An automatic font value distribution system receives input specifying parameters for a variable font allowing one or more characteristics of the variable font to change along a design axis. Examples of design axes include weight, width, slant, optical size, italic, and so forth. The parameters include, for example, an upper value limit for the design axis, a lower value limit for the design axis, and a distribution profile for the design axis. A collection of glyphs is received, and design axis values are applied to the glyphs in accordance with the distribution profile and distributed across the design axis between the upper and lower value limits. The collection of glyphs is displayed with the generated design axis values.