GNU FreeFont
Design notes

FreeSerif

FreeSerif is a proportional-width typeface with modulated stroke, descending from URW++ Nimbus Roman No9, which in turn descends from Times.

Regular weight

ascent800
descent200
x-height450
cap height662
italic angle (italic)-15.5°
stem width102

Bold weight

ascent800
descent200
x-height450
cap height676
italic angle (italic)-15.5°
stem width (capitals)162, 159 (U), 155 (M)
stem width (small letters)139

Superscripts and subscripts

Superscript and subscript numerals (in the U+2070-U+208F range) are scaled 60.0% of their regular height and 64.9% of their regular width, while their stroke width is 94 units, or 95/145 ≈ 64.9% of its regular value. Baseline for superscripts is at 275 units, baseline for subscripts is at -200 units.

FreeSans

FreeSans is a proportional-width typeface with uniform stroke, descending from URW++ Nimbus Sans L, which in turn descends from Helvetica.

Regular weight

ascent800
descent200
x-height450
cap height729
italic angle (oblique)-12°
stem width (regular; capital letters)94
stem width (regular; small letters)84
height of minus sign (centre)276

Some modular widths are

191quotesingle
222i, j, l
278space, exclam, period, slash, I, f, t
333parenleft, parenright, hyphen, r, dieresis, macron, acute
500J, c, k, s, v, x, y, z
556numbersign, dollar, all numerals, L, underscore, a, b, d, e, g, h, n, o, p, q, u
584plus, less, equal, greater, asciitilde
611T, Z
667A, B, E, K, P, S, V, X, Y
722C, D, H, N, R, U, w
778O, Q
833M, m
889percent
944W

Bold weight

ascent800
descent200
x-height450
cap height729
italic angle (oblique)-12°
stem width (bold; capital letters)150
stem width (bold; small letters)140
height of minus sign (centre)276

Superscripts and subscripts

Superscript and subscript numerals (in the U+2070-U+208F range) are scaled 60.0% of their regular height and 64.3% of their regular width, while their stroke width is 95 units, or 95/140 ≈ 68% of its regular value. Baseline for superscripts is at 284 units, baseline for subscripts is at -200 units.

FreeMono

FreeMono is a fixed-width typeface with uniform stroke, descending from URW++ Nimbus Mono L, which in turn descends from Courier.

Regular weight

ascent800
descent200
width600
x-height (regular)417
cap height (regular)563
italic angle (oblique)-12°
stroke width (regular)40 or 41
height of minus sign (centre)279-282

Small capitals

Small capitals (in the IPA Extensions range) are 88% width and 74% height of their regular counterparts, while preserving the same stroke width (41 units).

Superscripts and subscripts

Superscript and subscript numerals (in the U+2070-U+208F range) are scaled 58% of their regular height and width, while their stroke width is 87% of the regular (36 units).

Symbols

While stroke width for letters varies between 40 and 41 units, it has been set uniformly to 40 points for symbols.

Bold weight

ascent800
descent200
width600
x-height (bold)437
cap height (bold)583
italic angle (oblique)-12°
stroke width (regular)40 or 41
height of minus sign (centre)279-282

Small capitals

Small capitals (in the IPA Extensions range) are 88% width and 74% height of their regular counterparts, while preserving the same stroke width (100 units).

Superscripts and subscripts

Superscript and subscript numerals (in the U+2070-U+208F range) are scaled 61% of their regular height and width, while their stroke width is 67% of the regular (67 units).

Symbols

While stroke width for letters is 100 units, it has been set 84 points for symbols.


Primož Peterlin
update by Steve White stevan.white@googlemail.com
Last update: $Date: 2013/04/24 09:44:22 $