TYPE DESIGN INFORMATION PAGE last updated on Mon Apr 15 05:45:58 EDT 2024

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Multiple Master Fonts

Invented by Adobe as an extension of their type 1 PostScript fonts, a Multiple Master font permits interpolation in any cube between masters. The dimension of the cube is called the number of axes. Typically, one axis is for weight (bold to light) and one for width (extended to condensed). If there are n axes, then 2 to the power n master fonts are required, so few multiple master fonts have more than two axes. Other possible axes are for optical size and style, but a priori, one can make axes for whatever property one wants to interpolate over. Something as wacky as curliness of a serif or roundness of joints in an octagonal font can be considered as well. As an example, Myriad has weight and width axes, and Adobe Jenson has axes for weight and optical size. The wiki is wrong in many respects. It states that Multiple Master fonts were superseded by OpenType, which is false: OpenType has no interpolation capabilities). It also states that there are no known freeware multiple master fonts, which is contradicted by those made by Apostrophic Laboratories. So, here is a list of multiple master fonts, still very incomplete:

• Free, from Apostrophic Laboratories: SoMM, Chizzler MM (Graham Meade), ImpossibleMM, Tex Rounded MM (Richard D. Parker and Apostrophe), Tex Square MM (Richard D. Parker and Apostrophe). Impossible MM and Chizzler MM have three axes each.
• Free from Gaham Meade: Chizz MM, Staid MM, Snot MM.
• Free, from Dimitri Yupavetskii: MagCMM (Latin and Cyrillic).
• Free, from Ray Buetens: Stub MM.
• By Lucas Degroot: MoveMe MM, Thesis Mono, Folha MM.
• By Dirk Wachowiak: Generation.
• By Alphabets Inc: AI Quanta (Peter Fraterdeus), AI Veritas (Brian Sooy), AI Koch Antiqua (Randall Jones).
• By Calvin Glenn: Steelhand.
• By T. Olsson: Vadau, DejaVue.
• By Chris MacGregor: Fleming.
• By David Rakowski: Lassus.
• By Hrant Papazian: some Armenian multiple masters.
• By Jun Itadani: Millio NN (katakana).
• By Luis Siquot: Siquot Antiqua.
• By Dennis Pasternak: Littleton MM.
• By Saikix in Japan: Syntech.
• By HermesSoft: Universum, Grotesk MM.
• By Adobe and affiliates: ITC Avant Garde MM, Bickham Script MM, Briem Akademi MM, Briem Script MM, Caflisch Script MM, Chaparral MM, Conga Brava MM, Cronos MM, Ex Ponto MM, ITC Garamond MM, Graphite MM, Adobe Jenson MM, Jimbo MM, Kepler MM, Kinesis MM, Mezz MM, Minion MM, ITC Motter Corpus MM, Myriad MM, Nueva MM, Ocean Sans MM, Penumbra MM, Reliq MM, Sanvito MM, Adobe Serif MM, Adobe Sans MM, Tekton MM, Verve MM, Viva MM, Waters Titling MM.

EXTERNAL LINKS
Multiple Master Fonts
MyFonts search
Monotype search
Fontspring search
Google search

INTERNAL LINKS
Type 1 font software ⦿ Octagonal typefaces ⦿