I'm about to carve a stamp with a substantial (for me, at least) amount of text on it... my first time carving letters for a box.

Which fonts are the easiest to work with? I'm not feeling particular about the type of font I use (except for script... that won't work) but I do really want it to turn out nice and clean.

I know other and more experienced boxers use words all the time on their stamps... suggestions please??!!??

Thanks,

Carianna of "Gischer Gryffindors"

Boy, if you get a definitive answer to this question I'd love to hear it!

I don't know about exact fonts, but I seem to find more cursive-like (rounded?) letters a bit easier than blocky-type letters (excuse my technical terms). Of course Size matters, too (yes, guys, it really does!) I usually try to make my words as large as I can fit into the space/design.

Goodluck!!

HP

I just carved about 10 different words, in different fonts, for a PLB. It started out as an experiment in carving letters, but they came out ok, so I put them in the PLB. Unfortunately, I'm not at home (travelling for the holidays) so I can't give specific names. But I went to a free fonts website, and downloaded every "fat" font that caught my eye (or imagination ;-)). I remember thinking that one of the more "rounded" fonts was the easiest to carve.

I'll try to remember to look them up when I get home on Saturday..... or someone feel free to remind me!

Mama Fox

I am putting together a list right now...
be patient with me :)

I haven't done alot of different fonts etc yet but yes...
the rounded edge fonts seem easier and those with the little straight thin edges at the ends or edges of the fonts (like Times new roman) are seriously hard. Fonts that have irregular starting or ending points are easier. It's hard to describe what I mean by that but here's an example...the tail of a capital C may drop beneath the line of the other letters and form a swirl or point etc.

here are a few of different types that are easier than what most printers print text with:

Andy
Boomerang
Ravie
ToonTime
Roberta
Pristina
Metamorphis
Mead Bold
Kristen ITC

Benny Blanco is a new one I am trying tonight...
very different than anything I have tried before but i think it will be do-able.

I am sure there are others...but seems like some decorative type fonts work better than text or printing fonts. *shrug*

now keep in mind that any font is gonna be easier carved in "negative"...
and that is how I have done alot of mine (not all but alot).

hope this helps

Dixie

One trick I use to carve letters/fonts is to carve them upside down. That way you can follow the lines just like any other carving..without your brain telling you...wait..I think you should go THIS way!

LW PhD
"Nice Counts"

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Which fonts are the easiest to work with?

My favorite is mistral.

Don

I also just go ahead & assume that at least one letter will have a chunk out of it somewhere. That takes the pressure off from the get-go & if it doesn't happen, imagine my surprise. If it does happen (which it usually does)- I just don't worry too much about it & figure it adds charm & character to the stamp & just proves that I did it myself. Obviously, I am not a perfectionist- as anyone who has seen one of my carvings can attest. Good luck.

I find straight edges easier to carve in text. I lay a metal ruler along the lines, and cut the straight edges with a click-knife or exacto knife. Then I bend the carving medium, and carve away those areas.

Unside curves can be made witha U-shaped gouge. Inside circles can be made by rotaing said U-shaped gouge.

Just goes to show, there are all sorts of ways of creating a work of art!

After failing miserably at block printed letters, I tried "Apple Chancery" and was pleased. This is an italic font with serifs.

I was encouraged with the results, so it will probably be the only one I use for quite a while until I improve.

~MC

>>>>After failing miserably at block printed letters, I tried "Apple Chancery" <<<<

So where do you find all these fonts?????? I need some help.

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So where do you find all these fonts?????? I need some help.

I like dafont.com

Trish;)

Welllllllll, obviously I still need practice at this. (And here I was starting to get proud of my carving skills... nothing like a few words on your stamp to blow your pride right out of the water.) I did get it carved, and you can read the words, so I'm satisfied for now. It just isn't as "sharp" as I would have liked.

I ended up with Verdana... I'll definitely try something different next time. I didn't like the shape of the "t" or the "a."

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'll keep working at this skill!

Carianna of "Gischer Gryffindors"

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I ended up with Verdana... I'll definitely try something different next time. I didn't like the shape of the "t" or the "a."

The problem with letters is everyone knows what they are supposed to look like. If you change(goof) carving the image of a mouse or other critter, the change can be artistic.
That is why I use Mistral and this font has just enough difference from various block lettering that a slight change (goof) can't really be noticed like you could with Verdana. It has a bunch of rounded curves that are fun to carve also.

I find the fonts in our 'Word' program.

Don

Blackadder looks good.... and you dont have to have perfectly aligned edges.. its got bumps and stuff so boo-boos look like its just part of the style!!

I never bother with commercial font....I just write the letters out myself. If serifs are needed, I add serifs. This way, I get the text weight that I desire.

But, having said that, I have to admit that I've painted a lot of text over the years, so I'm not afraid to do this.

Lisa

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Which fonts are the easiest to work with?

I'm no expert on carving text, but here's an impression I've gotten from the few I've done: At first glance, it looks like the straight block letters would be easiest with their straight lines. However, straight block letters are also the fonts that look really bad when you do anything less than a spectacular job. The fonts with lots of junk in them -- the ones that look like scribbles to begin with -- are the ones you can carve a mediocre job and nobody will know they're not perfect!

Fact is, script isn't a bad choice, if there isn't some other reason you're against it.

-- Kirbert

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Fact is, script isn't a bad choice, if there isn't some other reason you're against it.

Oh, I'm not against script in general... in fact, had it fit with my stamp I would have been all over it. However, I was trying to replicate the "feel" of an entrance sign at a local site. Script wouldn't have worked as well in this scenario.

I'm ok with my result though. I think I'll get better and better at it. Maybe I need to invest in one of those magnifying lamps everyone talks about... perhaps for Mother's Day? :)

Carianna of GG

I like dafont.com

THANKS FOR THE HELP

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Blackadder looks good.... and you dont have to have perfectly aligned edges.. its got bumps and stuff so boo-boos look like its just part of the style!!

That's what I used for my sig stamp. It is in its second reincarnation right now, but the first time I did it, I was pleasantly surprised that it worked. I think that may have been the first time I carved a font and not my own handwriting.

You really have to just keep trying letters over and over again. This is from the idiot who put letters on the first stamp ever carved and the 2nd plant I placed. They eventually won't be an issue if you do them enough.

I think I'll just hire Archimedes Screw to carve my letters!

Take care, Orion
(who has letter envy)

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At first glance, it looks like the straight block letters would be easiest with their straight lines. However, straight block letters are also the fonts that look really bad when you do anything less than a spectacular job. The fonts with lots of junk in them -- the ones that look like scribbles to begin with -- are the ones you can carve a mediocre job and nobody will know they're not perfect!

This was going to be exactly what I was going to say. I carved this logo (an old one-hit punk band) for my team sig stamp and it looks great, mostly because you can't see the mistakes:
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/alley/2771/

Yes, let's get Archimedes Screw to carve all our letters.
She is seriously good at letters...

Hmm. and she can also shade all my stamps.

DEF