I created a set of decorative initials, the A for which looks like this…
One of the big uses I’ll have for my fonts is in ebooks, and it would be totally cool if I could do up a color version of my font, too, using the same off-reddish color (#c32f0a) that I use for my headings, etc. in those “antique”-looking ebooks, and have all my initials looking instead like this…
I’ve looked at the help files, figured out that I go into the glyph editor for any particular glyph, right-click and choose “Colorize,” and then… I’m stuck. My whole glyph turns blue, and I don’t know what to do next. In the help files for FC, there’s a single paragraph about “Create a Multi-color Glyph,” but it doesn’t tell me what to DO, and I can’t seem to find anywhere else to figure that out.
I am assuming, of course, that that’s actually a pretty simple thing to colorize? I just have to select the letter out of the whole glyph, and just add colour to the letter, leaving the rest black – but how?
This is the procedure that I worked out for chromatic fonts in FontCreator 9.1 Professional Edition
“Color mode” icon (below printer icon) select “Monochrome” or “Auto” not “Color”.
Insert extra glyphs after each glyph that needs colours
Original glyph contains unaltered contours. (This should be left unaltered. If the glyph is removed, then applications that do not show chromatic fonts will display a blank.)
Insert new glyphs: Font overview, highlight a glyph, Insert menu, Glyph
A new glyph is needed for each colour (including black)
In each new glyph, set right sidebearing by dragging left sidebearing to the right to the correct distance
Split contour in first copy to divide glyph into multiple contours
Copy glyph from original to first copy.
point mode
knife tool
stretch from one point to another.
change to contour mode, move new contour (to test), undo
Copy divided first copy to the other copies
In each of the copies delete contours so that each copy will only have contours for one colour.
Colour each of the copies
View menu, “Color Mode” off
Show palette: View menu, Toolbars, Palette
Select right colour
Right click glyph, Color, Colorize
On palette select colour. Press “Apply”.
Combine coloured copies
Glyph view of original glyph
“Color mode” icon (below printer icon) select “Color” not “Monochrome” or “Auto”
Show members toolbar (View menu, Toolbars, Members)
On members toolbar click the green +
Select glyphs that have the missing coloured contours.
The procedure for FontCreator 11 is a little different, but I cannot find my notes (if I made any) at the moment.
A little experimenting should be worth doing.
The main problem has always been that whatever colour I select, clicking the glyph (at 4:5) always turns it blue! I have learned that as soon as I turn the glyph blue I must click on the colour palette again to select the right colour and then right-click the glyph again; the icon of a can of paint pouring appears, and the glyph turns the right colour.
Oh, wow, thank you, Bern, for those detailed instructions! I tried them out last night, but got stuck about half-way because there must be something different between version 9 and v. 11. Thank you so much, though, for taking that time and trouble to write that all out!
And thanks to Bhikkhu, too, for the link to the tutorial! Haven’t tried it out yet, but that just might do the trick (love that decorative initial you were making there, too!).
Procedure for chromatic fonts in FontCreator 11.0 Professional Edition
“Color mode” icon (below “Window” menu) select “Monochrome” or “Auto” not “Color”.
Insert extra glyphs after each glyph that needs colours
Original glyph contains unaltered contours. (This should be left unaltered. If the glyph is removed, then applications that do not show chromatic fonts will display a blank.)
Insert new glyphs: Font overview, highlight a glyph, Insert menu, Glyph
A new glyph is needed for each colour (including black)
Enter original glyph view
Press “Make Simple” icon (to right of pink eraser “Make Empty”)
Copy
In first copy paste, split contour to divide glyph into multiple contours
point mode
knife tool
stretch from one point to another.
change to contour mode, move new contour (to test), undo
Copy divided first copy to the other copies
In each of the copies delete contours so that each copy will only have contours for one colour.
Colour every copy (including black copy)
View menu, “Color Mode” not ticked
Show palette: View menu, Toolbars, Palette or Shift+F2
Select right colour
Right click glyph, Color.
If colour is wrong, change colour in palette and use “Paint Bucket”
Stage 4:
In the Original glyph, show the Members toolbar, and insert the other three coloured members.
This was the problem I had with Bern’s first instructions, too (haven’t tried out the updated ones he just posted yet). When I get to that part, I go under View → Toolbars, but then Members is grayed out, I can’t do anything with it.
Oh, I think I may have figured out my problem. There was a thing in there when you change your color mode (“C”) and you get a little pop-up window to add members – I didn’t notice that before.
Just did that, and I think everything will work out now – I’ll be back, no doubt, if it doesn’t.
