How to Turn Your Handwriting into a Font for Free!

Learn how to turn your handwriting into a font for FREE! It is SO quick and easy!

 

How to Turn Your Handwriting into a Font for Free

Have you ever wanted to turn your own handwriting into a font and use it on your computer??  I know I have!

I’m a self-proclaimed font junkie.

I just can’t help myself…once I go on the hunt for a font or see a pretty or unique one somewhere on the interwebs, I get caught up in a downloading spree. Happens every time.

I’m especially fond of script and handwritten fonts.

They’re just so pretty and casual, and honestly, I’m a little jealous that I don’t have such beautiful handwriting…ahhh, a girl can dream.

Creating and using your own handwritten font would be great for making personalized gifts (especially from kiddos with their cute little scribbles!), scrapbooking, digital graphics, family keepsakes such as Christmas cards, and more!

Now, I’m sure there are lots of different ways out there that allow you to turn your handwriting into a font. This is just one that I’ve used because it’s incredibly simple, quick, and best of all, FREE!

 

How to Turn Your Handwriting into a Font: Quick Steps

Here are the quick steps for how to turn your handwriting into a font for free.

Keep reading below for more details and tips!

1. Go to MyScriptFont.com
2. Download the printable template
3. Print the template
4. Complete the template
5. Scan the now filled-in template into your computer
6. Upload your file, name your font, and choose format
7. Download your font
8. Install it on your computer
9. Use your font…that is your handwriting…that’s a font!

 

The Free Handwriting Font Site & Template

First, go to MyScriptFont.com.

You’ll then need to download the printable template, either as a PDF or PNG.

Once you open up whichever version you prefer (I used the PDF), then print it out.

You’ll need a scanner for the next step, so if you don’t have one available or if you’d rather keep things digital, you could also fill out the template on your computer with a Paint-type program, or use an iPad with a stylus (or just your finger) like I did when doodling on my son’s many faces.

I haven’t tried making a font that way yet, but I plan on it very soon!

If you’re going the printer/scanner route like I did, I would suggest printing out multiple copies. I had to go through many attempts until I was happy with my chicken scratch.

 

Fill Out the Template

The instructions on the template say to use a medium-thick black felt pen.

I don’t have any fancy smancy pens here, so I just decided to use a good ole Sharpie and made two different templates: one with the fine tip and one with the ultra fine tip.

The ultra fine tip ended up being too thin and was not a success though…more on this later.

 

It’s really important that you also stay within the light gray box that is inside each character’s box!

It’s hard to see in the pictures, but there is a very faint light gray box inside each larger box.

Anything touching the line or outside of it will be chopped off in your final font.

This proved a little difficult for me since my handwriting is naturally large and loopy, so it was good that I printed out multiple copies of the template.

 

Scan the Filled-In Template into your Computer

Once you have your template filled out, scan it into your computer.

I have a printer/copier/scanner all in one (aren’t most at-home printers like that nowadays?), so I just had it scan directly onto my Mac.

Here’s what my settings were:

• Black & White only
• 300 DPI
• Standard US Letter size
• Gave it a name (My sheet with the fine tip Sharpie was named Christine Thick and the one with the ultra fine tip was given Christine Thin….I know, I’m very creative.)
• JPEG format

 

Upload Your File, Name Your Font, and Convert It

Once you have your file scanned into your computer, you’ll need to go back to MyScriptFont.com.

From there, upload your newly-scanned file and gave your font a name of your choosing.

I left the output type as TTF, but you can change it to OTF if you’d like (to read more on the different between True Type and Open Type fonts, check this out).

Then click on Start.  

How I Chose My {Unfortunate} Name: My dad always used to call me “Christine The Dancing Machine” as a kid, so I named my first font (the one with the thicker fine tip) Christine The Thick Dancing Machine.

Inow regret this name because, well….it’s not very flattering is it?

Yeah, I didn’t think about it until after I already had it rendered and installed.  Oh well.

So, moral of the story, please choose something more clever than I did!

 

Boom! Your Handwriting is Now a Font!

A few moments later, a new screen should reveal a preview of your own personal handwritten font!

So easy, right?!

If you’re happy with the preview, awesome!

You can then get onto downloading it (more on this below).

If you’d like a do over and want to try it again, just fill out a new blank copy of the template and start over!

That’s the beauty of a fast and free service like this.

Below is a preview of what my handwritten font looks like.

Not too shabby, eh? Although what is up with my lowercase e’s and p’s??  Ugh, I wish I had cute handwriting…

Moving on…

If you’re ready to install your font, just click on the blue link with the name you gave your font and downloaded it onto your computer.

This will probably send the file to your Downloads folder, so just double-check where your file’s destination is.

 

Install the Handwriting Font on Your Computer

Ok, now that your font file is downloaded, you need to install it.

Directions for how to install a font vary depending on if you’re using a PC or a Mac as well as what operating system you’re running (like that tech lingo there?), but here’s a handy guide if you need a little help with this step.

Since I have a Mac, I just found the font file in my Downloads folder and double-clicked on it, which then brought up the window below.

From here, I clicked on the ‘Install Font’ button and…

 

….wham-o! Installation complete!

Here you can see my new font is now installed in my Font Book along with the rest of my fonts.

The preview now shows all the letters, numbers, and characters I filled out on my template.

Oh, and can you tell I’m an American and never write the symbol for the Euro or Pound?

Yeeesh…chicken scratch for real.

 

Now, whenever I open up a program, such as Photoshop Elements here, my new font shows up in the menu with all the others.

Success!

NOTE: If you currently have a program open when you install your font, you’ll probably need to close it out and then reopen it so the font will load and show in your program’s options.

 

Type Away!

I told ya it was super simple!

 

 

Not Good with Thin Marker/Pen

Remember how I said I also used the ultra fine tip of my Sharpie?

Well, here are the results of this template.

As you can see, it’s too thin and did not turn out well…whomp, whomp.

 

My Husband’s Handwriting Font

My husband also got in on the fun too (although he was all “And why am I doing this??” Ahhh, the joys of being married to a craft blogger).

His handwriting is, uhhhh, very man-like (no offense, fellas).

Also, see how his g in “dog” is cut off on the bottom?

He didn’t follow the instructions very well and went outside the boundary…tsk, tsk.

If you’ve got cute handwriting, or even if it’s not the cutest like mine, this would be so neat to do and use in lots of creations, like custom illustrated portraits, birthday posters, and Christmas cards!

I also think it would be fun to play around with and create a bunch of different dingbat fonts with all kinds of doodles and characters…let your creativity flow!

Oh, and if you have any suggestions on pens, please pass the knowledge along…inquiring minds would like to know!

 

Other Fun with Fonts!

If you’re a font junkie like me, check out my Project Gallery for collections of my favorite fonts, and also learn how to preview all of your fonts at the same time!

Not gonna lie, this is pretty incredible!

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!