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My name is James and, I work for a sign shop in Tulsa. But, in my spare time I work with Mike Adkins creating fonts. Since both of us come from a sign background - mostly computer based - we design fonts with signs in mind. Now I understand that this is primarily a hand lettering forum (I'm not that thick despite what some people say.). But, I assume that some of you use some computer fonts. I also understand that commercial abuse of this forum isn't acceptable. Right about now you are asking yourself, "what is the point."
The point of all of this is that I'm trying to get some feed back about a couple of fonts we've designed recently. We've put them up on MyFonts with no success. I'm starting to think that it is the wrong market. So, let me know what you think or you can even tell me where to go and how to get there...
First is Copper Penny. It is a revival of Copperplate Gothic.
CopperPennyPoster600.jpg (193.75 KiB) Viewed 8289 times
I'd try making a web page for each of the individual fonts with all the pertinent meta tags, link it to the pages that sell the font and wherever else you can, maybe there are others like me that have a search engine obsession. I really like Copper Penny, I think it would be a popular font with the right marketing, good luck with it. Have you tried an advertisement in Signcraft or Signs of the Times or one of the other trade mags? Sometimes it takes a while for a new font to catch on. I also think you could do better with the gallery images for it on myfonts, get some cool illustrations up there that show it being used in it's glory.
See if you can get it posted on some engraving and monument forums/sites as well.
Curious to see where this one goes......
I believe there is no shame in failure. Rather, the shame lies in the loss of all the things that might have been, but for the fear of failure.
Hi James,
You may be expecting thousands of sales the first week, but I don't think it works that way. As far as I know, you only released these fonts in the past week?
You need to let the advertising at MyFonts kick in, then let people have a chance to see the fonts at their site. Being turn of the century "retro" fonts, people will decide when they need that look. With a tight economy, I don't think people are spending on impulse quite like they did in the past.
Good luck on them!
Mike Jackson / co-administrator Golden Era Studios
Vintage Ornamental Clip art
Jackson Hole, WY
Actually Mike, Copper Penny was first released last fall and French Eccentric about two weeks ago.
since that time we have gotten a number of suggestions that other weights and styles of Copper Penny might be a good idea. I'm not as concerned for instant wealth or fame as I am some indication that we are generally going in the right direction.
Clan Stirling Motto: Gang Forward (as if you know what you are doing)
What these fonts need is to become families, I think. Much easier said than done. I'd love to make a condensed version of Eccentric French, and then an italic of both the regular and condensed versions. First, I'd need the software, then learn the software, then find the time outside of work and family time...
I downloaded both fonts, and have used them in jobs. The Atkinson font I have found particularly useful, a nice variation - I also own the LHF version but find this one more appealing.
Denver Chapter of the Letterheads