Abstract: Character forming method and apparatus are provided. Font data is stored. The conditions to develop the stored font data are stored. An area to develop the font data is reserved in a memory in accordance with the stored conditions. The font data is developed in the area reserved. The font data is vector information. The condition to develop the font data is that the data is either one of the outline data, shadow data, and filler data. The bit map patterns of filler pattern, outline pattern, and shadow pattern are formed in accordance with the developed font data and are individually stored.

Abstract: This invention offers a font processor which performs thinning processing, standard processing and bolding processing in outline font according to a resolution level of an output apparatus. According to this invention, a rasterizer generates a raster image in a first area from the outline font, which is stored in a font memory. An outline producer produces an outline image in a second area according to an outline width, which is determined by an outline width determiner. An operation unit makes an logical operation of the raster image and the outline image, and generates an thinned or bolded raster image.