I have now worked out an improved method for producing artwork for use in fontmaking from The First Public Cocomo Application.
http://blogs.adobe.com/collabmethods/2007/11/testing_the_first_public_cocom.html
The method relies on the fact that objects on the whiteboard are in layers depending upon the order in which they are added. Earlier-added objects are behind later-added objects.
Firstly, use the Shapes tool to draw some wide, very small height, filled rectangles which are to be guidelines for baseline, x-height and so on. Use whichever colours you choose, as they will not appear on the final artwork.
Next, so as not to cover the very ends of those rectangles, yet to cover the rest of them, draw a large, 100% opaque, black-filled rectangle, using the Shapes tool.
Now, select that filled rectangle with the pointer and move it away from the guidelines.
Next, use the Highlighter Pen Tool set at 100% opaque, white, to draw characters over the guidelines. If a character can be drawn without lifting the pen then that produces a much better result for fontmaking as there are then no grey shadows on the white artwork. Some characters, such as i, need two uses of the pen, but as the white parts are apart from each other, the grey shadows are not usually a problem.
The next stage is to move the large, 100% opaque, black-filled rectangle, back into position. It moves under the white artwork, yet obscures the guidelines.
Use Print Screen to copy the image of the whiteboard onto the clipboard and then paste from the clipboard into the Microsoft Paint program and same as a .bmp file.
The bmp file can then be imported into FontCreator using the Negative checkbox checked and adjusting the threshold to obtain a good clear result. I have used a value of 112 successfully.
William Overington
24 December 2007
