ACOT Message Board

What is the difference between an alpha and a font?

I'm thinking when she says font, that she means what you can get off your computer, as opposed to stickers, thickers, and hand writing. Can someone confirm??

I've got a great example!!
this new product by Amy Teets is both a font & an alpha set.



See the text typed at the top of the preview image? That is a font. {a type set that your computer uses} Fonts at generally TTF files.
The Alpha set is a created alphabet, like stickers for example, more than just a font. This set actually uses the same font to create the alpha.

I think I understand, giving it a shot. Thanks!

Well, that's a good question!! I'm not sure of the "official" answer, but I can tell you how I differenciate!

Font: A file (.ttf or otherwise) that's stored on your computer, that contains many different letters and characters, that you enter into a layout in using the "Text" function. You can use it with many different programs (i.e. Word, Photoshop, Excel, etc). You can change the look of it at will without much hassle, and without having to actually change the words.

Alpha: A file, .jpg or .png that has each letter individually, that you can import into a program (photoshop for instance) individually.

Usually, an alpha may or may not be included as part of a digital scrapbook kit....a font can be downloaded from anywhere.

did that make any sense?!?!

The best way to tell the difference is a font is something you install on your computer and use your keyboard to type the text. An alpha is a graphic file that you access in your image editing program such as Photoshop, and you can add it to your layout just as you could any other digital element. You can't type an alpa with your keyboard.

I thought in that thread she had written the Alpha is like thickers or something and the font was like your handwriting...

yes, alpha also refers to paper scrapbooking alphas like stickers, chipboard, rub ons, etc. The term is mostly confused when given to digital scrappers because digi tends to use text a lot with their program.