There are different jobs that we can do as designers. From creating designs for instagram to making print designs for brands. But not for this reason all designers should have knowledge about all the activities that can be carried out in a creative project, as some think. Knowing this, we can be clear that in part of the creative process we are going to need something more than our skills. One of them is usually the font we use, which is why we are going to show a list of applications to do lettering.
There are design or branding studios dedicated solely to the creation of logos, others that are dedicated to the creation of lettering and others to printing or only social networks. The studios specialize because it is very difficult to get it right in all areas and achieve a hallmark in the market. That is why if you are a self-employed person or you are starting here we are going to show you some options to cover one of the most difficult parts.
Lettering, the organization
The first tool we are going to teach is Lettering. This app maintains free to use with ads and also limitations. Some of the features are limited to a subscription or a one-time payment. With this tool we can create different fonts. Modify letter by letter, space, create letter bounces or deform them. You can also add guides and resize them relative to them. In this way it will be easier to guide you to place in your designs.
It also has another guide tool called Ruling sheet generator. With it you can create a document with different guides for your designs. Grid guides with different sizes and framing or perspective guides, not only for the letter you choose, but also for isotype designs or others. Being able to export them to your design tools.
Unlike other tools, Lettering you can use it for free and even buy it with a single payment. The rates are:
- $5 a month (if you make a year's payment)
- $8 a month, (if the payment is made month by month)
- $96 as a one-time payment. If you think it's your tool, it's better to pay once and forget about it.
fontself
This application is very complete, although it is completely paid. It is not, unlike lettering.org, a web page. It is an application that integrates with Adobe in Illustrator and Photoshop. Within them you can create, modify and transform the fonts as you want. Since it converts all the elements you want into Opentype fonts. So you can write by hand and then the tool will transform it into a readable digital format. It works on Windows and MacOS operating systems.
Its cost is a single price and includes free updates forever. If you want to purchase it only for Illustrator you will have to pay €39 and if you want Photoshop and Ai it will be €59.
iFontMaker for iPad
This tool is designed to work from an iPad only. With the iPad brush you can do real wonders. This application works with different systems to develop your lettering, such as the Bézier curve, SVG and other custom ligatures. The price of this application that can be purchased through the App Store is €9,99 for a single price. Although it indicates that there is compatibility with MacOS from computers with M1, its use on an iMac or Macbook is not entirely safe, so we recommend only buying it if you have an iPad.
Procreate
This tool is one of the most famous in the Apple Store. And it is that, although it is also exclusively for iPad, the designers who choose tools from the Apple universe, mostly choose this application. For only €11,99 you can create anything you can imagine, including lettering in the most professional way. But also, you can create a graphic universe without limits. This app is among the ideal selection of the App Store. We do not know why this application is not for Windows or Android, although there are alternatives.
If you are one of those who have an iPad and you buy Procreate, you can see different tutorials that we have created in Creativos here.
Liza Lettering
A tool born in the Netherlands, by the company UnderWare is a computer application you can create letters freehand or with a brush. The application is adapted for all types of editing programs such as the Adobe system, but also for platforms such as iWork or the Office package. The simplicity of copying the font you create makes it even better, since you can copy it to the clipboard and paste it into your editing program.. Furthermore, this tool provides the same HTML code so that your letter can be adapted and used on any website, without the need to include images.
The app has a limited free demo. But if you want, you can buy it for a reasonable and unique price of €90. It does not have a subscription option.
Affinity Designer
We have talked a lot about this tool in Creativos Online, since it is a very powerful tool to create Illustrator-style designs. Through vectors, you can create all kinds of illustrations with a lot of freedom. From its application for tablets, we can create with the help of a pencil to create the lettering that best suits your needs.
It is true that for this tool, unlike the previous ones, it requires more knowledge, since it is a freer tool. It's like facing a blank page. The other tools described so far in this article, started with greater ease to edit or create based on a model already made. Of course, in favor of Affinity, this tool is more powerful and you will have much more adapted tools to carry out more tasks.
Adobe Capture and illustrator
These two tools can make you have the perfect lettering. Since the tool free from adobe, Capture allows you to capture any font you come across on the internet or on the street. You take a photo, for example, and Capture finds the font you are looking for, then you can export it to Illustrator and edit it to generate the font you need for your project.