essential for me.

Jkandra · Post by **Jkandra** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:25 pm

I like the idea of hand lettering, lettering that doesn't look like it's organic with the drawing throws me off. I slog it out and am not satisfied, but I'm getting better. I use fonts for the web site and when I want to convey differences in the characters, the computer talking with a mechanical voice for example. I might make a font of my lettering once I like it.

There are lots of sites that can make you own font. (Fontifier.com can make one for as low as 9 bucks) BTW, lots of the "free" fonts have legal language about using them for commercial products. Check them if you make a book or other merchandise for sale.

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