Ianal. There are many typefaces that are only subtly different. If you create a typeface from scratch (actually from scratch, not tracing an existing font) and give it a new name, it’s not going to exactly match an existing typeface so it isn’t going to be a copyright violation.
However, if you simply copy Helvetica and increase the default stroke width by 1 point, it’s going to be a copyright problem.
There’s a loophole about digital font files since parts of common font file formats are considered copyrightable computer programs, but the shape itself is not protected by copyright.
That’s interesting because about 30 years ago there was a big push for OpenType and other font systems with the story being Adobe owned fonts like Helvetica. It was explained that this was why Microsoft created Arial.
Ianal. There are many typefaces that are only subtly different. If you create a typeface from scratch (actually from scratch, not tracing an existing font) and give it a new name, it’s not going to exactly match an existing typeface so it isn’t going to be a copyright violation.
However, if you simply copy Helvetica and increase the default stroke width by 1 point, it’s going to be a copyright problem.
YMMV outside the US, but typeface is explicitly NOT copyrightable there at least: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-37/chapter-II/subchapter-A/part-202/section-202.1
There’s a loophole about digital font files since parts of common font file formats are considered copyrightable computer programs, but the shape itself is not protected by copyright.
Wikipedia has an article that includes some details from other jurisdictions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property_protection_of_typefaces
(If you really need to depend on it though, talk to a lawyer who specializes in IP law in the jurisdictions that you care about.)
That’s interesting because about 30 years ago there was a big push for OpenType and other font systems with the story being Adobe owned fonts like Helvetica. It was explained that this was why Microsoft created Arial.