Pixel Joint Forum: WIP 4x4 pixel font

Message

   So I started making a 4 pixel by 4 pixel font with the goal of having every letter be of equal height and width, Here's what I have so far. Just looking for critiques on readability and any alternatives. I'm still alittle shaky on some letters (lower case 'g' , upper case 'M' and 'W', and the 'Y' 'y' and 'V' 'v')

row 1: A a B b C c D d E e F f G g H h I i

row 2: J j K k L l M m N n O o P p Q q R r

row 3: S s T t U u V v W w X x Y y Z z . ,

row 4:   [ ] ( ) ^ < > ! ? " ' ; : ~ & @ *

row 5: | _ \ % + - / = 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

x1 size:

x4 size:

Edited by jambox_josh - 25 April 2014 at 10:17am

Author	Message
jambox_josh Midshipman Joined: 12 May 2019 Online Status: Offline Posts: 78	Topic: WIP 4x4 pixel font Posted: 25 April 2014 at 10:16am
	So I started making a 4 pixel by 4 pixel font with the goal of having every letter be of equal height and width, Here's what I have so far. Just looking for critiques on readability and any alternatives. I'm still alittle shaky on some letters (lower case 'g' , upper case 'M' and 'W', and the 'Y' 'y' and 'V' 'v') row 1: A a B b C c D d E e F f G g H h I i row 2: J j K k L l M m N n O o P p Q q R r row 3: S s T t U u V v W w X x Y y Z z . , row 4: [ ] ( ) ^ < > ! ? " ' ; : ~ & @ * row 5: \| _ \ % + - / = 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 x1 size: x4 size: Edited by jambox_josh - 25 April 2014 at 10:17am
	IP Logged

shark jacobs Seaman Joined: 25 April 2014 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4	Posted: 25 April 2014 at 1:32pm
	I kinda feel like that big Z doesn't fit in, its looks so skinny compared with everything else
	IP Logged

jambox_josh Midshipman Joined: 12 May 2019 Online Status: Offline Posts: 78	Posted: 25 April 2014 at 1:35pm
	I agree, It was just hard to find another unique shape (that wasn't '2') unless I just mirror 'S' here's an update. I also tweaked some numbers as I didn't realize how awful '4' '6' and '7' were for readability. fixed w/o (hopefully) ruining the "Chunky" style EDIT: i should also note I'm having a really tough time getting a Currency symbol to work '$' Edited by jambox_josh - 25 April 2014 at 1:48pm
	IP Logged

jalonso Admiral Joined: 29 November 2022 Online Status: Offline Posts: 13537	Posted: 25 April 2014 at 1:54pm
	I have no comments really but do want to commend you for attempting a 4px font. Its a very challenging size because its an even px height.
	PJs FAQ <•> Sticky Reads
	IP Logged

jambox_josh Midshipman Joined: 12 May 2019 Online Status: Offline Posts: 78	Posted: 25 April 2014 at 2:07pm
	yeah, I'm trying to do stuff like this to really maximize all the space I'm given. it started as a challenge to myself to make the smallest possible font that was still readable. I started with 6x6 (really easy), 4x6, then 5x5, then 3x5. Once I got to 4x4 I was playing around with some letters and really liked the 'chunky' cube-like look, so I started expanding to do both caps and lower case, punctuation, and numbers. I'm almost certain I won't be going any smaller unless I start integrating multiple colors into the palette, with shading I could maybe get a 3x3 or 3x4 to work :P
	IP Logged

jambox_josh Midshipman Joined: 12 May 2019 Online Status: Offline Posts: 78	Posted: 25 April 2014 at 2:27pm
	Just to show what I mean here's what I had done on a 3x3: (magnified for your viewing pleasure)
	IP Logged

showtime Commander Joined: 14 May 2020 Online Status: Offline Posts: 105	Posted: 25 April 2014 at 9:13pm
	Interesting challenge! Reminds me of this font by onek.
	IP Logged

jambox_josh Midshipman Joined: 12 May 2019 Online Status: Offline Posts: 78	Posted: 01 May 2014 at 1:52pm
	*Originally posted by showtime* Interesting challenge! Reminds me of this font by onek. This Blew my mind. I'm giving up on tiny fonts now. freaking subpixels!
	IP Logged

showtime Commander Joined: 14 May 2020 Online Status: Offline Posts: 105	Posted: 01 May 2014 at 8:34pm
	I didn't mean to discourage you! Just thought you would appreciate it.
	IP Logged

Hapiel Rear Admiral Joined: 30 June 2023 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3266	Posted: 02 May 2014 at 6:00am
	Nice stuff! Some comments and opinions: A lot of the small letters have more black around them than the capital letters... I can imagine in the end it might be much more readable if all the capital letters pop out extra dark even if that means they are 'smaller' than their non-cap version... Also, the small letters are often really unreadable! This is of course an issue since the small letters will be used much more than the capital letters! I made an edit where all the caps are bold and all the non-caps are thin. Left is yours, right is mine. Top row is non caps, middle caps first letter and bottom all caps. EDIT: Oops, I see my small L is not 4 px wide, but neither is yours... Edited by Hapiel - 02 May 2014 at 6:02am
	IP Logged

WIP (Work In Progress)
Pixel Joint Forum : Pixel Art : WIP (Work In Progress)