a challenge to the font masters: Arabic

[CherokeeDesign 0]

I'm really impressed with the knowledge here, you guys always seem to guess any font no matter what it is.  I hope this is the right forum, if not, I apologize in advance.  Here is a challenge:

I have a job at a local grocery store here, the window is currently done in paint, and it's coming off.  The owner is eager to get it done, she said she's had complaints I don't know if from the city or the building landlord.  I've got the materials and everything ready to go, with the exception of most of the writing is done in Arabic.

I realize it's technically not a "font" question, but the other forums seem more graphic oriented.  Does anyone read/write/translate Arabic that could offer any help?  I had someone on another forum take a try at it, I have a rough translation of:

"In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful".

"Abo Ali Grocery store"

"Everything you need for your home"

I downloaded a traditional Arabic font, but now I need to get that text into the proper characters.  I tried an online translator and the owner said it wasn't 100% correct.  We're having a bit of a communication difficulty, I'm not sure that she understands that I need a font that I can type this with, and that I'm not just going to copy them freehand.  She's a real nice lady and asked about additional work, so I really want to get this done correctly and soon.

Any help would REALLY be appreciated, thank you in advance for any consideration.  Sorry about the glare in the pics, it's on a busy street, no awning, etc, it was the best I could do.

[mark-s 1,126]

First you need to know what dialect, then do a search on the net.

mark-s

[mars 45]

Good luck - I'd be interested to hear how you come out.  Just a thought, The signage on the window now appears hand drawn. If they can get you the words in a handwritten form you should be able to scan it in and trace it and make it the size you need.

-Mike

[TruckDriver 0]

Hey, just saw this thread.  I'm in Iraq right now (US Air Force) working with the Iraqi's (training them).  Let me know if you still need that translated, I know they will be more than happy to help.  I'm actually making some signs for their new building!

If you want, I can have them type it in Arabic on a word document, and I can send it to you.

...Out...

[mars 45]

I am going to expose my ignorance.  How are words composed in arabic?  Is it a matter of spelling it correctly - just using characters from that font - or is it more like what I imagine is used in chinese pictographs - adding small features to strokes to change the meaning completely?  I'm sorry I am not able to offer help,  but I don't know enough yet.

I do have an old DOS wordprocessing program called NotaBene that has a module to do wordprocessing in arabic, but I haven't ever used that part of it.  If I can understand what you need and how to enter the words I would be willing to fire it up and see what the output looks like.  But, I'm guessing if you have the font and modern design programs you can do it more easily.

-Mike

[CherokeeDesign 0]

Mike-

Yes, the window is currently handwritten.  I went back earlier and there was a guy in there that she said was a teacher, and he wrote it all out on paper.  I did import it into Inkscape, but it's written in ballpoint pen so I don't know if I'll be able to pull a trace.  I experimented with using the calligraphy brush over it.  He wrote 2 versions of everything:  the text as she wants it, and then the text as individual letters.  The best I can compare it to, is that the text as she wants it is like cursive, and the individual letters are like printing...they're noticably different.  So what I had hoped would have given me the answers, I'm actually somewhat more confused.  I called a local translation place and they quoted me $60, which is the exact amount that I quoted for the window.

outbreak-

Thanks, that would be awesome, I sent you an IM.  I have attached the paper I was given this morning.  Thank you for your service and I would be happy to offer whatever I can in return, while you are deployed.

[CherokeeDesign 0]

Hi, Mike-

I understand very little about it.  I did some research online last night, and been to the library this morning.  From what little I have learned so far, it is written/read from right to left vs. how English is left to right.  My understanding is each character represents a letter, I don't *think* that there's any characters that represent entire words like Chinese characters (as an aside and somewhat off the subject, written Cherokee is in what they call a "syllabry", which means there are no individual letters, each symbol is for a syllable...like in English, the word "hello" would have just 2 symbols, which is the only other language that I am familiar with besides English).  Then, there are different variations on the Arabic letters depending on where they are located in the word.  I'm assuming it's like English where if you start a word with the letter "L", it's capitalized, but you would use the letter "l" if it's in the middle of the word.  However they also have a 3rd version if the word ends with the letter, so it would be like "L", "l", and "l".

As Mark mentioned there are different dialects, but my understanding is that most use Modern Standard Arabic in the written form...maybe it's comparable to different regional accents/dialects (north/south, city/rural, but all still read/write English) in the US, but I don't know.  I also don't know what the different accent marks mean.

I found an Arabic character picker online, where I can point and click on individual letters, then I'm supposed to be able to copy and paste them, but my experiments didn't work in Sign Blazer.  I would copy/paste then it would print as "???" even using the Arabic font that I downloaded.  It did seem to work in Inkscape, so I might have to do my layout in that, and export it as an .eps and hopefully that works.  Otherwise, I guess the worst case scenario is that I would just try to mimic the text using a brush tool, but I really don't want to do that. 

I'm about to leave to go back over there, I think I have about 2/3's of it done.  I have a couple books from the library that I hope we can figure out the rest, letter by letter.  I really don't want to do that, I hope I'm not coming across as dumb or unprofessional, but I don't know what else to do.

Thank you for the offer of the wordprocessing, hopefully I will know by this afternoon if I can do this as is, otherwise I may have to take you up on it.

Thanks for the info,

Robert

[TruckDriver 0]

Here, try this.  I would print it out and take it to her first.

...Out...

arabic.doc

arabic.doc

[CherokeeDesign 0]

Here, try this.  I would print it out and take it to her first.

...Out...

You sir, are the man.  I printed that and took it over, and she said it's perfect. 

I'm going to cut it and go do it, and will post pics when I'm done.  Thanks so much.

[CherokeeDesign 0]

8:30pm and just got finished.     everything that could have gone wrong, did.  ran out of vinyl, my cutter acted up, and I put it up in the rain.  I'll post a pic tomorrow.  thanks again for everything.

Here it is on a bright Saturday morning.

[TruckDriver 0]

Looks GREAT!