Bug 514661

Summary: "Synthesize Bold" not working on variable front
Product: [Applications] krita Reporter: C. Shen <pentalimbed>
Component: Tool/TextAssignee: Krita Bugs <krita-bugs-null>
Status: REPORTED ---    
Severity: normal CC: info
Priority: NOR    
Version First Reported In: nightly build (please specify the git hash!)   
Target Milestone: ---   
Platform: Microsoft Windows   
OS: Microsoft Windows   
Latest Commit: Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description C. Shen 2026-01-15 18:05:23 UTC 
SUMMARY
When using certain variable fonts, setting weights above their internal limit will not make them thicker, even when "Synthesize Bold" is toggled.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Download and install this font: https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Playwrite+DE+SAS
2. Create a text
3. Set font weight to >400

OBSERVED RESULT
The font weight will look the same as 400

EXPECTED RESULT
The text should look thicker

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Windows 11
Krita 5.3.0-prealpha (git 38b517c)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Also happens on 5.2.x. Changing the font weight in SVG source code resulted in correct thickness within the preview window, but the text on canvas is rendered incorrectly.
Comment 1 Wolfgang Baer 2026-02-01 10:10:39 UTC 
I don't condider this a bug but intended behaviour:

If a variable font has a weight attribute with a value going from e.g. 200 to 400 than those are the limits. Sythesize Bold is not doing anything in this case. That is the idea of variable fonts. They provide a dynamic weight so that the software does not need to calculate a faux bold appearence.
If, on the other hand, one is using a static font, then the Sythesize Bold or faux bold comes into play. The software can then create one artificial bold weight.
The challenge is creating a UI that reflect this. In Krita the weight slider and the Synthesize checkbox are editable in both cases which can give the impression that both are valid settings for both types of fonts. Normally there is B button that is activating the faux bold for static fonts and a weight slider for variable fonts. In Krita this is not the case. To get the faux bold one need to activate the Synthezise checkox and move the weight slider above some kind of hidden threshold to get the faux bold to kick in.
But this is something happening in other software as well. The mix of static and variable fonts opens so many variable possibilities that the UIs often can't keep up with the complexity.