These emphasis markings appear as macros within the context of a \handnote's <content>. Thus, when they constitute the complete content of a given \handnote, they may be freely rotated using the <angle> parameter of \handnote. The use of varying <thickness-scale>s and <width>s allows for repetition of emphasis markings to be avoided.
Also EDITED so that the <content> of \handnote is now top-aligned to the specified vertical coordinate given by <y from top>.
Here is the MWE. The emphasis markings are summarized on page 2 (EDITED to account for LaTeX kernel changes on 2018.12.1):
\documentclass{book}
\usepackage{lipsum,stackengine,scalerel,xcolor,emerald,rotating}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\def\PageTopMargin{1in}
\def\PageLeftMargin{1in}
\newcommand\atxy[3]{%
\AddToHookNext{shipout/background}{\put(#1,-\dimexpr#2 ){#3}}}
\newcommand\handnote[6][0]{\atxy{#2}{#3}{\rotatebox{#1}{\parbox[t]{#4}{%
\raggedright\fontfamily{fts}\selectfont\color{#5}#6}}}}
\newcommand\handxform[7]{% SCALING IS EMPLOYED TO EXPAND THE USEFUL RANGE OF #7
\raisebox{#1}{%
\scalebox{4}[#6]{% THE 4X SCALING IS LATER COUNTERED BY 0.25
\raisebox{#2}{%
\rotatebox{#3}{%
\stretchto{%
\rotatebox{#4}{%
\char#5}%
}{0.25\dimexpr#7\relax}% THE 0.25 IS COUNTERED BY THE EARLIER 4X SCALING
}%
}%
}%
}%
}
\newcommand\handline [2][1]{\handxform{.20ex}{0.30ex}{-90}{ 12}{47}{#1}{#2}}
\newcommand\handrightarrow [2][1]{\handxform{.55ex}{0.45ex}{-90}{ 90}{62}{#1}{#2}}
\newcommand\handleftarrow [2][1]{\handxform{.55ex}{-0.5ex}{ 90}{ 90}{62}{#1}{#2}}
\newcommand\handhookrightarrow [2][1]{\handxform{.70ex}{0.60ex}{-90}{-30}{35}{#1}{#2}}
\newcommand\handhookleftarrow [2][1]{\handxform{.50ex}{0.60ex}{-90}{ 30}{36}{#1}{#2}}
\newcommand\handstealthrightarrow[2][1]{\handxform{.50ex}{-0.2ex}{ 90}{ 80}{60}{#1}{#2}}
\newcommand\handstealthleftarrow [2][1]{\handxform{.50ex}{0.40ex}{-90}{ 80}{60}{#1}{#2}}
\newcommand\handyform[7]{\raisebox{#1}{\scalebox{#6}[1]{%
\rotatebox{#3}{\stretchto{\rotatebox{#4}{\raisebox{#2}{\char#5}}}{#7}}}}}
\newcommand\handuparrow [2][1]{\handyform{.10ex}{-.08ex}{ 0}{ -0}{91}{#1}{#2}}
\newcommand\handdownarrow [2][1]{\handyform{.05ex}{-.00ex}{ 0}{ -0}{93}{#1}{#2}}
\begin{document}
\pagecolor{yellow!10!orange!10}
\handnote[1]{6.3in}{1.5in}{2in}{red}{\lipsum[4]}
\handnote[4]{0.3in}{4.85in}{1.3in}{blue}{I have a really short comment}
\handnote[4]{1.3in}{4.88in}{1.3in}{blue}{\handrightarrow[1.7]{4ex}}
\handnote[0]{3.8in}{4.82in}{3in}{blue}{%
\handline[2]{7ex} \handline[2.5]{6ex} \handline[2]{5ex}}%
\handnote[10]{6.2in}{4.8in}{3in}{blue}{\handleftarrow[2]{10ex}}%
\handnote[-75]{5.95in}{9.2in}{1.3in}{red}{\handhookleftarrow[2.1]{6ex}}
\handnote[20]{6.3in}{9.55in}{1.3in}{red}{What is the meaning of life?
I really want to know. Does the teacher even read this?}
\lipsum[1-6]
\lipsum[5-6]
\handnote[89]{.5in}{7in}{7in}{red}{Here is a test of a long vertical note!
I am thinking it is working just great!}
\handnote[10]{6.5in}{5.8in}{2in}{blue}{\Huge The end!!!!}
\handnote[2]{2.38in}{4.43in}{3in}{blue}{\handline[2]{12ex}}
%
\handnote[0]{2in}{6.0in}{4.9in}{red}{\LARGE{\Huge ACCENTS:}\\%
handlines: \handline{6ex}\handline[3]{12ex}
handrightarrows: \handrightarrow{4ex}\handrightarrow[2]{5ex}
handleftarrows: \handleftarrow{4ex}\handleftarrow[2]{5ex}
handhookrightarrows: \handhookrightarrow[1]{4ex}\handhookrightarrow[2.1]{7ex}
handhookleftarrows:\handhookleftarrow[1]{5ex}\handhookleftarrow[2.1]{9ex}
handstealthleftarrows: \handstealthleftarrow{5ex}\handstealthleftarrow[2]{5ex}
handstealthrightarrows: \handstealthrightarrow{5ex}\handstealthrightarrow[2]{5ex}
handuparrows \handuparrow{2ex}\handuparrow[1.2]{4ex}
handdownarrows \handdownarrow{2ex}\handdownarrow[1.2]{4ex}}
\end{document}
EDIT Note: The \handxform macro has been modified to introduce scaling/counterscaling so as to extend the range of sizes over which the \handline mandatory argument (length) may be successfully applied. The \handline macro can now be employed to make lines as long as \LARGE 47ex in length without arithmetic overflow.
If you want to simply increase the width of the todonotes, use \setlength{\marginparwidth}{4cm} in your preamble.
Maybe it could also be helpful to reduce the text size for the notes via a parameter on loading: \usepackage[textsize=tiny]{todonotes}
If you want to increase the page layout, i.e. the borders left and right to the text, you could load the geometry package and give appropriate options. For instance: \usepackage[left=1cm,right=1cm,top=3cm,bottom=3cm,nohead,nofoot]{geometry}.
The geometry package is very powerful, so it's a good idea to have a look at the manual.
Xiomara covers Latin, Greek and Cyrillic and is free for personal use.
If you're running Windows Vista or later, Segoe Script covers Greek.
Pecita covers many, many languages, and is released under the Open Font Licence.
VAG-Handwritten covers Latin and Greek and is released under the GPL.
To use these fonts in your document, you'll have to compile with XeTeX or LuaTeX. Install the font in your operating system as you would to use it with any other program, then load it with the fontspec package, with
This defines the command \vaghandwritten, which you can use to switch to the font for the rest of the current group. You can look at the fontspec documentation for more options.
An example document, using \marginpar to typeset the notes, might look like this:
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{fontspec}
\newfontfamily\vaghandwritten{VAG-Handwritten}
\begin{document}
This is some document text.\marginpar{\vaghandwritten This is a note, typeset in the handwritten font.}
\end{document}
Best Answer
Combining results from the questions cited in my comments... namely, doncherry's use of the
fts
"Teen Spirit" font (http://www.tug.dk/FontCatalogue/teenspirit/) referenced at How do I make my document look like it was written by a Cthulhu-worshipping madman?. I also used my answer at What are the ways to position things absolutely on the page? (adapted for new hook system)Below, I introduce
EDITED to introduce the following supporting emphasis markings:
These emphasis markings appear as macros within the context of a
\handnote
's<content>
. Thus, when they constitute the complete content of a given\handnote
, they may be freely rotated using the<angle>
parameter of\handnote
. The use of varying<thickness-scale>
s and<width>
s allows for repetition of emphasis markings to be avoided.Also EDITED so that the
<content>
of\handnote
is now top-aligned to the specified vertical coordinate given by<y from top>
.Here is the MWE. The emphasis markings are summarized on page 2 (EDITED to account for LaTeX kernel changes on 2018.12.1):
FYI: the Teen Spirit font table is available at http://www.tug.dk/FontCatalogue/teenspirit/teenspirit.pdf, on page 2
EDIT Note: The
\handxform
macro has been modified to introduce scaling/counterscaling so as to extend the range of sizes over which the\handline
mandatory argument (length) may be successfully applied. The\handline
macro can now be employed to make lines as long as\LARGE 47ex
in length without arithmetic overflow.