# Parametric type design in the era of variable and color fonts

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.07386 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.07386/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 0 of its 13 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 11 Feb 2025.

## Abstract (arXiv)

Parametric fonts are programatically defined fonts with variable parameters, pioneered by Donald Kunth with his MetaFont technology in the 1980s. While Donald Knuth's ideas in MetaFont and subsequently in MetaPost are often seen as legacy techniques from the pre-graphical user interface (GUI) era of type design, recent trends like variable fonts suggest a resurgence of certain principles. This paper explores a modern type design process built on parametric design principles, specifically using MetaPost. The author created two variable fonts with this method and released them under a free, open-source license. The paper details the methodology, workflow, and insights gained from this process.