How to Install Fonts (Mac)
1. First, download the font! Once downloaded, you’ll need to access your browser downloads the same way you would any other download. You’ll want to save the files to your computer — the easiest way would be to drag to your desktop. My font files (.otf, .ttf, and web font files) are zipped up together. You’ll need to extract the files first. This should be a simple double click on the zipped up file, and confirming any dialog boxes that pop up.
2. Once the folder is unzipped, it’ll reveal the contents I previously mentioned. I provide various formats for your convenience, but you will only need to install a single file. I would recommend the .otf file for installation. Double-click the file, or right click on the file so that the menu appears. (Image below of the right click option!) Select Font Book when it appears from the Open With menu.
3. FontBook will pop up with a little window for installation. Click the “Install” button. Similarly, you can copy/paste the font file directly into your computer’s font folder. Command+Shift+C will bring up your computer. Double-click Macintosh HD (or whatever your hard drive is named), then double-click the Library folder. Within the Library folder, you’ll find the Fonts folder. Paste the font files in this folder.
You can check out a quick video here if you’d like to see how easy installing a font is on a Mac!
How to Install Fonts (Pc)
1. First, download the font! Once downloaded, you’ll need to access your browser downloads the same way you would any other download. You’ll want to save the files to your computer — the easiest way would be to drag to your desktop. My font files (.otf, .ttf, and web font files) are zipped up together. You’ll need to extract the files first. This should be a simple double click on the zipped up file, and confirming any dialog boxes that pop up.
2. Once the folder is unzipped, it’ll reveal the contents I previously mentioned. I provide various formats for your convenience, but you will only need to install a single file. I would recommend the .otf file for installation. Double-click the file, or right click on the file so that the menu appears. (Image below of the right click option!)
3. For a Windows machine, you can right click the font file, and then select “Install” from the menu that pops up. You can also copy/paste them into your computer’s font folder. That can be accessed by your Start Menu > Control Panel > Appearance and Themes > Fonts. Simply paste them in there!
4. You can view the font in the Character Map. With your font installed on your machine, you should be able to access it through any program that utilizes your computer’s fonts — Photoshop, Illustrator, or even Word or Pages. Yes, my fonts will work for your vinyl cutting programs, too, like Cricut or Silhouette! Not showing up for you? Restarting your machine might solve that issue!
Bonus: What’s with the font files you provide?
I provide five different files for each font: .otf, .ttf, and three webfont files: .eot, .woff, and .woff2.
What should you install? Well, I’d recommend the .otf. You don’t need to install the .otf *and* .ttf unless you really want to. .ttf is an older font file type — it stands for TrueTypeFont. .otf is a newer type, standing for OpenTypeFont.
While both types include all of the same goodies, the .otf version can automatically make certain replacements that are programmed into the font, rather than needing to hunt it down — things like ligatures, for example, that can sneak right in as you’re typing so that it looks as awesome as possible.
If you’re cool with hunting things down manually for certain things, by all means — install the .ttf!
Why do you provide it, then, if it’s not as awesome? Simply put, some programs need the .ttf. If you’re running one of those programs, you’ll know. As for web fonts, you’ll only need to worry about those if you plan to use my fonts on your website — you’ll need to upload/install those on the backend.
Bonus #2: OpenType Features
If you need help accessing the goodies — like ligatures, swashes, and alternate characters — I’ve got a blog post about that, too! Check it out here!
And, if you’re interested in the Spring Market font shown in this post, you can find it here, along with a selection of cursive fonts & other rustic fonts.