Review: TypeStyler

TypeStyler 3.5.8
by Strider Software Inc.
http://www.typestyler.com/
(906) 863-7798
Full package $149.95
Download from net $119.95
Upgrade $89.95

Review by Gary Coyne

In 1989 I bought TypeStyler 2 and loved it even if I didn't have access to a color printer. In fact, I didn't even have a color monitor. But, I loved TypeStyler even if everything I saw was black or grey because I had total control on how I was warping, twisting, and (generally) messing around with text. I remember when TypeTwister came out, and I laughed because it was such a crude attempt of doing what I could do so easily with TypeStyler. Meanwhile, while updates to all the rest of my software came and went, no update to TypeStyler arrived because Broderbund (the original distributor for TypeStyler) dropped the product.

But, in 1996 word got out that TypeStyler 3 was in the works, and after a very long development and beta period, TypeStyler came out about a year ago. Now, over 10 years after I purchased v. 2, here is a report on v. 3.5.8

TypeStyler lets you screw up type. Literally! Below is a collection of effected type from Strider's web site:

Currently there are other programs that can manipulate text shape like TypeStyler such as Photoshop 6 and Illustrator (with the use of FILTERiT plug in), but what gives TypeStyler such power is that every aspect of not only the text, but the background, can be fine tuned to essentially infinite degrees. And, because you are always working with vector data, everything is always editable at any resolution.

From the basics: one can adjust the letter spacing (kerning) for blocks of text or between any two letters in particular. You can also adjust the spacing between words and the spacing between lines (leading). If you bring the letters so close together that they overlap, you can fuse them or have them overlap right to left or left to right.

As mentioned, you can twist and distort the text so that it is shaped like a fish, a flag, or wrapping around a cresent. There are 45 basic distortions and paths provided, but with each, one can go back and tweak the shape with bezier control. The text itself can be filled and both the inside and outside edge can be adjusted. To the left is a flag twist with black fill, red inline and blue outline and a shadow. Total work time is about 30 seconds.

To assist you, there are 70 pre-made styles for text, but you can create your own using fill and lining guides as above and a variety of stylized effects. These effects are created using the tools shown below-right:

Not only can TypeStyler work with text, but also the background for the text, called panels. A rectangular panel is shown on the topmost picture above. There are ten basic panel designs shown below, and each of these can go through the same 45 distortions as the text. Unfortunately, you cannot save a customized text or panel shape.

Using tools that are similar to those available in Adobe Illustrator, text and panels can be tweaked and altered to suit your needs. There are also paths (Uniting, Croping, Intersecting, etc., 8 in all) to effect text to text, panels to panels and text to panels.

There are many many other features. When you get this program, plan to just play with it for hours or (better yet) days. There is much to explore and experiment with.

There are so many features that it is easy to get intimidated by TypeStyler. Fortunately, Strider has offered a variety of ways to overcome feature-bloat. First off, as mentioned they have a variety of pre-made effects to select from that can be used for either the panels or text. But, on an even more base level, Strider offers over 100 pre-made pieces of TypeStyler art that you can customize.

[If you are new to this type of art, you owe it to yourself to check out the pre-made samples. It's very easy to get carried away and lose focus of your art. It's all too easy to want to throw the full kitchen of what TypeStyler can do sink at your first piece. That by itself is not a bad idea but just don't plan on using your first art piece.]

Probably the greatest advances and potentials in TypeStyler deal with the web. The good news is that you can easily create animations and rollovers within web pages. The bad news is that it is essentially not practical to create animations or rollovers for use in web pages you are creating in other programs. TypeStyler's web effects are primarily intended for use when you create entire web pages in TypeStyler. On the other hand, it is very easy to create the pieces as separate graphics for rollovers or animations to assemble in another program. Fortunately, you can export to all the primary formats including GIF, JPEG, Illustrator, Photoshop (with layers), EPS, TIFF and others. When exporting to a web graphic type, you do have the various feedback mechanisms to let you know the final size and transfer time of your creations.

Interestingly, TypeStyler uses the same grid structure as Adobe's GoLive by using the html "cool" attribute to help position the pieces of a web page in place on a grid. Although it's not all that difficult to create the full rollovers in TypeStyler, I found the grid a cumbersome burden when transferring the final buttons into GoLive. I found it easiest to create the various button states and save them as individual graphics and assemble them as rollovers in GoLive itself. However, if you wish to create an entire web page in TypeStyler, you might as well create the rollover in TypeStyler.

I have several small complaints that still persist from version 2. For example, the location of the buttons on the various dialog boxes changes from dialog box to dialog box. That is, on one window the OK button will be on the right and on the next window the OK button is on the left. I didn't like it in 1989 and I don't like it any better now. Not only is it an issue of hunting for a button, but TypeStyler often has windows that beget windows. This, by itself, is not bad, but you have to move the mouse all over the place to dismiss one window before dismissing the next window.

My other frustration with the new version is that you are still limited to only opening up one (work) window at a time. Thus, if you have something you are working on and want to grab part of a previous drawing, you need to close the drawing you are on, open up the old one, ... Well, you get the idea.

The manual is mostly good with decent explanations on how to perform various tasks, but occasionally it leaves you before it explains how to finish something. For example, on the section on how to make rollover web buttons, it doesn't tell you how to save them per se. As mentioned, you can't save individual rollovers, but the book doesn't say this and only leads you to creting entire web pages. Similarly, one of the other features of the program is that you can place graphic images (like photos of beach scenes or wood grain) into panels and text. You can import your own graphics, but the manual doesn't say what format the images need to be saved in.

The program recommends 36 MB of RAM, and a full instillation is about 30 MB of hard drive space. In addition, Strider Software provides 110 Bitstream fonts in both TT and T1 format. My only complaint with the instillation is that 20 of these Bitstream fonts are automatically placed in your Font Folder with no option to place this folder anywhere else on your HD. For users of Font Reserve, Suitcase, etc., one then needs to drag the Bitstream folder out of your Fonts Folder and then install the fonts in the manner that works best for your system. Strider Software's motive is good, because these fonts are used in their collection of pre-made TypeStyler artwork mentioned earlier, but the execution is not.

In short, whether for print or the web, TypeStyler is the best program available for manipulating text in artistic fashions. If you try to perform the same artistic and creative techniques using Illustrator, Freehand, or Photoshop, you will soon be longing for the ease of use, depth, and total control of TypeStyler. Strider Software has an extended 60 day demo version of TypeStyler available on its web site. If the capabilities of TypeStyler intrigue you, you owe it to yourself to check it out.