Multiple Master fonts

The Multiple Master technology is a variation on the Type 1 font format. Like Type 1 fonts, Multiple Master fonts are outline fonts: changing their size does not affect the output quality. Unlike regular Type 1 fonts, Multiple Master fonts offer a unique advantage: they offers users the freedom to create an unlimited number of variations of a font. Instead of having to use a font in a fixed number of variations, usually based on weight (e.g. light & heavy), style (e.g. italic) or width (e.g. condensed & wide), a user can specify his own variations within Multiple Master fonts. These variations are called instances.

Creating instances is done by modifying the font along one or more design axes. So if a Multiple Master font allows a user to define the width, this width can be changed and adapted to the layout. Users do not have to do these modifications themselves as MM fonts ship with a number of predefined instances. If a user wants to create another instance, this can either be done through a tool like Adobe Type Manager or directly within a limited number of applications. Some, like QuarkXPress and PageMaker, offer this functionality through the use of a plug-in (or xtensions as QuarkXPress users know them). Only Adobe Illustrator 7 and later have direct built-in support for Multiple Master fonts, allowing you to modify Multiple Master fonts using a simple slider.

The Multiple Master technology offers a number of advantages over other types of fonts:

• Custom-width fonts can help solve text-column justification problems. Spreadsheet applications generate custom instances of fonts to do a better job of fitting text into constrained areas.
• Graphic designers can create logotypes and advertising designs based on transformations and flexibility.
• Multiple Master fonts offer the ability to generate a version of a character that is optically correct for the size at which it will be viewed. In the age of metal type, character design and spacing were adjusted for the point size of the font. Smaller size fonts typically had proportionally wider spacing, heavier stems and serifs, and less contrast between thick and thin strokes than larger size fonts. With Multiple Master fonts, this refinement is also available in digital fonts. To accomplish this, the Multiple Master font must contain one set of outlines designed for use at small sizes and one for use at large sizes.
• Multiple Master fonts can be used to emulate typeface (that might not be present on the system or embedded in documents), provided the missing font’s metrics data are available. Adobe ships two Multiple Master fonts with Acrobat so missing fonts in PDF files can be emulated.

Multiple Master fonts can contain up to 4 different axes. Usually, one or two design axes are used. The most common ones are

• Weight: from light to bold
• Width: from condensed to extended
• Optical size: from text font to display font

In some Multiple Master fonts, designers have used other criteria. One of the most famous Multiple Master fonts around is the ‘porn font’ MoveMeMM, created by Luc(as) de Groot. It gradually changes characters into erotic shapes and is a good example of the flexibility of the Multiple Master technology.

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