Letter Spacing on justafan' Pickoff Software

[Eugene Church]

When I create Logos using justafan's great Pickoff software, the letter spacing get out of kilter often.

When you try to change the team name position on the outer circle, the letters get out of sync... a wide gap is created and spreads out the letters in an uneven fashion... I think it only happens on Text 1.

For instance:

NEW YORK

NEW YO RK.

What am I doing wrong.

[the_mad_monk]

Have you tried alternate fonts? Normal vs bold style? I agree the text 1 spacing is difficult.

[Lawn Loaf]

Eugene I applaud you for all your effort in helping CD out with his demands. I thought about pitching in to help, but my gut feeling was the guy would be to picky, and it turns out that was pretty correct. I don't have that kind of patience. My hats off to you for all you did to help him out.

I am not by any means a great jersey creator, nor did I understand fonts or graphic manipulation when I started making my high school jerseys. Over time I have learned some tricks to work within the limitations of the two jersey creators, Jersey Creator and Online Jersey Maker. I don't use photoshop because it's too technical for me, as is GIMP.

I aim for 100% accuracy in the jerseys I create, but sometimes my skills only allow me to get to 80%. I'm not to worried, because I just want to share something that maybe someone else would like to use.

I think you definitely have some skills to work and create jerseys, and I'd be happy to help you out with some of the tricks I use to make my stuff. Before you know it you'll be creating good sets in under a half hour, maybe less depending on what your trying to do. I have over 1000 fonts probably that I spent a few hours a day uploading that I can help you get to work. Just PM me and I'll do my best to share what I know with you.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by the_mad_monk

Have you tried alternate fonts? Normal vs bold style? I agree the text 1 spacing is difficult.

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I have tried that.

What seems to work best... I just simple add or subtract a space in the lettering... it works sometimes.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by Lawn Loaf

Eugene I applaud you for all your effort in helping CD out with his demands. I thought about pitching in to help, but my gut feeling was the guy would be to picky, and it turns out that was pretty correct. I don't have that kind of patience. My hats off to you for all you did to help him out.

I am not by any means a great jersey creator, nor did I understand fonts or graphic manipulation when I started making my high school jerseys. Over time I have learned some tricks to work within the limitations of the two jersey creators, Jersey Creator and Online Jersey Maker. I don't use photoshop because it's too technical for me, as is GIMP.

I aim for 100% accuracy in the jerseys I create, but sometimes my skills only allow me to get to 80%. I'm not to worried, because I just want to share something that maybe someone else would like to use.

I think you definitely have some skills to work and create jerseys, and I'd be happy to help you out with some of the tricks I use to make my stuff. Before you know it you'll be creating good sets in under a half hour, maybe less depending on what your trying to do. I have over 1000 fonts probably that I spent a few hours a day uploading that I can help you get to work. Just PM me and I'll do my best to share what I know with you.

Your gut feeling just might have been right.
Thank you for saying that.
CD is fine once you get to know him... patience is the key... Jesus is helping me to get better with him.
I hope I don't look too bad in dealing with him.

You know, would you believe it has been a Godly experience helping him with his project.

Actually helping him has made me much, much better using justafan's wonderful software... If I can get a good set of fonts and learn how to use them, that will greatly improve my graphics skills.

I would love to be able use Script Fonts and Swooshes.

I appreciate your comments and help here.

I will send you a private message about your help offer.
Please understand, I am not too smart when it comes to computers... zipping and unzipping files... it may be like working with you know who.

[the_mad_monk]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I have tried that.

What seems to work best... I just simple add or subtract a space in the lettering... it works sometimes.

What font is giving you troubles? Sometimes, tweaking the font size or location ("diameter") can indirectly change the character spacing.

[rocknfire7]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Your gut feeling just might have been right.
Thank you for saying that.
CD is fine once you get to know him... patience is the key... Jesus is helping me to get better with him.
I hope I don't look too bad in dealing with him.

You know, would you believe it has been a Godly experience helping him with his project.

Actually helping him has made me much, much better using justafan's wonderful software... If I can get a good set of fonts and learn how to use them, that will greatly improve my graphics skills.

I would love to be able use Script Fonts and Swooshes.

I appreciate your comments and help here.

I will send you a private message about your help offer.
Please understand, I am not too smart when it comes to computers... zipping and unzipping files... it may be like working with you know who.

I can always make up/alter a script that you can use as an image for the justafan jerseys and caps.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by the_mad_monk

What font is giving you troubles? Sometimes, tweaking the font size or location ("diameter") can indirectly change the character spacing.

I can only use about 15 of the fonts that Microsoft comes with... don't really know a specific one that gives me problems.

I just keep playing around with it until it straightens out... if it doesn't... I just exit and start over again and hope the next time will work... several times I just kept the logo even though a somewhat keen eye would see the flaw.

I am learning to just minor adjustments just in case the spacing gets our of whack... this has helped... sometime using the space bar on the team name helps get the spacing better.

I'm sure it's the operator, not the software... I just don't know the proper way to use it.

Thanks for the help.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by rocknfire7

I can always make up/alter a script that you can use as an image for the justafan jerseys and caps.

Yes, I know you can... and you have helped me many times over the years... I'm probably still using logos and jerseys you did for my Islandian Pro Alliance dynasty league...but I don't like to keep bothering you guys... all of you have made no telling how many logos, jerseys and caps for me... over 100 teams overall in the last 15 years.

You guys have made my IPA graphics really special for me... they have doubled my pleasure in playing the game... I no longer have to use the plain OOTP bland jerseys, caps and logos

I try to create my own logos, jerseys and caps now... they are simple in design, but far better than what OOTP generically generates.

I just call on you good graphics gurus when I need something special... Txranger recently made me a beautiful IPA logo.

I'll keep your kind offer in mind when I need something special for my leagues.

I much appreciate your help... thank you.

[the_mad_monk]

Pickoff and the Jersey Creator don't like two word text lines with many fonts. I found using a double space between the two words to help sometimes.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by the_mad_monk

Pickoff and the Jersey Creator don't like two word text lines with many fonts. I found using a double space between the two words to help sometimes.

Thanks, I'll start doing it.

I do know that adding a space will sometimes help me tighten up the awkward gaps in the team names.

[micropterus58]

If you are using straight or angled text you can adjust the spacing a little. Maybe resizing the font a little. This may work depending on what font you are using. If you only have the fonts that came with Windows then you have very little to choose from. Many of the fonts you have are italic, bold, condensed or combinations of these. Try a google search. You will find a bazillion fonts. Since you are making jerseys for CD, you may find some good script fonts. It's all up to his and your imaginations.



athletic fonts
https://www.1001fonts.com/athletic-fonts.html
https://www.fontspace.com/category/athletic

free fonts
https://www.google.com/search?client...67.RZ2s97Ip49o

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by micropterus58

If you are using straight or angled text you can adjust the spacing a little. Maybe resizing the font a little. This may work depending on what font you are using. If you only have the fonts that came with Windows then you have very little to choose from. Many of the fonts you have are italic, bold, condensed or combinations of these. Try a google search. You will find a bazillion fonts. Since you are making jerseys for CD, you may find some good script fonts. It's all up to his and your imaginations.



athletic fonts
https://www.1001fonts.com/athletic-fonts.html
https://www.fontspace.com/category/athletic

free fonts
https://www.google.com/search?client...67.RZ2s97Ip49o

I always use curved in a circle logo.

I do try to resize them using the justafan controls for text size... sometimes it works... sometimes not.

I am aware that there are free fonts available, but I have trouble installing in the Windows font folder... I am not good at zipping and unzipping files... have managed to get a few script fonts in the folder so I can access them from justafan's software... but the script fonts I get don't smoothly go together like the script fonts I see the logo designers use... mine are not joined together... there are small gaps between the letters.

What is the property procedure to download the free fonts?
I understand I have to download them to my computer... I think they are in a zipped file... how do I unzipped them... and how do I get them into the Microsoft fonts folder?

You are right... Microsoft has very few fonts that can be used for logos... 10-15 at most.

Appreciate any help you can give me.... I'm not very computer literate... so I need detailed instructions on the downloading and installion process... I know this is a lot to ask... I have tried on my own to download the free fonts, but they did not work well, if at all.

[the_mad_monk]

Zip files should open up automatically in Windows Explorer, but I use a secondary program (WinRAR) to manage archives.
Open the font.ttf file inside the zipped file and you should see a screen like below. Clicking the Install option should automatically install the font.
The ZIP file can then be deleted and the new font should be available in any/most Windows programs.

[Eugene Church]

Thanks, Mad Monk.

I'll give it a try and see if I get lucky.

Thank you very much for your help and advice.

Much appreciate it.

[albatross11]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Thanks, Mad Monk.

I'll give it a try and see if I get lucky.

Thank you very much for your help and advice.

Much appreciate it.

You're getting good advice here. You're making it (mentally) harder than it is. Human nature.
The file you want is the .ttf file. That's the file you want in your fonts folder. Nothing else. Like Microp & TMM said, unzip the downloaded font, get the .ttf file, put it in your fonts folder. That should be it. You can use any number of zip extraction programs. TMM gave you a good example/screenshot. I use a program called "ZIPEG". http://www.zipeg.com/. Very simple to use. It will create a folder in your Documents. The folder will be named with the name of the font. Open that folder, copy any .ttf files to your Fonts folder. Delete everything else. HTH

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by albatross11

You're getting good advice here. You're making it (mentally) harder than it is. Human nature.
The file you want is the .ttf file. That's the file you want in your fonts folder. Nothing else. Like Microp & TMM said, unzip the downloaded font, get the .ttf file, put it in your fonts folder. That should be it. You can use any number of zip extraction programs. TMM gave you a good example/screenshot. I use a program called "ZIPEG". http://www.zipeg.com/. Very simple to use. It will create a folder in your Documents. The folder will be named with the name of the font. Open that folder, copy any .ttf files to your Fonts folder. Delete everything else. HTH

Thanks for all the specifics.

Really appreciate all of you for helping me.

I feel like I have gotten some good info and advice... I will soon apply it.

Maybe one day soon I'll be able to made some pretty good logos, jerseys and caps.... for my league... and also if I can get good enough, maybe help some folks on the Graphics Forum with their requests.

[micropterus58]

EC, remember in Windows there are multiple ways to accomplish a task. So asking how to unzip a file will get you many answers. How to copy a file will get a few different solutions. I use Izarc and 7zip. Either one will "unzip" most files. Rarely I find a specific program must be used to extract the data. Ex use WinRar for a rar file. Yes, there are many different compression programs.



What I do is create a download folder. On your desktop or on a hard drive. Ex C:\downloads. Have your browser save to this folder. This works for Internet Explorer, MS Edge, Chrome and Firefox. Yes, more choices and more confusion. Download the font. It will be compressed. Using Izarc you can right click on Izarc/Extract Here. Go to the newly created folder and right click on the ttf file and click on Install. This will automatically install the font to the correct windows folder. Repeat for any other ttf files. Some fonts have the OTF extension, just do the same to install.


I use Izarc because it handles all files and is free. I use 7zip because it compresses to the smallest file size and is free. The previous advice was all good. Hopefully I consolidated the advice. As you can see there are many solutions to your problem.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by micropterus58

EC, remember in Windows there are multiple ways to accomplish a task. So asking how to unzip a file will get you many answers. How to copy a file will get a few different solutions. I use Izarc and 7zip. Either one will "unzip" most files. Rarely I find a specific program must be used to extract the data. Ex use WinRar for a rar file. Yes, there are many different compression programs.



What I do is create a download folder. On your desktop or on a hard drive. Ex C:\downloads. Have your browser save to this folder. This works for Internet Explorer, MS Edge, Chrome and Firefox. Yes, more choices and more confusion. Download the font. It will be compressed. Using Izarc you can right click on Izarc/Extract Here. Go to the newly created folder and right click on the ttf file and click on Install. This will automatically install the font to the correct windows folder. Repeat for any other ttf files. Some fonts have the OTF extension, just do the same to install.


I use Izarc because it handles all files and is free. I use 7zip because it compresses to the smallest file size and is free. The previous advice was all good. Hopefully I consolidated the advice. As you can see there are many solutions to your problem.

Thank you, micropterus58.

Sure do appreciate your reply and specific instructions.

I will attempt doing this this week.

I'm up-to-date on my IPA dynasty report...and have finished CD's 24 teams graphics.

Now I need to work on my own graphics... my Islandian Pro Alliance graphics need so updating and fixing.