Superb simple specimen for the web's favourite typefaces: Georgia and Verdana Pro. The best bit about this specimen? The text is all set in web fonts. And it's crystal clear and sharp as a result. Georgia Pro looking especially good.
House industry specimens – whether in print or on screen – are always a masterclass in simplicity. Design-wise, they only show enough for you to make a decision. What I find refreshing about this specimen is the full browser width design with tiny type tester controls.
An amazing variable typeface under development. Not just a typeface, but a 'typographic palette for vibrant code & UI'. Another specimen that tells the features and benefits of the font through interactive and instructional design patterns. Continually inviting the user to get their hands on the typeface, rather than passively observing.
The specimens for Ohno's website follow a similar simple design with stacked text containers at different sizes and weights. These areas are editable, but offer no type tester controls. The visual representations and animations of the features of the font work really well. Education, wayfinding, and a little bit of quirky fun, all wrapped into one.
Specimen as product website. There is just so much that can be learnt from how this website communicates the features of the typeface. From compelling layout, to informative animations, to a fantastic comparison table.
Beautiful, simple, legible sans serif from Bold Monday. It took me just minutes before I bought this typeface such is the power of this specimen. Leading with key stylistic features focussing on optimum legibility and humanistic feel, the large simple illustration help communicate what can often be type design specialist language. Another bonus of the typeface is the icons and the simply wonderful instructional animations. At the end of the specimen – in case you're not sold yet – we get to the nitty gritty features and glyph tables.
The specimen leads with an unusual design pattern. A sort of feature carousel/animation in which the user can explore the features and switch weights if they wish. Unusually, this typeface specimen completely does away with any back story, marketing, or designers inspiration and just lays the typeface before the user: ' here are the features, here are my glyphs, buy me if you like me'.
Unusually, Affogato leads with a glyph table. Normally this kind of detail is left to the end of a specimen – almost an after thought, unless presenting a comprehensive set of stylistic alternates, or particular support of unusual characters.
A brilliant specimen. Full of little controls, icons and widgets to play with that alter the appearance and content.
What struck me about this specimen was the type tester. Most testers are quite lightweight; allowing the user to change weight and size, but that's pretty much it. Acumin's tester goes one step further in presenting a simple two column layout with a headline, a subhead, and some body copy. Allowing the designer to not only change the weights and sizes, but to do so in a limited (unbreakable) context.
As a homepage for a foundry, why not completely combine specimens of the catalogue in just one. big scrolling page? General Type Studio do just that and the result is wonderful.
No doubt a beautiful typeface, but let's focus on the specimen. As is usual for many modern digital specimens, it leads with the story. Presenting the typeface in its various intended uses, it's not until the end that the specimen digs a little into the features of the fonts. It's not until you download the PDF specimen, can you dig into the font features and individual glyphs.
Great typography makes the web more beautiful, fast, and open. Using machine learning and the latest web standards, Google Fonts now offers the open source Korean fonts showcased in this website.
How could we solve experiences of reading difficulty? Could variable fonts be a way of doing that? This specimen takes one firm step towards project overview and article, whilst highlighting the benefits of the approach with some hard data and well-constructed demos.
Refreshingly simple to be presented with just the name of the typeface big and bold. Interacting with it, changes the state of the screen to be a type tester with the inclusion of very simple controls. The digital specimen could benefit from the detail of its print counterpart. If you download the PDF, there are a few comparison tools available with paragraphs shown at multiple sizes and weights. Still missing a glyph table, though, and some detail on some of the typeface features such as the alternates.
A beautifully functional typeface from <a href="https://www.facetype.org/">FaceType</a>. The specimen starts with an all too fleeting flash of an ascii Mona Lisa shown full screen. The muted colour ways mimic the intended environment for use: themes for the likes of Visual Studio Code. Moving into features, the specimen site is full of useful animations and diagrams intended to not only demonstrate MonaLisa's attributes but also to educate the audience. The new design pattern I thought was fabulous was the little tabbed code viewer where you could preview MonaLisa in various, syntax-highlighted, programming languages – from Javascript to Python.
Despite Darkmode being presented within Dalton Maag's templated typeface library section, the specimen shows a few unique elements I wanted to draw your attention to. The animated explainer diagrams demonstrate Darkmode's core, variable typeface, benefit: the ability to switch to slightly heavier weights when using light text on a dark background. The axis switcher pattern is very well done. Sliders on two axis allow the user to dig into the weight axis and presents the problem the typeface is aiming to fix.
The web used to be full of websites like this. Part art project, part exercise in learning (and pushing) the medium, and part commercial project. This site delightfully side-steps convention – chaotically, playfully, cheekily – and kills your browser in the process! Brilliant.
A forumulaic specimen, but done so well. Making up for its lack of interactive elements with tasteful design.
Bright, energetic, playful specimen focussed on intended usage with some inspired sticker designs.
A conventional digital specimen for an unusual typeface. Visual is a semi-pixel font inspired by topography. The specimen leads with a quick explanation before showing some type in use.
Just about as bold a design as you can get. Full screen, in-your-face graphics perfectly compliment Tick and Tock's design.
The first parametric Google font by Prototypo, the specimen for Spectral is a patchwork of user discovery. Each panel is a mouse-over animation designed to inform of the features of this experimental typeface. Impressive stuff!
Quirky specimen for a quirky contemporary serif. Full featured type tester before moving onto interesting sections displaying various features and contexts. The specimen ends with a long form article explaining the origins and design of the typeface.
An ornamental Japanism typefamily. Inspired by traditional Japanese Inkan-Seals, Nihon takes abstracted latin letters and presents them as used by the seals. A complex goal, but the specimen walks through the results before digging into some features.
I'm a big fan of this specimen. It's clear, leads with tools that allow me to get stuck into some typesetting and evaluation, before closing with some features and a little content about the typeface. The type tester is particularly good, not only offering the standard size and weight controls, but also leading and more advanced features. We're seeing more specimens now with type testers edging towards this.
Apparently inspired by the peppers of Mexican cuisine, Ancho is a bold, brash, commercial looking typeface with some interesting quirks. The ultra bold weight is my favourite. The specimen is broken up into horizontal containers and it starts getting interesting as you get down into the display of the alternates and features of some of the letters. *enormous* type. Bold, unforgiving forms that look fabulous in a web browser.
Clarinet is a work in progress I stumbled across at <a href="https://www.futurefonts.xyz/">Future Fonts</a>. The specimen is somewhat templated (as it's, well, a template), but the page showing examples of various types of layouts and designs are interesting. I wish these were produced with the web-fonts, however, instead of images.
This is something a little different. Universal Specimen is a single page app designed to preview and compare local fonts across multiple languages. Simple controls allow for tweaking column width, line height, and size. A really useful idea for web designers and type designers alike.
At first, I was drawn to the bold, confident typesetting at the start of this specimen. It's a little tempered by the fact these are images when, really, they should be web fonts in a digital specimen. That aside, the real beauty of this specimen is at the bottom of the page with clear, instructional illustrations for the features available in the font. I think many type designers and foundries can forget that many font users do not know what 'stylist alternates', for example, might be.
This specimen is an exercise in restraint. Just the barest of essentials are provided for the designer evaluating Anon Grotesk: a list of weights – presented as as a type tester – with the simplist of tools to just vary the font size. A PDF Specimen, available on download, mirrors the stark functionalism of the online version. The only bit of colour is the link to purchase.
Smart looking specimen from Sharp. What works for me here is the progressive disclosure of the user interface which appear only on hover of selected elements. The Menu is a solid addition, too. Many specimens forego labelled sections in favour of just one, scrollable page. Having an insight into the process is a nice touch, too.
Class graphic design meets modern web design, the Commercial Classics Showcase specimen is everything you'd expect from the team involved. Notable that Michael Bierut was Creative Director for the specimen. As always, beautiful typefaces from Paul Barnes and Christian Schwartz.
Part case study, part specimen. The Cymru Wales font has been designed in collaboration with the Colophon Foundry. Cymru Wales has a rather overt nod to Wales' cultural and typographic history but I think it just about pulls it off without the usual Celtic clichés.
This is a joy. A reimagining of a 1970's transfer lettering classic, Octothorpe's specimen takes us vertically through its features: from swashes, to contextual ligatures, to 'all sorts of figures'. No type testers here, but an invitation to try out the <a href="https://pampatype.com/typefaces/octothorpe">font elsewhere</a> in a more templated tester as well as <a href="https://pampatype.com/blog/octothorpe-concept">read an in-depth article</a>.
This specimen is delightful. From the bold, large letters presented alongside vibrant illustrations evoking the typeface's inspiration from 1940's Soviet Russia.
Haptic is a monolinear geometric grotesque typeface with uppercase letters and numbers that have been optimised to be read blindfolded and by touching them. The specimen takes this experience a little way on as their are touches of discovery throughout, for example, the controls to view the different weights. A bold lack of colour and simple photography add to the stark design.
Bold Monday's specimens always strike such a good balance between form and function. This new specimen for Dico opens with several stacked typetesters that go beyond just changing weights. You can also change colours, alignment, and letter spacing.
This is a workhorse of a specimen. Functionally driven, it's about getting the prospective customer to the features quickly for them to make a decision and try out Stinger.
A delightful specimen to match a delightful typeface. The ligatures and tabular vs old style numerals are particularly lovely.
An unusual specimen, Bold Decision's Glossy specimen follows the same style as the other typefaces on sale: a simple quote is presented full screen. There's something to be said for powerful words set large and strong.
A functional, traditional-looking specimen from bBox Type. Leading with the various weights, sizes and simple two colour presentation, the specimen quickly moves on to describe features. The type tester is another section, but feature rich allowing the user to change paragraphs and do basic typesetting.
Adobe's open source CJK typeface initiative. A calming and sophisticated website punctuated with line drawing illustrations and subtle interactions.
Hoefler&Co's specimens follow a similar templated approach, but they are considered and elegant. The full-featured type tester is front and centre inviting the user to get in and test the fonts themselves. Simple and effective.
Exquisite specimen from Klim Type Foundry. On the surface, the specimen for Söhne is simply presented. Almost like a print specimen. It's not until you interact with the type that the controls appear for a feature-rich typetester. What is particularly interesting about this one is the ability to test multi-lingual definitions of 1984's Newspeak.
A versatile complement to the Adelle typeface family, Adelle Sans Chinese ships with a sparce but elegant specimen getting its priorities straight: invite the user to test, then go on to explain the origins and design. Function first.
The Work Sans specimen is unusual being almost entirely focussed on the functional aspects of the typeface. Providing the user with the usual features of the typeface, this specimen goes a step further and presents the typeface in multi-language long-form.
Eye-wateringly wonderful. Switch the colours in this specimen and the tyography changes accordingly.
Bungee is for 'vertical and multicolour typography'. The type-tester is particularly interesting in this horizontally scrolling specimen. It allows the user, through various parameters, to emulate the designs shown in the specimen and share them across Twitter.
Colophon's digital specimens all follow the same templated approach, but with subtle variation of the design of the full width panels.
Developed as a personal exploration of the Variable font format, the Jabin specimen designed by Frida Medrano is a playful presentation of spiky forms and educational animations.
Colourful, vertically stacked panels outline the features of Compressa before digging into details of the individual characters.
Stacked images and animations tell the story of the design in this unconventional specimen. Of particular interest is the 'move me and play' panel inviting the user to move individual glyphs around on a black canvas.
Of course a specimen about a typeface called Greycliff should be all greyscale. A simple design with stacked images of the typeface in context.
This enormous specimen is crammed full of useful detail. Starting with the simple type testers, but it's towards the bottom of the page that the specimen documents intended context, and some of the typeface's key features.
Process' specimens are clean, simple, and functional. Large, full-width words in the range of weights is followed by a variable font tester just demonstrating one variable axis: weight. A more feature-rich tester is available under the 'try it' navigation option.
A light specimen for a delicate typeface. The unusual part of this specimen is the presentation of the opentype features. Each feature has a little slideout window showing the details of each.
From PangramPangram, the Right Grotesque specimen, unusually, leads with pricing and downloads. Refreshing to see the continuing trends of free licences. The typeface tester is way down in the hierarchy followed by some images from the PDF specimen. Again, I wish these were presented as web fonts.
LLineto's specimens follow a similar templated approach and closely mimicking a printed specimen. This is all about showing the different weights over titles and long form. What is particularly good is the very detailed technical information at the bottom of the page. Detailed waterfall design patterns with a full glyph table.
Detailed and full-featured type tester for coding font, Input. Mirroring an IDE with sample code, the user is invited to tweak the settings to find the perfect weights, balance, and alternate letterforms just for them.
The specimen for IBM Plex is as close to a printed specimen as you can get in digital. It has those feelings of bespoke design, collectability – something special. Quality content and bold large typography.
Infini is a public commission by the Centre National Des Arts Plastiques in France. A freely available font, the specimen is an infinate scroll across four 'pages' but with links to a type tester, and in depth typographic studies.
Beautifully typeset digital specimen opens with just a paragraph of editable text. Scrolling reveals panels of example text for various contexts for Concourse.
This is a fun specimen. Beautifully designed to match the feel of the typeface, the specimen initially takes you through the origin and inspiration of the work. There's a lot to dig into here: a long form essay, beautifully designed little panels of type features and testers.
All Newlyn's specimens follow the same, templated (but slick) design. Simple cues, such as the flashing cursor, invite users to interact with the specimen further.
An interesting specimen, but if only this was in web fonts! Stacked images of various incontext settings are really what sells the typeface here. Alternating black and white, large and small text across the various weights have striking appearance.
A single colour specimen that mixes geometric shapes with individually typeset single words in the many different weights. The specimen closes with a glyph set and demonstration of the many features of the typeface.
This is a great specimen. Every panel is editable meaning you get to play with the various sizes, weights and settings in context. The specimen is further bolstered with full character set, language support, opentype features, and a downloadable PDF specimen.
The formal showing of this specimen shows web typography at its best. Beautiful type, quality educational content, and imaginitive layout.
There is something nuts and bolts about this specimen that appeals. Lean on snazzy features, or enticing content, the Exchange specimen leads with simple typetesters, small explanatory text, and options to read more in-depth content or download a print specimen.
This is an interesting little application of a font selling the benefits of variable fonts, but packaged up into something useful.
An unconventional specimen for an unconventional typeface. It's quite rare to see experimentation in this space, so when it does happen it's refreshing. A carousel of images with introductory content open the specimen leading onto stacked typesetters for the various weights. The design patterns themselves are conventional, but the presentation less so.
Following the trend of leading the digital specimens with images of the font in various contexts, the specimen for Antonia includes some notable additions – an animation of the variable font, individual type testers for the many weights but with options to preselect to HTML headings and text.
A lovely looking typeface with a simple and clear specimen. Images of the type set in various contexts open the specimen – presumably from a printed companion – before moving into some type testing and finally the ability to download trial fonts.
A variable font with a lot of variation! Science Gothic is a reimagining of Bank Gothic in a HUGE new design space. The specimen is interesting from a graphic design and web design perspective. A blend of noised backgrounds with two tone gradients fill each horizontal container.
A glorious black and white specimen with enormous type, the GT Super specimen tells the story of the typeface before digging into detail. Almost all vertical panels revieal a typetester on colicking with an array of tightly constrained controls.
A comprehensive interactive specimen from Or Type. This takes type testers to another level offering rudamentary layout software. Add multi-columns, images, and interact with any element of type. The specimen is arranged in vertical pages – prepopulated with different text types – with options to add further pages to create your own.
A simple black and white specimen with stacked type testers with size controls.
Based on double-gothic typefaces used for impact printing, RT Dromo is a characterful sans serif, especially the heavy weights. The specimen mixes panels of illustrative and educational content.
Scroll through page after page of contextual examples in the specimen for Halyard from Darden Studio. This microsite really shows how this typeface could be put to use on a broad range of outputs.
Harriet continues the theme of two tone, stacked type testers, but it's just done *so* well! The type tester tools are shown on interaction with the editable content areas. The OpenType feature panel is particularly well done with examples shown in context to the controls.
FS Millbank is a wayfinding typeface by Fontsmith. The specimen is more like a presentaiton than a traditional format. The user zooms in, out, and through the typeface's various applications, features and design details. Compelling viewing.
Another page-based scroll-hijacking specimen, but in a good way. The overlay section – showing the different weights overlaid a weight of your choosing – is particularly well done.
Simple specimen for a simple typeface. Monoid is an open sourcing coding font. The specimen's features are a coding preview area to test various language rendering. This show's real empathy for Monoid's intended audience; they need to see the font in the language they use the most, in a theme they use the most.
The specimen opens with it's most striking feature: modernist animations of letterform compositions. Each area is a simple typetester with controls activated on hover.
New display typeface from Rosetta, Gridlite's specimen looks disarmingly simple. It's not until you use the type tester that the power and variation of Gridlite becomes apparent.
Click to reveal more of this specimen. A fun little specimen for a free font.
Quicky specimen for a quirky typeface. Regina Black is a wonderfully expressive typeface that is demonstrated so well throughout the vertical panels on this specimen. With ample mouse pointer hijacking, and a limited colour palette, the specimen really injects a sense of fun.
A brutalist specimen for a brutalist typeface. The stark functionalism of this digital specimen mirros a PDF layout with minimal interaction.
There's a lot going on in the design of this specimen. Opening with probably the largest type seen anywhere, the visual assault continues through panelled animations demonstrating potential use. That started with enormous type, ends with an enormous buy button.
Another specimen from Extraset. Presenting a wonderfully stark design, the specimen's biggest asset is the typetester allowing the user to explore the many alternate glyphs available for the font.
A rich, immersive experience for a versatile typeface. The specimen reads like a book – and can be navigated as such. But the designers have given much attention to the experience of the passive scrolling user. Animations and transitions lead the user through each section inviting them to interact with the content in non-conventional ways.
A geometric sans serif built using code to create animations. probably one of the better examples of kinetic typography on the web at the moment. Whilst this specimen site aims to really show what is possible, even with the simplist and most subtle animations, this typeface could be effective in many contexts.
Big. Type. but effective. The overlaid, layered, information panel is a useful and effective addition to the layout giving the appearence the user is scrolling an actual page of a specimen, rather than a web page. Subtle depth adding a subtle perception.
This is a fun specimen. Luwig Type's Aspen typeface can be manipulated in mocked up contexts – from billboards and shop fronts, to books and magazines.
Another Extraset specimen with a vintage feel about it. Leading with illustrations to explain the font's features, the specimen moves on to a comprehensive and well-designed type tester. And there's that buy button again!
This is a smart looking specimen. Minimal in features, the design is horizontally split: typical specimen features on the left such as type testers, character set etc. But the right is blurred out. Until it is clicked, which reveals editorial about the typeface and designer, in addition to some fonts in use content.
A visually interesting specimen that would be made so much better by being constructed with web fonts instead of rendered images. That aside, it does a good job of displaying the typeface's best features in an easily digestable format.
A fairly standard looking specimen, but it's enriched with content of its creation written by the designer.
A specimen disarming in its simplicity. Just a paragraph of content simply set in the two available styles sit below a brief introduction. The digital specimen is bolstered by a comprehensive PDF, and a lengthy story of the origins, design, and development of the typeface.
An exploratory interface allows the user to navigate the design space. An imaginative use of navigational devices and layout.
A catalogue style specimen but with interesting modular typetesters. The notable difference between these and most others is the option to choose different types of preset text: from headings, and alphabets, to paragraphs and more.
PangramPangram's specimens follow a similar templated approach but with bespoke, stacked typographic illustrations. Object Sans doesn't disappoint with striking illustrations displaying a range of weights in a simple two-colour palette.
A free font based on the eye charts throughout the world used for vision testing. An interesting idea that continues the design lineage of Dutch ophthalmologist Herman Snellen, in 1862, and Louise Sloan in 1959.
Despite Edit Serif being a lovely looking typeface, this is another specimen that is, unfortunately, pictures of type rather than web fonts.
A bare bones, but useful specimen. Type tester, big marketing focussed image, followed by a limited glyph table. The type tester is full featured with colour options and background images.
A very simple specimen for the unusual display face, Mixo. A selection of sizes and a glyph table are all that's available.
A comprehensive specimen for Tofino, a sans serif with a large range of weights and styles available. The specimen is notable for its huge range of examples of potential usage, which even goes as far as including a UI kit for Sketch and Illustrator.
This specimen leads with animated illustrations and the features and inspiration for the typeface. The multicolumn and paragraph settings work particularly well, especially as they are crisp web fonts. The jewel of this specimen, though, is the accompanying design process content, complete with early sketches.
A type tester with a few controls, some sample text, the weights available and a glyph table. What more do you need in a specimen? No much more. Certainly no less.
An unsual and refreshing layout for this black and white specimen for Messina. The type family is comprised of Sans, Modern, and Serif. The outstanding part of this specimen is the fonts in use section with captioned images showing Messina in context.
An 'approachable typeface with a professional demeanor', Tome Sans from Delve Fonts has a functional but comprehensive one-page specimen.
Sentiel gets an update to Pro status. New fractions, ornaments, small caps and more. As always with Hoefler&Co's specimens, there is a clarity and purpose. Sections for design notes and characters support the highly practical overview page.
A delightfully illustrated specimen full of lovely detail. The stacked ice cream pots are particularly clever.
A workhorse of a specimen for a workhorse typeface. Darden Studio's specimen's, although templated, are very well designed. The type testers only appear when a use wants to investigate a particular weight or style.
An unusual specimen of panelled animations. The strenth of the large type set against a single colour, give this lengthy specimen a simplicity inviting the user to scroll and scroll.
Where to start with this specimen!? As with many specimens for extensive variable fonts, GT Flexa's content is heavily focussed on explaining the benefits and design attributes. It does this wonderfully through illustrations, animations, and beautifully designed content.
A stark, brutalist specimen. Large type, grey and black, sightly set explanatory text sets the tone for Kale Mono.
Brilliant name for a 'clarendonesque on steroids'. The Specimen for 'Oi!' is littered with comedic touches and the design fully supports the loud brash intention of the typeface.
A typeface with no curves. The specimen is a single element – an editable name of the typeface, but not editable in the sense you might expect. Here, you can manipulate the points of the glyphs.
What happens when you art direct the design of a specimen with customised photography and fully illustrate its intended use? This. This is what happens. The Lust pro specimen shows high level editorial design, complete with its own content.
A bit of an assault on the senses, the specimen for Pilowlava harks back to a more creative time on the web. A refreshing aesthetic.
An unconventional specimen – certainly from a web perspective. It leads with a fake article and is navigable by vertical tabs on the left of the screen. The right of the screen permenantly has an open drawer for licensing and purchasing workflow.
Marketed as a 'UI Slab Serif', Kefa's specimen has some compelling images in a carousel. The stacked type testers have simple controls to allow the user to interact with the typeface.
The Aglet Mono specimen page opens with a type tester and a complete display of all weights available to buy. The real selling point of this specimen, though, are the contextual samples – showing aglet performing in a code environment.
The great thing about David Jonathan Ross's specimens is the writing. Full of humour and personality, Forma is no different. A refreshing design – bright, primary colours – are the backdrop for an excellent editorial specimen.
The companion to Output, Input is a simple, understated sans serif typeface presented in a simple specimen. The refreshing line illustrations are all that's needed to demonstrate the usage.
This is a lovely specimen for a reimagining of Comic Sans. Going as far as suggesting this is for everyone – including the typographically savvy. The refreshing element of this specimen is the opening illustration and the earthy colour palette.
An unusal specimen presented in a user-configurable grid. Every element is presented in one of the rectangles, and you can choose how many rectanges per row you want to see. Want big type? Bump up rectangles with the slider. The fragmented reading experience really works.
Specimen for IBM Plex Korean. Super simple, but elegantly displays the typeface at the various weights.
An in-depth specimen trying hard to display the many features and possible applications of the typeface.
Refreshingly simple. A full page type tester with three variable font axis controllers. That's it!
A simple digital equivalent of a flyer, I suppose. Stacked images of type samples for Haste. The larger weights particularly good.
Tiny stacked type testers with variable font axis controllers. Simple but effective.
This is a really interesting user interface and specimen format. It's a type specimen coupled with a lengthy article in a refreshing interface for swapping between the two.
Super simple specimen from Paratype which has glyphs and languages as different sections. There is a tool menu (which is a little obfuscated) and in here are the usual controls to manipulate the text.
This is a really cool collection of specimens (as a catalogue, I suppose). Presented in a passive, scrollable format, the controls for manipulating the content ever-present at the bottom of the interface.
A heavily stylised retro illustration opens the specimen before leading onto more conventional design patterns. It's a shame the aesthetic wasn't carried through to the features or back story of the typeface.
A specimen that reads like a product page, including often used conventions such as the alternating image and paragraph combination. Where this specimen breaks with convention is the navigation stuck to the bottom of the page.
What a fun specimen! Bright, bold typographic illustrations pepper the content explaining the typeface's features. Really refreshing design.
This is a deceptively simple specimen that, on further investigation, reveals different features in interesting ways. The type tester's controls are a little unusual. Clicking the 'read more' about the font opens a treasure trove of an article outlining the typeface's origins, inspiration, and design
Turbine is a neo grotesk with distinctive curves and open apertures. This is quite some specimen. Starting with a quick introduction and type tester, it moves on to a long list of branded samples in the same two-colour palette. The Process section is a particularly good read.
So many specimens follow a sinlge page approach with vertically defined sections. Mont takes the other approach of incorporating sub-pages and navigation. The type tester is particularly elegant.
TypeTogethers specimens take a templated approach, but include this large section on the backstory of the typeface. Typically, they pair this with an even lengthier blog post providing a package of material to support the typeface release. A perfect example of when a specimen isn't just a specimen.
This is a traditional, but effective, digital specimen. Large sample text in different weights visually show the benefits and features of the font.
Another slick, informative and exploratory specimen from The Font Bureau. Vertically stacked sample text invites the user to explore the large text before a simple categorised glyph list.
A straight-forward typetester leads the specimen for Aeonik Pro, before an equally straight-forward list of weights, glyphs, and features. Nothing out of the ordinary here. The carousel of images of usage is where the interesting design lies on this specimen. Some beautiful pieces of work that I wish had been transposed into digital form.
Interesting slideshow for Goldman Sans. Sort of a specimen, sort of marketing to an internal audience, the website does a good job at explaining accessbility features to a lay audience. The section on number was especially good.
Leading with a typetester, the specimen for Tongari quickly moves into panle after panel of usage examples. The design sketches are a welcome addition to any specimen. These show the level of craft the designer puts into every single letterform.
This is fantastic. A specimen that is, in fact, just an article documenting the conception and influence for Fabbrica's creation.
The standout of this specimen are the stacked images of example usage. The illustrations documenting the ligatures and typesetting are particularly outstanding.
This is a great specimen focussing on the technical details and features of Beatrice. Following a template for all of Sharptype's specimens, Beatrice is presented amongst plenty of information about the process and examples of usage.
Dalton Maag's Highgate typeface specimen has the right balance of aesthetics, history and context, and font features. The animation displaying the variable font animation is particularly good, highlighting the different glyph shapes when traversing the weight axis. The changes to the little leaf glyph are particularly revealing as to the considerations of the type designer.
Everybody loves a good Blackletter. And this is a good one! The specimen reads as an article punctuated with images of inspiration and typeface development.
The specimen for Sombra is templated but efficient. Stacked typetesters greet the user before displaying some in-context designs in striking orange and black duotone.
What's notable about this specimen for Damien Display is the controls for the type tester. Subtle, well designed controls in a control panel. But the notable thing is a 'buy now' button displayed in context.
This is a cool interface. Two panels of content: the typeface displaying weights in a fairly conventional manner, and the other a long form article explaining the design rationale in detail. The specimen page retains it's clean interface by progressively disclosing more detailed information.
A mosaic of typetesters (often with individual words) are punctuated with wireframe illustrations of geometric forms. A conventional, but with enough unique touches, from TightType.
MONAAKO FLOW is an interesting typeface designed to create animated typographic compositions on After Effects, using Animography plugins. A constant scrolling animation is the primary design pattern with a downloadable PDF with more information.
A unique specimen design with a vertical 50/50 split of the the screen showing stacked type testers on one side, and explanatory text on the other. An efficient use of screen real-estate.
Another detailed (and delightful) specimen from Extraset. It strikes exactly the right balance between inspiration, design, functionality, and technical features. The type tester is particularly good with toggles for all the font's features.
This is a fun specimen for a fun typeface. 'A typeface made by graphic designers living and working in "Upstate" (not NYC) New York.' each designer creating an individual glyph. Coloured panelled typesetters allow the user to explore the typeface further.
Described as 'Five weights of monospace fun', the specimen for League Mono is a patchwork of subtle rainbow gradients with content describing the features of the font.
Refreshing design for Kinetic – light, duotone – all bolstered by stylish photography and a video. Interestingly, Kinetic has a companion iOS app – Kinetic Notes – that allows you to create simple text notes.
A simple type tester specimen frames the real content – a video and description of the origin of the typeface.
An exploration of pure geometry & typography, the specimen for Geometer is fairly conventional but shows the typeface's best features well.
Every new specimen from Klim is worth a mention. Signifier is a new 'brutalist response to 17th century typefaces'. The specimen is clear, responds to the user's needs, and is stripped back of content. As is typical with Klim's releases, the accompanying blog post is a fantastic essay detailing the typeface's origins and creation.
A fun specimen with cute music-related illustrations demonstrate the versatility of Crack Grotesk in an engaging way. Panel and panel of explanatory design notes walk the user through the various features.
Bold, with a flash of colour revealed on scroll, the specimen for Riviera starts with an impactful visual statement. The introduction of the colourways is then followed through the design for calls to action and coloured panels.
The specimen for Studio 6 from Playtype is simple and bold enhanced by a parallax scrolling panel containing the meta data for the typeface.
A nice interactive display of the variable nature of Garçonne Display opens the specimen. The cursor-jacking can be forgiven for the nice, large call to action to interact with the paragraphs.
There is a lot to like about this website for Out of the Dark. The whole thing is a specimen, with innovative, exploratory modes of navigation and discovery.
An interesting specimen with a large setting of a random question posed to the user. As a type specimen, there is plenty missing from this: glyphs, features, a more conventional type tester. But as a digital experience, it is noteworthy.
This specimen from Nipponia demonstrates how difficult it is to make webfont specimens for CJK fonts without some kind of dynamic subsetting. What is striking is the illustration and the simple information architecture.
Despite this being a scrollable stack of images, instead of webfonts, there is clarity and purpose in the content. Bold, black and white illustrations of the typeface give an indication of usage.
This is an interesting website from British Standard Type that is part specimen, part client case study. Walking through each of the custom projects for their clients, the case study starts to then include comon design patterns from specimens.
Another solid specimen from David Jonathan Ross. The Rosindale specimen opens with single words set in large bold weights before drilling down into more detail and origin content from David.
A simple specimen for a workhorse of a typeface. Jakarta Sans, an Open-source font for Jakarta city has some really interesting alternates that, when combined, take Jakarta Sans in a really interesting direction.
A simple but effective specimen for MD System from Mass Driver. Unusually, no type tester. Instead, a prominent download button for trial fonts and a PDF specimen.
A really unusual specimen. Presented as a long-form article documenting the design features, history, and inspiration for the creation of Franziska.
This specimen for FF Ernestine is a presented as a microsite in a traditional way. A homepage with hero image, introductory text, a page with all the glyphs. Whilst this could work very well for print, more is needed for digital. Maybe showing its age?
Snap it is a monospaced font without the curves. Because... why not? But underneath this quirky exterior is a typeface with considered and well-constructed form. The specimen in particular goes a long way in explaining the features.
A specimen that reads as a research project. The linear, scrolling story is punctuated by typographic illustrations and research photographs.
An unusual specimen that dispenses with many conventions in favour of expression and experimentation. Illustrative and creative, it includes a really simple type tester and glyph list, but it's the framing illustrations that challenge the viewer.
A feature-rich specimen for Arapey comprised of numerous horizontally stacked interactive elements all wrapped around a simple, two tone design.
The opening screen for this specimen for Fraunes is loads of fun (I'll leave it to you to experiment and find out for yourself!). Many stacked components outlining and demonstrating features sit either side of a long form article outlingin the design. One stand out component is the comparison between optical sizing and without. Very smart.
A single page of stacked type testers with tiny controls. The standout feature of these are the tiny rosettes positioned over typeface features. For example, an 'a' rosette toggles between an alternate lower case a. Nifty.
This is an interesting specimen. A single type tester demonstrating a variable Japanese font on two axis: contrast, and between 'kiki' and 'bouba'. All visualised through some appropriate mouse-jacking.
A script with three different styles, the specimen for Duo Pro aims to show these off in simple two tone illustrations as much as possible. Organised as a micro site, rather than the conventional single page, the specimen nicely demonstrates the features of the font.
An interesting variable italic on type.today. The specimen for Spektra follows the same minimal design as all of type.today's specimens, but don't let that fool you into thinking they aren't effective. Simple, paired back type testers give the user exactly what they need to evaluate the typeface.
Big, bold glyphs coupled with stark black and white illustrations, the specimen for Heymland features many vertically stacked specimen glyphs.
Opening with a full screen type tester, Pacaembú provides the most important tools to the user up front and centre. But the really interesting parts of this specimen follow it. So much interesting design - animations, illustrations, example and example of Pacaembú in use. Fantastic, bold design.
This is a bit special. Part specimen, part font-building tool kit, part education. The specimen for Universal Sans walks the user through the creation of a variant of Universal Sans based on a user's preferences of weight, terminals, alternates, numerals etc. Then, the user is provided with options to buy the version they just specified.
A 'specimen of a glittering multifaceted gemstone font', the specimen is stacked images of example settings and contextual designs. What is notable is the striking colourways, and illustrations outlining this unique typeface's features.
This specimen from Feliciano Type for Rotep is a templated but effective specimen. Simple, with stacked type testers for every weight, it provides some much needed clarity for the user.
Taking a 'page-based' approach to this specimen, Wallop includes many stacked carousels of SVG graphics. Light on the use of web fonts, the specimen concludes with a comprehensive type tester allowing the user to toggle stylistic sets and other OpenType features.
There's a lot to like about this bold specimen for Diatype. A mix of photography and bright user interface makes for an exciting specimen. Bravely building on existing interface conventions, it includes many subtle animations and transitions. To see what I mean, check out the glyph table.
A delicious specimen from Type Jockeys for Firelli. Continuing their two-tone colour palette and stacked fonts-in-use type examples, the type testers have some subtle ways of integrating with the design.
The hierarchy for the Euclid specimen is a little challenging. Opening with licensing information and options to buy – which are always a multi-step process for buying fonts – the specimen proceeds with type testers.
The standout for this specimen from Alanna Munro is the interaction design for purchasing the font. No dropdown, no complicated links off to Eulas and other legal-imposed barriers to purchase. Instead, elegantly designed, simple boxes to select your font package.
Excellent specimen for Compagnie from The Pyte Foundry. Stacked type testers with subtle controls open the specimen before progressing to just the right amount of content explaining the design history. Be sure to check out the PDF specimen for some lovely design work.
A traditional format for this specimen for Atyp BL. Starting with stacked words (in svgs, not web fonts) with navigable sections of the specimen to try the various styles with a type tester, download trial fonts, and a PDF specimen.
Where to start with this from DINAMO!? Brilliantly concieved variable typeface. Or playful, bold specimen. Or maybe a colour palette designed to challenge your eyeballs. Refreshing. Brilliant.
This is a case study for some custom type, but shows how close to a specimen it could be. Excellent design throughout, with engaging content and examples of use.
Aniuk is, as the specimen says, a 'pretty cool typeface'. As is the specimen. The user is invited to scroll through several designed panels in a simple monotone colour palette. The opentype feature illustration works particularly well.
This specimen for Carabelle is a delight. Beautiful illustrations and example designs are stacked around the most simple but effectvie test tester. It would be useful to see some details such as a glyph table and specifics for the alternates and language support instead of indicative illustrations.
A simple specimen for an interesting typeface. The typeface has some unsettling attributes – the lower case a, the cap M. When set in a paragraph, it gives this uneasy feeling. One has to wonder why that aesthetic wasn't carried through to the specimen. Regardless, this specimen does the job.
Typetogether's specimens are always so detailed, full of useful and detailed information. This specimen for Literata doesn't disappoint. The specimens as type testers work particularly well since they only reveal their controls when a user interacts with them keeping the overall appearance clean and uncluttered with UI controls.
Another interesting specimen from Kometa. Notable for it's use of vintage photography combined with starkly contrasting and large type, the specimen moves onto stacked settings that build on the idea of paying homage to the ubiquitous icon of newspaper type.
A subtle, simple and usable specimen for Tiento. It delivers on the basics, but being such a simple design, there is an elegance there that matches the typeface beautifully.
A specimen that takes cursor-jacking to a whole new level! There is much to enjoy in this specimen and, for those who are old enough, you may be reminded of early 2000s web design where experimentation, play, and expression were still high on the medium's agenda.
The opening screen of this specimen is striking. A stacked selection of svg graphics show the typeface in various graphics. The rest of the specimen – behind sub navigation – allows the user to sample the typeface as well as a complete glyph table.
So much detail in this specimen. From the long-form editorial, to the different interactive panels. One of these really stood out: the highlights panel. Here, we have on display a grid of selected glyphs for the user. Useful.
Simple and effective specimen from Type Republic for Patufet Mono. We continue to see this welcome design pattern for disclosing type tester controls when a user intercats with a body of text.
There is much to admire in this specimen for Munken Sans. It hits all the right points for usability, design inspiration, and marketing the features. The use of video and photography is a welcome addition.
A stylistic specimen that neatly combines sympathetic illustration to the sutble forms of Baryton. Great art direction.
Wonderful specimen for code font, Martha from Coppers and Brasses. Excellent graphic design and imagery underpin a structurally sound digital specimen. Stacked type testers punctuated by bright, distinctive graphics.
This specimen takes user configurable options to a whole new level. Presenting vertically stacked canvases, with pre-designed settings in each, the specimen allows the user to interact with every element of type. Not only that, they can make small design changes such as alignment, spacing, multicolumns, and even adding images.
A simple specimen that is basically one big typetester and a list of weights set side by side with a lengnthy piece about the design. SImple, but effective.
This specimen from Monotype is like many of the recent specimens from the Studio's releases: templated, and fronted by a bespoke marketing video. One interesting additions, though. The type tester has state changes on resizing the text. As a user moves down the sizes, the names – and associated ranges – change, as does the content of the tester. Nifty.
Super simple specimen from Aesthetic Type for their latest release, Arkitekt. A list of type testers, some long form design information, and a clear call to action to buy some licenses
This specimen from Service Gothic from Hex is a refreshing design. Presented as a single page – almost like a poster design – it is a full page poster with type set at various weights and sizes with controls at the top. Showing so much type in a type tester really helps in conveying the changes made to the weight axis.
Excellent type testers from TypeType for this specimen for Ramilla. Notable for its inclusion of multi-lingual defined paragraphs.
Quarz's specimen follows the structure of the other Extraset specimens, with an interesting mixture of designed panels and animations. The blend of associated photography is a strong design choice, but the functionality offered below is second to none. Excellent type tester and glyph set.
A strange font with a strange, exploratory digital specimen. Unfortunately, as we see quite often, the print specimen PDF is full of examples and striking design with accompanying editorial. The digital specimen, in contrast, falls a bit flat.
A lovely hand-written font with some clever additions detailed in the specimen. This typeface has emoji conversions, double underlines, and also some delightful scribbling-outs. The specimen itself is a stacked set of type testers sitting below a carousel and some brief editorial.
A new typeface from Fontwerk. Case is a modern Neo-Grotesque made for the new Twenties. The specimen's subtle use of photography of found objects or urban textures works nicely with the content. The information architecture of Fontwork's specimens work really well in guiding the user down to more detailed information.
This specimen for Eliza is notable for the graphic explanation of opentype features and support in addition to the detailed and categorised glyph set. The purchasing flow is interesting opening up drawers of content from the site's horizontal navigation.
The notable point about this specimen for Ghost Town from Ooukpress is the long form editorial as a way of introducing the typeface, describing the features of the typeface, but all set in varying weights and styles. It reads like a product page. Notable for Greek support, it's also freely available.
This specimen for Basco neatly combines a very tight-specific print aesthetic – duotone colour palette, and mixing supportive photography – with a more web-native feel with scrolling animations.
Simple, functional, and shows off the typeface in the best possible way, this specimen for Parry – similar to all specimens on the Original Type website – has a detailed view of all opentype features, glyph set, and stacked type testers.
A brilliant single page specimen for an experimental version of Megabase that allows the user to create colour gradients. It includes simple UI controls for changing the slant axis, as well as each of the colour steps in the gradient.
An impressively detailed, long-form specimen for Dunbar. Starting with stacked typographic illustrations, it moves onto typesetters for each individual weight. The detailed overview of Opentype features is a welcome addition, as are the in-depth design notes.
The notable point about this specimen is the conversational tone it takes in explaining the features of the font – particularly the Very Discretionary Ligatures. Nicely presented illustrations give a 50's vibe.
An amazing experimental variable font, the specimen for Handset tries to articulate the huge range of options available to the user. The discretionary ligatures are such a delight.
This is a great specimen from Type Republic. Traditionally designed, but with each paragraph or single sentence changing into a type tester when the user clicks on it. It's a detailed, considered digital specimen.
We've probably featured Public Sans on here before, but this is the actual specimen page – a level down from the micro site home page. Mirroring a print design, it displays a waterfall of different font sizes. An interesting comparative component where Public Sans is shown next to Verdana, Georgia, and System.
An unusual specimen / microsite. Overpass, sponsored by Red Hat, is inspired by Highway Gothic. The specimen is microsite where all of the useful information is in sections called 'try it'. The 'monospace' section sticks out alone in the information architecture. Still, this aside, it's a nice typeface.
A font specimen page that reads exactly like a software landing page. In fact, really, the only piece of content of benefit for typographic evaluation is the illustrations of distinctive letterforms and exaggerated forms.
These specimens from Typeland follow the increasingly common design pattern of just showing stacked typetesters with varying default weights and length of sample copy. Simple design but very effective.
This specimen for League Gothic starts off looking like a Medium article. But then you realise that the title is a type tester (although just editable text with no controls). Scrolling down reveals a detailed – but notably not uniformly spaced – glyph set before getting to the detailed licensing information.
The Delve Fonts specimen for Overpass is different to the other specimen posted here last week. A simple affair highlighting the fonts features in large single words.
This is a cool variable font with a stretch axis. Seen quite often in Arabic, this has a quirky result when applied to Latin. But Okaso pulls it off. The specimen is a stack of type testers in simple colour palettes. But it really shows off the type's best features.
A bright but templated specimen from Letters from Sweden for their latest variable release 'Inline'. The use of punctuating the design with little dancing animated calls to action – 'Neu!' – help lift the design.
These interstitial pages for DSType Foundry's specimens are interesting as they act as type specimens but firmly standing on the marketing side of things. They could be easily repurposed for other digital channels such as email or social.
An interesting approach to displaying a library. A simulated design environment with a dropdown of all the typefaces in the selection. On interacting with the typeface, a set of tools is presented to the user for some considerable customisation in the browser. Pretty nifty.
A comprehensive specimen for Krasz – a typeface for bad readability. The specimen fatures loads of vertically stacked reversed out type in black panels. Large, bold, and distinctive.
A bold, graphic appearance for Logic Monospace is matched by the monotone colour palette and graphic treatment of the typesetter controls. The graduated panels of sample text work particularly well at smoothing to the visual journey for the eye between high contrast areas.
A halloween special for the specimen of Bouuuuuh – complete with skeleton animation. Despite the fun and quirky design, this is a pretty good specimen functionality wise with type testers and clear calls to action.
A great specimen with some lovely, subtle graphic design. Black and white illustrations set against a peachy monotone colour palette is punctuated by the usual useful functionality such as type testers and glyph tables.
Following the recent trend of multiple, stacked typesetters, the specimen for Aldwych Extended presents the typeface in stacked white on black background with elegant typesetter controls.
The latest release from Dalton Maag does not disappoint. Mendl is a typeface representative of the the Art Deco movement and this feeling is evident across the artwork on the specimen.
A striking and simple one-page specimen for Space Grotesk. Neatly displaying the variable weight axis with mouse-over animations, the specimen shows just opentype features and a comprehensive list of glyphs. No type tester, though, which is a shame.
A bold and patriotic looking specimen for Big Shoulders, the typeface created by XO Type Co for the Chicago Design System. The nod to a traditional print specimen is handled well, although notable for omissions of digital specimens such as a type tester or list of glyphs.
Decibel is a nod to 19th century British slabs, designed while listening exclusively to American funk music from the 60s and 70s. The specimen displays the type in stacked panels of animated text. Great content, stricking design. As this was part of TypeMedia 2019, you can't actually buy it yet, though.
I really like this specimen format from OH no Type Company. As we increasingly see in digital specimens, there are vertically stacked type testers each set in default weights with varying content lengths. A subtle combination of old and new.
The really interesting part of this specimen is at the end of the page. Long-form descriptions of the font features and design details underpin a really useful format.
A good looking specimen featured stacked SVG graphic panels with an intermingled type tester. On the face of it, serious stuff, until you notice the running Maradona figure...
What struck me about this simple specimen – even though I can't read it – were the informative illustrations, and introductory animation style.
A single typetester punctuated with animations, audio (which was a surprise), and exciting – and unextected – punctuations leading to a a specimen you experience rather than use.
Type Today's Tomorrow (!) specimens are great. Thoughtfully designed, leading with a type tester with a couple of controls, and just enough 'type in use' graphics to support the design rationale for the typeface. This specimen for Halunke Regular works well in this format.
Big. Simple. Straight to the point. The defining characteristic of this specimen is scale. It fills the available screen space from one corner to the other.
A novel design for the specimen for Gramatika, a custom typeface project for V-A-C Foundation. A notable, fantastic addition is the typesetting guide. Unfortunately, it's a PDF. it would be great to turn that content into a valuable microsite, I'm sure.
This specimen for F37 Caslon from foundry f37 strikes the right balance between form and function. Opening with extremely large type designed to show of the design features of the glyphs, the specimen is one of only a handful available that demonstrate the type working in comparative paragraph settings.
Excellent copywriting for this fabulous display font. 'A collaboration between four designers/illustrators, this typeface is a recipe for quarantining in 2020: a dash of paranoia, a scoop of cabin fever, and 1,000+ glasses of wine.' The result has an Ed Fella flavour to it.
Stacked type testers are the order of the day for this specimen for Queens. Shown full width, with minimal controls, the type testers give way to a few features at the bottom of the specimen page. All that aside, the notable design feature of this specimen is the UI for adding different weights to the cart. Clever.
A quirky typeface with a conventional specimen layout. That said, I was drawn to the scale of the type on show here. Just huge glyphs in the waterfall show off the design to its full potential.
Dínamos specimens continue to surprise and delight and this one for Monument Mono is no exception. Playful, oversized user interface elements coupled with some introductory photography. Don't be fooled, though, this is a seriously usable specimen with stacked type testers and lots of detailed information.
Want to troll a designer? Just mess with the kerning. Although, maybe not as overtly as this wonderfully useless typeface. Playful, tongue-in-cheek, and why the hell not? Brilliant.
An efficient specimen for Ellograph from Connary Fagen. Opening with an unusual type tester followed by some fabulous example usage designs. Shown full screen, these really do show off the font's features well. The glyph table below is a little small in comparison, however, and could use a large scale preview.
A simple and efficient specimen for Antique Legacy from Optimo. Notable are the stacked type testers with different lengths of copy, but also the ability to change the sample text to a number of defaults.
Sometimes a simple headline, a carousel showing some examples of usage, and a bunch of minimal type testers is just enough for a specimen. This example from Identity Letters for Werksatz shows what can be done with just a few simple elements.
The companion to NewsSans, NewsSerif's specimen is a simple presentation of type testers opening with a carousel of example designs. An often neglected, but in this case well done, is the buying options. Buying fonts can be confusing but this simple design makes things easy.
This is a really fun specimen. Whirly Birdie is a display typeface inspired by 1950's American advertising.That aesthetic inspires some excellent illustration style with some feature rich interactive UI elements. The animated icons are particularly interesting.
This specimen from The Designers Foundry for Tomato Grotesk has a really great type tester and opens with an example showing the whole design space.
A new typeface from Mark Simonson, Etna is a reinterpretation of a genre of typefaces from the 19th century. The specimen is clever. Featuring three stacked carousels, the overall design is that of switching states of a newspaper layout.
Panchinko is a lovely mono with a delightful italic. The specimen is a comprehensive, with some introductory type testers before moving into lengthy design notes, features and examples.
An interesting specimen for Gimlet X-Ray. Huge type filling the screen from top to bottom with a few controls to customise the output from variable widths, to stroke colours, and the on-off curve points.
Out of the Dark's specimens are really unusual. Pretty great, too. The specimen is notable for the very large type, and excellent design-in-use examples. The unusual interface element is the typesetter carousel, moving through different pangram, sentences and settings of the typeface.
A bold, full screen type tester opens this specimen from Open Foundry before some equally large and bold illustrations.
This microsite for Arteria is full featured and sprinkled with witty, graphical moments. Subtle animations of interface elements add to the soecimen's appeal. But don't be fooled; this is a serious typeface for broad application.
Not sure where to start with this type tester for Q. Type tester is probably the wrong term anyway. 'Constructor' is probably more apt. The interface allows you to explore the various Lego-like build variables for the letterforms.
This templated specimen from Positype is notable for the glyph table. In particular, I felt the preview of the glyphs – which are shown on click – display that choice in the context of other glyphs either side and simple cap height, x-height and baseline metrics.
A functional specimen from HvD Fonts for Fabrikat Kompakt but notable because of the opening branding/illustration. Clean, simple, graphical lines present the typeface in simple juxtaposition. Another nice touch is the long-form feature explanation with toggles to see the difference.
FIT is a hyper-stylized series of caps designed with one thing in mind: filling up space with maximum impact. As a variable font with extremes of weights, from the super condensed, to the very, very wide, the specimen for FIT displays this perfectly. Stacked panels of text with anchor controls to stretch them. Brilliant.
Ok, the specimen for this may be just one big svg but the design delivers on its purpose: to make you sit up and think 'hmmm, that's a cool typeface'. Sometimes that's all it needs.
Not really a specimen. Not really a product page. More like a technology, or a service? Regardless, this page for Grammato is an interesting approach to displaying an interesting and complex problem being solved through type.
Striking, but a bit perplexing, use of photography in the specimen. But the design certainly paints a picture of inspiration and possible intended usage. However, I find myself wanting to see more web fonts rather than lots of stacked svgs.
These single sheet specimens from Nick Sherman's foundry, Hex, are very effecitve. Multiple stacked panels of justified paragraphs are reminiscent of old single sheet printer's specimens.
NewsSerif was built for editorial and all typographic challenges – analogue or digital. A really useful specimen. Opening with a type tester, but then screen after screen of large example designs showing News Serif in context.
A solid looking specimen for a solid looking typeface from Buy Fonts Save Lives. Simple, designed panels in two colours precede some stacked type testers. All the basics, very well done.
Another brilliant specimen from Extraset building on their previous designs featured here. The new typeface, build, has various states of design, so this specimen is about walking the user through those states whilst transporting them with a Bauhaus style of content and photography. Really effective specimen, both functionally and aesthetically.,
A really detailed one-page specimen for Resonay from Typemates. I may have outlined this specimen design before, but it works really well. Particularly as you move further down the page to how the opentype features and licensing information is displayed.
Optimo's specimens work really well and present their typefaces in a functional, yet pleasing, way. What works particularly well is the stack of preset typetesters, each with slightly different content.
A fairly standard looking specimen for a quirky typeface. The sense of humour is evident throughout, though, and works really well. I can't quite understand the replacement cursor illustration – but I like it!
Derived from an old letter from Garton Brewery, Bristol, Garton is a typerwriter-inspired monospace from Colophon. The specimen has a couple of notable features: the animated typewriter style example, and the great copywriting.
There are many tihngs that users want that are not in this specimen: a list of glyphs, a type tester, features, language support. But, there are many specimens that don't deliver on what this one for Scilla does: beautifully typeset typographic illustrations demonstrating the beauty of the letterforms.
This new typeface from Hoefler&Co is subtle. What really works is the copywriting coupled with the design. Simple, effective art direction whilst demonstrating the full range of design. Clever.
There is something pleasingly simple about this specimen. Just a typetester with predefined pangrams at three different sizes navigable with toggles for three different weights. That's it. And, you could argue, that's all it needs to be.
I'm not sure where to look on this specimen for – and, yes, this is it's name – 'Happy Times at the IKOB New Game Plus Edition'. The scrolling, the pink, the competing hierarchy, the million type sizes. It shouldn't work. It really shouldn't. And yet...
Newlyn's templated specimens are really excellent from a usability perspective, offering all the features we know users need when evaluating a new font. But, of particular interest, is the multi-lingual content for the type tester.
I miss typefaces like this. Reminds me of FUSE. The specimen for Two System doesn't quite demonstrate the possibilities, though. I'd really appreciate a type tester and some example usage.
An interesting specimen for an interesting idea. A font that degrades in weights that represent the degredation of the Artict sea ice from 1979 and that projected in 2050. Specimen wise, it has some nice touches.
Refreshing specimen for a refreshing typeface. A stark black and white layout, large glyphs, with a conventional shopping cart. What's not to like?
A specimen exclusively made up from stacked type testers for each weight and style. The vibrant colours work well against the large, heavy glyphs.
A solid, functional library specimen from Kontour. Stacked type testers with variable length sample text give way to accordions of features and design story.
A useful specimen from Luzi Type for Spezia Serif. Of particular note is the little variable font tester. This is great. A simple user interface offering axis sliders and italic toggles.
Proxima Nova goes variable! This specimen, or more like a micro site, has some interesting examples as type testers: mocked up physical artefacts with the type overlaying them and controls to change the variable axes. Seen many times in more corporate guidelines, this is a cool addition to a specimen site.
This specimen page for Kaligari belongs to the 'scrollable svgs' type of specimen. That said, these look great. High contrast, interesting shapes, and enough detail to properly evaluate the typeface without a type tester.
If you ignore the strange spinning wheel in the top corner, this is a well put together specimen. Striking colourways underpin some solid, usable components. The feature illustrations are particularly good.
Some interesting things can be done with colour fonts. Bixa was originally designed as wood type for letterpress, and is now transformed into a multicolor font for web. The specimen suffers slightly in the same way specimens for variable fonts do: they have to explain the benefits and features ahead of the actual design. That said, this is an interesting specimen.
This is really, really interesting from Positype. The unusual, but simple, interaction design of mirrored scrolling lend itself perfectly to this high contrast fashionista type design. Just enough content to whet the appetite presented in a cool way. Take my money.
Now this is cool. Instead of just showing a bunch of letters, type testers, and features like all specimens do, why not take three short stories and typeset them to show off the real-world capabilities of the web font. Perfect.
I'm a big fan of combining the design story of the typeface in a specimen. Of course, this has to be done sensitively, and at the right point in the user's evaluation of the typeface. The specimen for Faction does that particularly well, seamlessly moving from detailed specification type content, over to the story of how the typeface came to be.
Perhaps the longest scrolling foundry homepage I've seen. Atop is the specimen for Now Grotesk with some brilliantly designed components outlining the font features and design details.
Not a specimen as such, but I know Toshi and the care and attention he puts into the design of his typefaces. Codelia is no exception. Beautifully designed for a difficult work environment, it's sensitive to the needs of programmers who sit all day looking at code.
A big release from Klim, and, as you'd expect, the specimen is pretty special. Following similar information architecture to the other specimens in the collection, Mānuka's distinctive branding sits atop the specimen and across all of the marketing. That's what I like about Klim's releases: the thought and careful execution given to branding every release.
Just look at those swash italics! Beautiful font, and quite a simple specimen – from a functional and aesthetic point of view. But what stands out on this is the copywriting. The wonderful little story sits alongside the font in the quirkiest of ways. There are other short stories o the site as well for you to enjoy.
There is just something about slightly extended or condensed typefaces that take me right back to memories of Space Lego, ABBA, and the early '80's Where everything was brown and orange. Not this specimen, though. Stark, stylish black type testers display large type harking back to those more stylish days.
New addition to Displaay's Matter typeface. Like its parent typeface, Matter Mono is just different enough to warrant attention. The specimen has a good type tester proceeded by some designed images.
This specimen for Rowton has the usual components: type testers, carousel of designed images etc. But, rather unglamorously, it's the buying options that sets this apart. A really simple walk through licence type, scripts, and individual weights and promotional packages. Super clear and easy.
Another specimen where the buying options caught my eye. A multitude of boxes – each labelled with the font packages, ranging from Personal, to Large, allow the user to easily choose. The one thing that caught my eye was the 'pay-what-you-want' for non-commercial and testing purposes. An interesting alternative to limited trial fonts.
Almost every bit of type on this specimen is a type tester. Controls reviewing themselves on hover, they are stacked, starting with huge single words before slowly changing into more long form content all the way to paragraphs.
Neacademia is a Latin and Cyrillic type family inspired by the types cut by 15th century Italian punchcutter Francesco Griffo for the famous Venetian printer and publisher Aldus Manutius. The specimen is available in Latin or Cyrillic which is nice – so often language support is shown in the glyph table, rather being set as text.
This is a little different. Indian Type Foundry have created this free offering of their entire catalogue for non-profit or personal use. Brilliant. And the specimens to display the catalogue are really well done with some nifty, subtle design elements.
There has been an increase of this type of digital specimen over the last year; stacked type testers of set text in the various weights of the typeface. And that's it. The best of both worlds. Interesting enough from a design perspective to really show the glyphs off, but with the added functionality to really start probing the typeface for your own needs.
Dinamo does it again. Vibrant, useful, exciting specimen for a monster typeface release. Of particular interest is Arizona Flare – a nice blend between Serif and Sans and a natural progression from the variable font design space.
Some interesting components in the specimen for Garet. The opentype features selector is particularly useful when combined with the sample text. The inclusion of some experimental and playful components – such as the 'talk' component – is very welcome.
WEG font is an experimental type system where legibility isn't the focus. It's refreshing to see this type of experimentation is still alive and kicking in the type design industry. The specimen demonstrates potential usage which frames the experiment in the real world of application to products and services.
This specimen for Andana is just about as comprehensive as you can get. It's got it all: fonts in use, complete character set, open type features (together with educational content).
NaN Fiasco is a disobedient sans-serif drawing inspiration from errata in the design, application and reproduction of letterforms. The specimen is a neatly stacked selection of type testers before concluding with one of the most engaging license selectors I've seen.
Process's type specimens are always so simple, engaging, and just useful enough to tempt any designer to part with their cash. Really good specimen with larger than life type.
Uivo is a geometric grotesque hybrid with a specimen full of personality. The delicate balance of marketing, usefulness, distinctive, and design is well constructed with a simple colour palette, stacked specimen components, and finishing with some really useful customer testimonials. I wish we'd see more of those.
Part article, part type specimen, and part – sort of – product landing page. The 'pay-what-you-want' personal licensing is a welcome addition, plus the various calls to action for signing up to the newsletter. These commercial additions – whilst welcome here – are sadly lacking from many specimens out there.
Will you look at that CA ligature in the title! This specimen for Montecatini is very refreshing. Leading with design information and inspiration, the specimen goes on to provide type testers. The real stand-out, though, is the real selling point: the contextual and stylistic alternates.
Stranger things? Yes, sort of. But where this specimen for Marvin from Visions really shines is the use of the variable weights. There are some novel UI elements to help the user explore variable axis. I really like the square 'design space' slider. Nifty.
These simple, single-page specimens - which just outline the features of the font - but rely on the design of the page to really sell the idea are really effective. I love the arrows surrounding the buy button.
This is a characterful specimen for Escafina. A simple, bright colour palette of the design pairs well with the playful curves of the typeface.
Boomville describes itself as 'A playful upright monoline script typeface, bursting with fun!'. It's not wrong! Packed with nifty features, Boomville will certainly sit in a niche place in my font library.
This is more 'essay as specimen' for Rondelle. Describing the motivation, design process, and results is refreshing in its depth providing the user with plenty of opportunity to review the features.
Green and black and nothing else. Simple design with effective designed panels. To explain the features of the font (different density of pixels) has been handled really well.
The refreshing aspect of this efficient specimen for Trailers is the multi-lingual predefined sample text at different lengths. So often, language evaluation is limited to a list of supported languages. More specimens taking this approach would be welcome.
I'm a massive fan of Dinamo's typefaces and specimens and this is no exception. Whyte is a brilliant typeface and specimen is bold and delightful, yet useful and usable. A delicate balance realised very well, here.
An unusual website. Or catalogue? Or specimen(s)? Maybe it's a foundry? I'm a little unsure, but what I do like is the bold, unconventional web design. Feels like a print publication for a contemporary gallery space. Refreshing!
CoType's sepcimens are really good in their clarity and simplicity. The overlaying of content areas on scroll is a simple but effective little trick to clearly demonstrate different content areas, but also adds subtle animation and a feeling of depth.
As a specimen to evaluate weights at different sizes, different settings, many don't come as good as this one. In-depth and detailed, however it still lacks some contextual designs to really demonstrate the font in action.
There is something about this specimen that reminds me of the printed specimens from Emigre in the mid 90's. Maybe it's the colour combinations, or the simple panels of large glyphs.
Want some throwback arcade chrome pixel fonts? Puffin Arcade is brilliant. Reminds me of Bubble Bobble from about 1988 on the Amiga. It's aching for a bespoke mini site or specimen rather than being presented as part of the wider Bold Monday catalogue.
A really effective, lightweight, and simple specimen for Graf. The tiles of different colour settings work really well as a mosaic.
More like a product page than a type specimen, but it's an interesting project. I really like the randomisation feature. I just wish there was an outlined webfont version!
Well, Grilli Type do it again. A wonderful, thoughtful micro site for the new font GT Maru. Crammed full of engaging illustrations and animations whilst not distracting from key selling points and features of the new font. It's just so good.
This specimen for Faubourg from Positype follows the increasing trend of 'everything is a type tester' but only having the controls available when the user is interacting with that content which makes things look nicely decluttered the rest of the time. Nice addition of the accompanying glyphs on the glyph preview.
Termoli is a contemporary take on the scotch typeface genre. The specimen is an interesting assortment of white on black content elements and type testers.
A couple of things to admire here but not the things you'd expect. The in-specimen navigation is subtle, supportive, and stays out of the way. The 'buy' buttons next to each type tester. The simple introduction of a centred waterfall.
Noordenwind is a typeface inspired by the turbulent Dutch winds. The really interesting part of this project is the different weights for each month, each with its own levell of stress and distortion matching the dutch weather.
The graphic design of this specimen walks the line between two aesthetics - digital and print - but doesn't quite deliver on either. Which is a shame. With the introduction of a type tester, some clearer description of features and styles, it would be much improved.
Mercure, designed by Charles Mazé, is the result of an inquiry into Latin epigraphy and the typographic forms associated with that discipline. A touch of the experimental mixed with the conventional of digital type specimens. Yes please.
I'm not going to say too much about this one. Expect conventions to be broken, and preconceptions challenged.
This specimen from Nodo Type Foundry is notable for it's long-form text type tester. It provides options for the user not seen in many specimens: multiple columns, multi-language, and different default character sets.
A friendly font for letter lovers. A really great, functional specimen for Grandstander from ETC. Added benefit? It's available on Google Fonts for you to use now.
I'm a big fan of experimental typefaces. 'NON is a series of limited edition type systems that utilise the basic latin and numerical character sets to create abstract forms, rhythms and fields from otherwise ordinary text.'. In some ways, however, it would be nice if the specimen expanded on this brief.
A simple one-pager for Mantar. The accompanying mini site is an immersive story-based experience. Be sure to read the design notes for some detail on the design brief and exploratory illustrations.
MD Primer is a digital reinterpretation the flaws and inconsistencies of early sans-serifs. Big, bold, stacked type testers are the order of the day. You may notice that the type tester words are all of a full screen width. A simple, subtle but sophisticated addition to the specimen.
Yes, stacked sag graphics but a striking and bold specimen for Oatmeal Sans. Another neo-grotesque, but it has some striking alternates. The specimen only hints at those features, so whilst the graphic design is appealing, it's lacking those evaluative components for a user to explore it.
Where to start? 'Closed apertures, display for text and text for display, Jaune follows this NaN motto: take a bad idea and do it well, or at least die trying.' Behind the fun exterior, – I mean, a game!? With a leaderboard!' this specimen for Juane has some really great features. The optical size slider is perhaps the most useful here.
Oh no's specimens have been featured here before, but I had to include irregardless for its wonderful design. Checkout the 'containers' weight for some fun backgrounds to overlay text onto.
I do like a challenging interface. An interface that challenges conventions. This specimen from Production Type for Tuner does just that. An animated menu makes way for panels of content on the origin, design, and a specimen of features.
I do like a challenging interface. An interface that challenges conventions. This specimen from Production Type for Tuner does just that. An animated menu makes way for panels of content on the origin, design, and a specimen of features.
Jost is a tribute to Futura named after Heinrich Jost. With variable axes for weight and italics, the specimen opens with just that single type tester and a revolving carousel of example images. Nicely done.
An interesting specimen for free drop shadow variable font, Gnomon. The interesting aspect of this font is the unusual variable axis: 'time of day', and 'shadow distance'. This type of interface is brilliantly educational for the potential of variable fonts.
From a functional perspective, this specimen for Santa Ana Sans is a little unconventional and a bit lacking. But, from a marketing perspective, it's probably one of the best I've seen. Scroll down to see brightly designed tiles of features, examples, and proposed applications.
The hero image for this specimen for Agena Display by Copper and Brasses hints at what's to come after the stacks of type testers. Really effective branding and design showing off the features of the typeface.
Want to peruse your type to the relaxing sounds of running water and acoustic guitar? A sparce specimen which is just unconventional enough to make it interesting. Good stuff.
The specimen for Fontwerk's newest release, West, builds on their other specimens. Comprehensive, stylish, with just the right mix of functional and delightful.
Full screen type tester. HUGE type. Unconventional UI with a few little surprises. MIssing a few details, though, to make some really informed decisions about if you want to buy it or not.
What the specimen for Jali Latin lacks in character and individuality, it more than makes up in usefulness and usability. Almost everything is here to fully evaluate the typeface.
Lineto's specimens are always interesting. This one for Grey Mono gets better the more you scroll with blocks of long form content in different weights and columns
A beautiful specimen for Eiko from Pangram Pangram. The sophisticated branding is what this specimen is all about. Multiple vertical panels of photography and refreshing graphic design followed by images of enormous glyphs and long-form specimens.
It's refreshing to see an Arabic specimen so comprehensive. Felfel is made to celebrate the elegance and timeliness of Arabic calligraphy while solving the problem of the cascading nature of Ruq’ah that results in increased line spacing.
The standard catalogue specimen for Midnight Sans but punctuated by some visually interesting large panels of glyphs. Really good explanatory illustrations for opentype features.
An interesting idea from DSType. Sort of an interstitial page before the standard catalogue specimens. This is a nice way to introduce the type in a bespoke way – that templated specimens will not allow – without the overhead of creating a mini site.
This is a bit of a outlier but I thought it would be interesting to bookmark the use of Instagram as a specimen. Of course, it lacks critical features, but as an effective way to showcase images of the type in a curated way, it's pretty good!
Fort describe Figure as a quirkhorse – all the makings of a workhorse whilst still bringing some quirks from a revival. The specimen hits all the right notes: designed examples, stacked type testers, and complete glyph table with previews.
A variable font for waveforms? Why not! The specimen is super-simple with examples and sliders for the axes.
Inter has been featured here before, but the samples page is something special. A LONG list of typeset examples showing potential usage. This mapping of features of the typeface to real-world examples is really useful in evaluation.
SKWAR is a very square, monospaced variable font with weight and width axes. The specimen has a very nice feature of mapping the width axis to music for a nifty equaliser.
The new release from atipo is a tribute to the famous Tour de France climb. The specimen for Izoard is a stack of designed graphics which demonstrate the versatility. It'd be nice to see some web fonts in a browser, though.
This is weird, but fun, and extremely clever. An experimental specimen for a font where the letters are made from Tetris blocks. Not only that, but the specimen animates the building of them.
A good looking specimen of stacked large glyphs. Despite them being static, and not type testers, there are enough of them to get a good sense of the typeface in different uses.
An efficient single screen specimen for Lang Syne from Arrow Type. Putting the type tester front and centre and using the pre-defined text as content – not just placeholder content – is something we should see more of.
Displaay continue their templated specimens for their new release, Denim. A grid of carousels of example designs followed by a feature-filled type tester.
A bright specimen for Tartuffo. "This new font, the Tartuffo, is as bad-looking and bitter as the hypocrites in literary works". Check out the ligatures!
This specimen for Greenstone from Sharp gets better the further you scroll. Past some basic evaluation components and stacked type testers, the specimen goes into detail of the design process.
What a beautiful serif typeface. The specimen is simple and opens with a carousel of images, but it's the type testers where Kisba Nova Text comes alive – especially the longer form paragraphs.
Always a sucker for Mono typefaces. This specimen for Azo Mono has some interesting generative illustrations accompanying the type tester.
Input is a 'flexible system of fonts designed for programming'. This specimen is a treat. Interesting design, useful content, supportive illustrations shown potential usage, and a really well designed license table.
This takes me back. My Amiga 500 was my first serious computer experience (following on from the BBC Micro and Spectrum ZX81). It's amazing how just a font can rekindle those feelings. The specimen here is simple and adds various simulating screen effects.
Really neat specimen for a good looking typeface. Whilst missing a few key components for effective evaluation, such as a type tester, it makes up for it by the stacked example panels outlining the features of the font.
No other typeface has to work quite as hard as a monospace designed for coding environments if you ask me. Here, the specimen for Gintronic features panels of explanatory text explaining the features baked into the font to mitigate things like fatigue for the reader.
This specimen is all business and really well done. It's about giving the user all the tools they need to make a good decision and making it easy to buy. The switchable opentype feature components are particularly good.
Java Sans is an experimental typeface and this playground specimen really demonstrates it. Change all kinds of metrics from points, stroke with, brush shape, and animation speed.
There is much to get excited about with this specimen. Interesting rethinking of conventional components such as the opening hero carousel. But it's the explanation of the features that really stand out.
The striking element of this specimen for Deia is the mosaic of coloured panels featuring different weights and styles for different types and length of content. Nicely done.
The type tester in Owners is really a hero image. Letting the type do the talking with some simple controls. This specimen really does take advantage of every available pixel with very long scrolling page with multiple type testers.
Simple and functional specimen for Alkaline, but it's those designs in the carousel that really sell it. Bright and carefully designed, It'd be great to see more of them in context with the font features.
Handwriting fonts can be difficult to produce good specimens for. Especially those which have inbuilt features such as auto-ligatures and interesting alternates to mimic the inconsistency and quirks of human-made lettering. This specimen for Goskar does a good job at highlighting those features on a backdrop of a useful specimen.
A catalogue specimen, but a sensitive reimagining of a printed specimen to digial form. More traditional in its approach, the specimen leaves no stone unturned; it is comprehensive. A full glyph preview, download the printed PDF, and an accompanying long-form article on the history of the design.
Great looking monochrome colour palette for this striking specimen for Sebenta. Big, full width type displayed in stacked layouts of components with text long and short, large and small.
Monoflow is a coding font. The website goes into great detail as to what that means from a design perspective, carefully explaining the impact on readability in a coding environment.
Array is a characterful mono typeface. A response to the design brief of 'can a typeface work for coding and regular text?'. Array is a combination of the two. The specimen neatly demonstrates the font and its capabilities, but is lacking showing it in an actual coding environment.
This specimen for Avantt reeks of modernist design values combined with a wilful disregard for digital type specimen conventions. And it's brilliant as a result. Refreshing content. Interesting branding.
A fairly standard specimen from Positype, but it's the glyph table that is of interest. Each preview of a glyph is shown with two other characters either side and is overlaid with lines for cap height, x-height and baseline. This is very useful to see glyphs in context with others.
Efficient and elegance is the name of the game with this specimen from TipoType. Simple, stacked typetesters, one or two 'in context' images. And then compiling all of the features, glyphs, and language support into a useful tabbed component at the bottom of ther specimen.
The designs for the carousel that opens the specimen for Bau Mono are refreshing, but hidden away. The specimen would be really improved by having them as stacked panels. The typetesters are good, providing multi-lingual defaults and options for different columns.
This is a clever layout from Extraset for their latest release, Allianz. Using borderless tiled animations and static graphics interesting combinations of glyphs and features the specimen builds into a tapestry. This simple but effective technique adds an added dimention to evaluating the typeface.
The microsite for Nichrome is so well done. From the branding and accompanying video, to the stacked example phrases. The opentype feature layout is also a useful addition to clearly see the built-in features such as alternates and case-sensitive forms.
Contrast Foundry's specimens walk that fine line between useful and unconventional really well. The focussing on each side of the specimen is particularly interesting.