Typecast promises new font possibilities

Belfast design firm Front has revealed some of the ways in which Typecast, its in-progress browser-based app, will provide designers with the means to create "accurate and standards-based typography on the web".

A prototype was showcased last month; today, Typecast provided a hint into that future, explaining how it would make designing with web fonts easier.

First and foremost, Typecast will enable you to experiment with fonts from leading online font providers Typekit, Fontdeck, Fonts.com and Google Fonts.

"You can design with their fonts even if you don't have an account with the service. Just sign up and pay for the fonts you use before adding them to your site," says the post. In the public beta, the selection is curated, but it should expand based on feedback and requests.

The online app promises to offer control without complexity. "You can design by eye, adjusting properties like line-height and letter-spacing visually. It's simple to try different font combinations, achieve great vertical rhythm and develop a beautiful colour palette."

This should eradicates two big problems for some designers: dealing with the mathematics involved when working up grids based on text sized in ems, and being able to experiment without constantly refreshing a browser.

The post finishes by noting the app will provide ready-to-go HTML and CSS but also document font choices in a style guide — handy for clients and when working in teams.

Typecast should be in public beta early next month, and the team is looking for further feedback via Twitter.