We’re featuring template-based map typography in indiemapper, an idea borrowed from TypeBrewer that should make the process of choosing fonts and font styles for indiemapper-made maps quick and easy. We never like having to manually dig through long lists of fonts to find those that work best on maps, so decided to extend some additional typographic selection guidance that will hopefully benefit mapmakers.

Each typographic template in indiemapper consists of a set of “Web-safe” or freely-available fonts and font styles (e.g., colors, sizes, and letter spacing values), chosen by us in light of good cartographic design conventions and principles. Of course, all of your own fonts will be available to use as well, for when you feel the need to go out on your own! Using templates in indiemapper will also prevent those annoying missing font problems — wherever you make maps with indiemapper, template fonts will be there.

Special thanks to the typographers and type foundries who produced all of the great-looking, professional-quality, free fonts used in indiemapper:

Jos Buivenga’s exljbris Font Foundry:

1) Fontin

2) Fontin Sans

3) Delicious

http://www.josbuivenga.demon.nl/index.html

Steve Matteson at Ascender Corporation:

1) Liberation Serif

2) Liberation Sans

http://www.ascendercorp.com/fonts/liberation/

https://www.redhat.com/promo/fonts/

3) Droid Serif

4) Droid Sans

http://www.droidfonts.com/

http://android.git.kernel.org/?p=platform/frameworks/base.git;a=tree;f=data/fonts;hb=HEAD

Jim Lyles at Bitstream, Inc.

1) Bitstream Vera Serif

2) Bitstream Vera Sans

http://www.gnome.org/fonts/

Victor Gaultney at SIL International

1) Gentium

http://scripts.sil.org/cms/scripts/page.php?site_id=nrsi&item_id=Gentium

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