Bingdat - Complete the Template

Quick and Easy Hints

If you don't like to read instructions, at least follow the following 7 tips when completing your templates.

Use a reasonably new BLACK pen. Avoid using a ballpoint pen as these can leave scratchy ink marks.
Don't draw or write outside the grid boxes or cross over any lines with your pen. This will cause problems.
The letter/number at the top of each cell will correspond to the character you press when using your font..
The 2 small marks on the left and right of each template box (cell) shows where the baseline will be. Any part of the dingbat/signature that you write below the marks will appear below the baseline on your font.
If you dont have enough dingbat ideas to complete both templates then simply complete use the first template. Don't upload the second template if you have not used it.
Erase all pencil marks if you have used pencil as a guide before inking.
Keep your paper clean and free from dots and dirt that you dont want to appear in the font.

If you have a short attention span, start drawing now. If you prefer to read a little more then see below.

Detailed Instructions

Choosing a pen.
Ideally you should select a BLACK pen with good consistent ink flow. Fine to medium point felt tipped or porous point pens work well. Avoid ball point pens if possible. If you wish to try using a pencil, use a very dark lead or alternatively increase the contrast when scanning or in an image editor before uploading scans. Try experimenting with different writing instruments if you prefer for some interesting effects.

Paper choice.
Use white unlined paper when printing. Ideally the paper should be reasonably smooth to prevent bleeding of the ink. Textured paper will create a rougher edged font however this may be desirable in some instances.

Complete only the cells you need.
Only characters that are drawn on your template will be included in your font. Unused characters will appear as a square box in your preview image after uploading. If you don't wish to use the second page of the template there is no need to upload it.

Positioning your Dingbats or Signatures on the template.
The template allows for up to 36 different dingbats/Signatures in a single font (18 per sheet). Remember you only have to fill in as many as you need. If you don't use Template 2, don't upload it. The cell location that you draw each dingbat will be the key you use to place that character into a document when using your font. For instance if you place a face in cell "a" then you would lose a lowercase "a" to insert a face into your document, or if you write your initials or signature in cell "b" then you would press "b" to insert that character.

Ideal Placement
All cells contain horizontal "baseline" guidelines. You will see two small marks at the left and right hand side of each cell. If you wish to have your dingbats/signatures sit on the baseline within your font, use these guides as an indicator. Areas of your characters that fall below the baseline will also appear below the baseline in your completed font. You may wish for this to be intentional in which case this is ok. Note how the house icon sits at the same level as the two small baselines guides at either side of the cell.

Alternative Placement
If you think of the baseline as the horizon line then it makes sense that you might want to add parts of the dingbat below the baseline as I have done in this image. The house sits on the horizon and the path extends below the baseline.

Experiment for FREE
REMEMBER, it costs nothing to experiment so if you make a mistake first time around and want to make changes after you preview the font (BEFORE purchasing), then feel free to upload a new template and try again. When you've drawn all characters you want to include in your font go to Step 3 and scan the completed template.

Fixing Problems
Even the most careful artist will make mistakes sometimes. Errors on the template can be fixed or reduced by the following methods:

Create a rough outline of your dingbats in a light lead pencil first, then ink in the lines with a pen. Erase pencil before scanning.
Start the template again from scratch.
Cut and paste digitally using an image editor such as Photoshop, Paintshop Pro or The Gimp (Free editor) etc.
Cut and paste using scissors and glue. Print another template sheet and draw your corrected characters, then physically cut them out and paste them into the page you are going to scan. Be sure to follow the tips below.

Cutting and Pasting Tips

	Problem: Cut and Paste Overlaps Grid Lines Ensure that your pasted piece of paper does not overlap any of the lines when pasting it down.
	Problem: Cut Section of Grid visible from "donor" template When you cut out your replacement piece of paper, ensure that you do not include any of the grid lines as shown in the problem to left.
	Problem: Shadow Lines After Scanning when Cutting and Pasting If your cut and pasted section of paper is showing visible edges (shadows) when scanned then you may need to re glue it a little firmer, use the back of your fingernail to press down the edges of the paper. You may also reduce the visible edges by scanning at a higher contrast setting or removing the shadow lines in an image editor.

Other Problems and Solutions

	Poor Ink flow If the lines of the dingbats/singatures appear scratchy or missing then this is usually a result of poor ink flow when using your pen. Try slowing down your strokes or swapping for a newer pen. Very light pencil strokes can also result in this characteristic after scanning and converting to a font. You may wish to intentionally have this effect in your font.
	Avoid Crossing Grid Lines Please ensure that you stay within the confines of each cell. Crossing over grid lines with your characters will cause problems with your font. I suggest also leaving a small gap between the edges of each cell and your character (about 2mm gap or the thickness of a match approx). Scans that are not straight will be more likely to cause problems if your characters are very close to the edges.
	Common mistakes with Signatures Crossing of gridlines most commonly occurs when a customer is writing their signature. The example to the left highlights a problem area in red. Be very careful to avoid similar situations and if you do make a mistake please rectify the problem before attempting to convert the template to a font.
	Erase Pencil Marks If you wish to use a pencil to create a rough tracing image for your inked dingbats please ensure that you erase all marks prior to scanning. Visible pencil marks as shown to the left may be picked up by the system so it is best to avoid this.
	Character Drawn Too High Use the baseline guides on either side of the cell when determining where to draw your dingbats. The example on the left will result in a character that sits much higher than baseline when the font is used. You may wish to intentionally use this method for effect but in most cases it should be avoided.
	Character Drawn Too Low Use the baseline guides on either side of the cell when determining where to draw your dingbats. The example on the left will result in a character that sits much lower than baseline when the font is used. You may wish to intentionally use this method for effect but in most cases it should be avoided.
	Pencil Not Dark Enough Whilst you can use a pencil we suggest using a dark lead. It is sometimes possible to fix the lack of a dark lead pencil simply by increasing the contrast level when scanning or in an image editor prior to uploading your scans.
	Printer or Scanner Problems If you are seeing additional lines in your scans or prints that should not be there then this may cause a problem when it comes to creating your font. If there are vertical dirty lines on your paper that don't fit the grid pattern this is usually a result of toner or ink problems. You may need to change your ink/toner or have the printer serviced. You could try using a friend's printer or alternatively attempt to remove the suspect lines with an image editor. If the lines only show after scanning then it is likely that your scanner has dirt on the scanning head. You could try cleaning the glass but generally it is dirt inside the scanner head itself which is the culprit. Try another scanner or clean in an image editor.
	Dirty Scanner Glass Hair and dirt on the glass will show up on your scans and may cause minor issues with your fonts such as unwanted dots. Use a glass cleaning cloth to clean the glass of your scanner. You may also wish to gently blow away any leftover dust. If you have marks on the paper itself that are causing problems, try an image editor to remove them digitally.

REMEMBER, it costs nothing to experiment so if you make a mistake first time around and want to make changes after you preview the font (BEFORE purchasing), then feel free to upload a new template and try again.

When you've drawn all characters you want to include in your font go to Step 3 and scan the completed template.