Comments on: Font hinting in Inkscape http://www.bearfruit.org/2008/08/27/font-hinting-in-inkscape/ Matthew Nuzum's Blog Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:24:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2-bleeding By: matt http://www.bearfruit.org/2008/08/27/font-hinting-in-inkscape/comment-page-1/#comment-187 matt Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-187 Why should this feature be added to Inkscape and not the GIMP? Two reasons: 1. I like using Inkscape, I don't like using GIMP. 2. GIMP's SVG import is a [miserable failure](http://icanhascheezburger.com/2008/03/11/funny-pictures-flying-ur-doin-it-wrong/) Why should this feature be added to Inkscape and not the GIMP? Two reasons:

1. I like using Inkscape, I don’t like using GIMP.
2. GIMP’s SVG import is a [miserable failure](http://icanhascheezburger.com/2008/03/11/funny-pictures-flying-ur-doin-it-wrong/)

]]> By: Andy http://www.bearfruit.org/2008/08/27/font-hinting-in-inkscape/comment-page-1/#comment-197 Andy Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-197 It would seem that I'm late to the party... Inkscape's rendering of text <em>is</em> correct in the purist sense - it does its best to position on screen pixels to where the vector paths fall, using transparency appropriately. But... I'm sure that I am not the only one who uses Inkscape for work that is primarily intended for on screen viewing. (There's yourself for a start!). As a result, fonts in finished work look terrible. Importing to the GIMP or similar loses the benefits of using Inkscape (a vector application) in the first place, and as you suggest - the impact to a designer's workflow is very serious. It would be great to see the developers implement a modern text renderer. Surely hinting could be optional for the purists? It would seem that I’m late to the party…

Inkscape’s rendering of text is correct in the purist sense – it does its best to position on screen pixels to where the vector paths fall, using transparency appropriately.

But… I’m sure that I am not the only one who uses Inkscape for work that is primarily intended for on screen viewing. (There’s yourself for a start!). As a result, fonts in finished work look terrible.

Importing to the GIMP or similar loses the benefits of using Inkscape (a vector application) in the first place, and as you suggest – the impact to a designer’s workflow is very serious.

It would be great to see the developers implement a modern text renderer. Surely hinting could be optional for the purists?

]]> By: Josh http://www.bearfruit.org/2008/08/27/font-hinting-in-inkscape/comment-page-1/#comment-238 Josh Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-238 This is one of my biggest concerns with Inkscape. I like to use it for creating web graphics, but using it with text is just out of the question. If you're using large fonts hinting doesn't really seem to be problematic, but if your using something like 12px the results are really bad. I truly hope the developers change there mind in the future, and I don't think a solution should have to be gimp-specific. This is one of my biggest concerns with Inkscape. I like to use it for creating web graphics, but using it with text is just out of the question. If you’re using large fonts hinting doesn’t really seem to be problematic, but if your using something like 12px the results are really bad. I truly hope the developers change there mind in the future, and I don’t think a solution should have to be gimp-specific.

]]> By: m http://www.bearfruit.org/2008/08/27/font-hinting-in-inkscape/comment-page-1/#comment-259 m Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-259 Hinting in Inkscape is not as easy as it might seem. A well hinted font does change its proportions depending on size. The word "Test" in Verdana renders to 38x14px, in half the height it is 23 pixels wide (i.e. 23x7px, not 19x7 as one might expect). How should Inkscape handle this? Hinting in Inkscape is not as easy as it might seem. A well hinted font does change its proportions depending on size. The word “Test” in Verdana renders to 38x14px, in half the height it is 23 pixels wide (i.e. 23x7px, not 19×7 as one might expect). How should Inkscape handle this?

]]> By: John http://www.bearfruit.org/2008/08/27/font-hinting-in-inkscape/comment-page-1/#comment-262 John Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-262 The job belongs as part of the SVG->Raster export, which Inkscape does have. It's all very nice SVG being resolution independent, but most output devices are raster, and the SVG is going to look better with a decent raster conversion. It should be possible to go beyond just fonts though, and also do hinting on lines. Thin horizontal and vertical lines easily end up ugly as it is. A 1px black line not aligned to the pixels will become a 2px grey line instead, whereas it would be useful to have an option to allow the position to shift a bit to sharpen it up. The job belongs as part of the SVG->Raster export, which Inkscape does have. It’s all very nice SVG being resolution independent, but most output devices are raster, and the SVG is going to look better with a decent raster conversion.

It should be possible to go beyond just fonts though, and also do hinting on lines. Thin horizontal and vertical lines easily end up ugly as it is. A 1px black line not aligned to the pixels will become a 2px grey line instead, whereas it would be useful to have an option to allow the position to shift a bit to sharpen it up.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.bearfruit.org/2008/08/27/font-hinting-in-inkscape/comment-page-1/#comment-275 Anonymous Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-275 This is one of my biggest concerns with Inkscape. I like to use it for creating web graphics, but using it with text is just out of the question. If you’re using large fonts hinting doesn’t really seem to be problematic, but if your using something <a href=http://exefilez.com>like 12px</a> the results are really bad. I truly hope the developers change there mind in the future, and I don’t think a solution should have to be gimp-specific. This is one of my biggest concerns with Inkscape. I like to use it for creating web graphics, but using it with text is just out of the question. If you’re using large fonts hinting doesn’t really seem to be problematic, but if your using something like 12px the results are really bad. I truly hope the developers change there mind in the future, and I don’t think a solution should have to be gimp-specific.

]]> By: jpa http://www.bearfruit.org/2008/08/27/font-hinting-in-inkscape/comment-page-1/#comment-326 jpa Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-326 With Inkscape 0.47 you can save as "Cairo PNG" and then it does have font hinting. With Inkscape 0.47 you can save as “Cairo PNG” and then it does have font hinting.

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