● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportLow impact1 neutral
Bastardica tool creates "cursed fonts" by mixing OpenType fonts locally in browser
Key points
- Bastardica mixes OpenType fonts to create new font combinations.
- The tool runs locally in the browser using Pyodide and fontTools.
- Generated fonts are standard OpenType with ligature-based substitutions.
- Users must check licenses for commercial use of mixed fonts.
Local Font Mixing
Bastardica is a new tool that enables users to combine multiple OpenType fonts into a single "cursed font." The process occurs entirely within the user's browser, utilizing Pyodide and fontTools, ensuring no font data is uploaded externally.
How It Works
The tool generates a standard OpenType font where glyph substitutions are handled via ligatures. This means that browsers and design tools that support OpenType text shaping will display the mixed font by default. Users are advised to check application settings if ligatures appear to be switched off.
Usage Tips and Licensing
For optimal results, the creator suggests using Y-offset and scale effects for glyph alignment and employing prime numbers for 'strides' when mixing fonts to reduce collisions. When mixing three or more fonts, the first font takes precedence in collision scenarios. Users are reminded that mixing fonts creates a derivative work, requiring them to verify the licenses of all source fonts for commercial use, as Bastardica itself adds no licensing conditions.
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Reporting from
Bastardica is a new browser-based tool that allows users to create "cursed fonts" by mixing multiple OpenType fonts. The tool operates locally using Pyodide and fontTools, generating a single OpenType font with contextual substitutions for glyphs.