Although most of JY&A Fonts' typefaces have been conceived by in-house staff, we're open to designs from independent designers all over the world. We're always on the lookout for typefaces that are expressive and have that extra something.
   First, a JY&A Fonts typeface does not have to be a text typeface, nor does it have to be conservative. We welcome display types as much as text types. Second, we encourage designers to push the envelope.
   We don't mind people who submit fonts that are in the same categories as our existing offerings. Admittedly, however, there is a bias toward typefaces in categories which JY&A Fonts hasn't explored. (In fact, this is a good strategy for submitting to our competitors, too: look at what they lack and try to fill in the niches—although don't go too way out, e.g. sending a grunge font to people like us or a formal typeface to [T-26].) We're particularly keen on display types, monospaced and sans serif designs right now.
   And we're always keen on new interpretations of 'elegant' and 'timeless': there's still plenty of room to reinterpret these words and come up with something novel.

Media
We accept typefaces either as printouts, PDFs, FOGs or PostScript Type 1 files. Printouts should have the word 'Hamburgefonts' in upper and lower case and then again in all caps. PostScript Type 1 files should, generally, be accompanied by information about the designer and printouts if being physically sent.

There are some things we don't condone. We have a small set of rules—in fact, most font foundries abide by them. The main reason is protecting original designers. If you're a typeface designer, you'll be glad that many foundries have these rules to protect the work you've put in.
   We find that most JY&A Fonts buyers and visitors don't ever break these rules, but for those who are unclear about where the lines are drawn, we offer our guide to font industry no-nos. And some who do break them are simply ill-informed rather than crooks (who have an intention to break the rules). So if you're not sure where you stand, we suggest you read our little guide.

Piracy
We class the theft of others' font data and passing them off as your own as piracy. We also will not accept typefaces which have simply been renamed. Third, typefaces which have been "filtered" through font-editing programs (e.g. loaded and regenerated several times through one or more programs) or resized in a font editor, are also illegal under international copyright treaties, when you don't have the permission of the copyright holder. In these cases, the copyright owner is alerted immediately.

Copying of designs
We support organizations such as TypeRight because they attempt to give protection to designers. Therefore, we will not accept typeface designs which have been copied. We believe this is ethically and morally wrong. There is a narrow exception for revivals.

Revivals
Revivals are a grey area. Obviously, a designer has to copy from an existing model in order to revive it. The requirements here are: (a) the latest copyright owner of the typeface be deceased for more than 75 years and that the copyright is no longer current; (b) you have prepared the revival from original artwork and not from an existing digital typeface; (c) the revived typeface must offer something "new" in today's typographic palette. Exceptions to (a) apply if you are the current copyright owner of the design or you have the copyright owner's express permission.

Derivative fonts
Most end-user licence agreements (EULAs) have a provision where fonts cannot be derived from the existing data. Therefore, JY&A Fonts will not accept fonts which have been derived from others' when they are governed by such a provision. You must first seek the copyright owner's permission or licence first if you want to submit such a typeface to us. However, we welcome designs which have been derived from your own original work.

Mixing two fonts to create a new one
There is a trend today, particularly with deconstructed typefaces, to mix two types. We are uncomfortable with this, particularly if the origins are evident in the final work. As with derivative fonts, we welcome "font mixing" when it involves works which you created from scratch, or where a licence or permission have been sought from the original works' copyright owners.

Taking points out of existing fonts
What about a corner or a curve out of an existing typeface? Would this be classed as copying? To us, if you need to take a single curve or a corner out of a letter or two, then the typeface probably isn't worth looking at! You'll probably spend less time creating the curve or corner from scratch than taking it out of someone else's work! But if you have to, then the judgement will be on whether the original typeface can be "detected" from the curves or corners you've taken. Exceptions apply, as usual, if you're taking the parts out of your own creations.

JY&A Fonts
Jack Yan & Associates
PO Box 14-368, 13 Mamari Street
Wellington 6041
New Zealand

Fax 64 4 387-3213
Email us using the feedback form here