A curated list of digital specimens
of the highest quality. Updated daily.

screenshot of Ogg

Ogg

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.

Published on 09 Jun 2020
screenshot of Indivisible

Indivisible

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.

Published on 09 Jun 2020
screenshot of Brandon Grotesque

Brandon Grotesque

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.

Published on 09 Jun 2020
screenshot of Greycliff

Greycliff

Of course a specimen about a typeface called Greycliff should be all greyscale. A simple design with stacked images of the typeface in context.

Published on 09 Jun 2020
screenshot of Kalnia

Kalnia

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.

Published on 09 Jun 2020
screenshot of Compressa

Compressa

Colourful, vertically stacked panels outline the features of Compressa before digging into details of the individual characters.

Published on 09 Jun 2020
screenshot of Jabin

Jabin

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.

Published on 09 Jun 2020
screenshot of Value Serif

Value Serif

Colophon's digital specimens all follow the same templated approach, but with subtle variation of the design of the full width panels.

Published on 09 Jun 2020
screenshot of Bungee

Bungee

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.

Published on 08 Jun 2020
screenshot of Pappardelle Party Font

Pappardelle Party Font

Eye-wateringly wonderful. Switch the colours in this specimen and the tyography changes accordingly.

Published on 08 Jun 2020
screenshot of Work Sans

Work Sans

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.

Published on 08 Jun 2020
screenshot of Adelle Sans Chinese

Adelle Sans Chinese

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.

Published on 08 Jun 2020
screenshot of Söhne

Söhne

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.

Published on 05 Jun 2020
screenshot of Cesium

Cesium

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.

Published on 05 Jun 2020
screenshot of Source Han Serif

Source Han Serif

Adobe's open source CJK typeface initiative. A calming and sophisticated website punctuated with line drawing illustrations and subtle interactions.

Published on 05 Jun 2020
screenshot of Quist

Quist

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.

Published on 05 Jun 2020
screenshot of Bold Decisions

Bold Decisions

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.

Published on 05 Jun 2020
screenshot of Fabel, the animal alphabet

Fabel, the animal alphabet

A delightful specimen to match a delightful typeface. The ligatures and tabular vs old style numerals are particularly lovely.

Published on 03 Jun 2020
screenshot of Stinger

Stinger

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.

Published on 03 Jun 2020
screenshot of Bold Monday - independent font foundry of high quality type

Bold Monday - independent font foundry of high quality type

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.

Published on 01 Jun 2020
screenshot of GT Haptik Font

GT Haptik Font

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.

Published on 01 Jun 2020
screenshot of GT Eesti

GT Eesti

This specimen is delightful. From the bold, large letters presented alongside vibrant illustrations evoking the typeface's inspiration from 1940's Soviet Russia.

Published on 01 Jun 2020
screenshot of Octothorpe

Octothorpe

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 font elsewhere in a more templated tester as well as read an in-depth article.

Published on 01 Jun 2020
screenshot of Cymru Wales

Cymru Wales

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.

Published on 29 May 2020