LTR BitPull

BitPull is the answer to all outlined-bitmapped looking fonts. It allows users to tear outline-bitmapped characters apart, fold it along curves, stretch, scale and distort type in ways never thought possible, and all using existing applications. BitPull is a system that consists of one small application, very much like the scripter for FontFont SchulSchrift, and a series of outline fonts that have to be linked to the system like any other font.

The user types a text in some other program like Quark Xpress, Adobe Illustrator or Macromedia Freehand. Then copies it and opens the BitPuller. The Puller has a FontMenu that shows a series of LettError-designed bitmaps. These bitmaps will decide WHERE the pixels are going to be. The user chooses a bitmap, converts his text into BitPull-gibberish, copies the gibberish to the layout program and pastes it in. Then the line of gibberish is selected and set into one of the BitPull outline fonts. These fonts determine how the pixels will look. Every vertical line of pixels from the original bitmap previewed in the BitPuller is now translated into one character of the BitPull outline font. That means that one character converted into BitPullese looks something like *....". Because every column of pixels is now one character, putting the type on a round path in for instance illustrator makes the letterforms fold around the curves.

For BitPull we have developed several new font tricks as well. We have RandomFont-BitPull fonts that vary the place and shape of the pixels, (BitPull-VariRound) but still display a type 1 ATM compatible preview of the font. This technique is called piggy-backing. BitPull-VariRound shows round pixels that vary in size when printed on a PostScript printer. The dutch magazine MediaMatic ordered a special doormat version of BitPull.