Specifics of Font copyrights?

Question

I'm not sure how font copyrights work...

If I hand-draw lettering based on a font I found online (to title an illustrated story for publication), Is this against copyright laws? I mean, I'm not actually typing with the actual font, just referencing it as I hand-draw the lettering.
Is doing this any different from, say, drawing a TV cartoon character for spoofing purposes?

Answer 1

the typeface needs to look only slightly different than the original. Bodoni alone has about ten trillion versions. Although the rights are surely owned by one company, there are many that have slightly altered it:
Bauer
bodoni BE
Bodoni antiqua
Filosofia...

Also, think about the typefaces that look like helvetica, such as arial. There is also Univers, swiss, ag schoolbook and countless others (a graphic designer can easily tell these apart, but for all intents and purposes, they're very very similar)

Zuzana Licko, a famous typographer, actually quite often modifies classic typefaces and modernizes them. You have nothing to worry about.

you just don't want to USE the actual typeface without purchasing it for commercial gains, then you would be screwed.

Answer 2

If the font you copied is excactly the same, you cannot us it if you don't have permission,
tip: you can make som little but significant changes to avoid this (you are hand drawing it any way, so might as well make some changes)

Answer 3

If it's hand drawn it's probably fine. You can always look up the font and see what its copyright/usage info is, if there is any.

Answer 4

in case you acquire it legally for loose from the internet, then this is going to be fantastic. bear in mind that categorical activities communities and different agencies have their very own fonts. as lengthy as you're no longer utilising considered one of those, you would be fantastic.

Answer 5

Mocking a typeface is totally fine.