Fonts when Printing- help needed

jammythebirb 2017-11-29 18:34:07 UTC #1

Hey everyone, I could really use some help/advice on this. I'm getting ready to print the first arc of my comic using Lulu, but I've realised that I need to be careful, and make sure it's legal to use the fonts I want to include, those being Times New Roman, Century, and Poor Richard. I've been trying to look up what the licenses of these fonts are, what they mean or what they allow, but it's very hard to find concrete information about printed stuff. I don't mind paying to use the fonts if I need to, I just have no idea even how or where to! I'd much rather pay to use the fonts than change them, as in some cases there's a lot of work to do, and I like how these look.

Could someone help me work out if it's legal for me to use these fonts in printed books, or how to get the rights to? I'm so worried about messing up in someway and really regretting it later! Thanks a ton!

joannekwan 2017-11-29 18:54:31 UTC #2

The best info I can find is here. So assuming you're using the fonts that came with your computer that you purchased, their licenses go to you and you may use the fonts in your work.

Desktop and Print Licensing

A desktop or print font license is a basic, standard font license that applies to most of the typefaces that come on your computer or with any other software you install. This license allows you to use the font on your computer and use it to make static images, such as designing something for print. This applies to everything from posters to t-shirts to business cards to mugs.

It only gets iffy if you as a designer are designing like a logo for a client in which they will use commercially as their own branding as then the font is then passed out of your hands/your license to use it.

Anyone who knows more can correct me if I'm wrong.

Shanny8 2017-11-29 20:41:42 UTC #3

Most fonts that came with your computer-Times New Roman, for example, are legal to be printed in your comic(they wouldnt have been pre-installed if you couldnt use them). Now if you have purchased a font, then in most cases you've bought licensing that allows you to use the font for commercial purposes(i.e., printing)- unless specified.