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

screenshot of Compagnon

Compagnon

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.

Published on 27 Jul 2020
screenshot of Comic Neue

Comic Neue

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.

Published on 27 Jul 2020
screenshot of Output Font

Output Font

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.

Published on 27 Jul 2020
screenshot of Forma DJR Font

Forma DJR Font

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.

Published on 27 Jul 2020
screenshot of Aglet Mono

Aglet Mono

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.

Published on 24 Jul 2020
screenshot of Kefa III

Kefa III

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.

Published on 23 Jul 2020
screenshot of The Northern Block

The Northern Block

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.

Published on 22 Jul 2020
screenshot of Pilowlava - VTF

Pilowlava - VTF

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.

Published on 22 Jul 2020
screenshot of The Lust Pro Series

The Lust Pro Series

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.

Published on 22 Jul 2020
screenshot of Avara

Avara

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.

Published on 22 Jul 2020
screenshot of Oi!

Oi!

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.

Published on 22 Jul 2020
screenshot of Kale Sans

Kale Sans

A stark, brutalist specimen. Large type, grey and black, sightly set explanatory text sets the tone for Kale Mono.

Published on 22 Jul 2020
screenshot of GT Flexa

GT Flexa

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.

Published on 21 Jul 2020
screenshot of Dazzed

Dazzed

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.

Published on 20 Jul 2020
screenshot of Corundum Text

Corundum Text

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.

Published on 20 Jul 2020
screenshot of Dotties

Dotties

A delightfully illustrated specimen full of lovely detail. The stacked ice cream pots are particularly clever.

Published on 20 Jul 2020
screenshot of Sentinel

Sentinel

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.

Published on 15 Jul 2020
screenshot of Tome Sans

Tome Sans

An 'approachable typeface with a professional demeanor', Tome Sans from Delve Fonts has a functional but comprehensive one-page specimen.

Published on 15 Jul 2020
screenshot of Messina

Messina

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.

Published on 15 Jul 2020
screenshot of Soya

Soya

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.

Published on 15 Jul 2020
screenshot of Arpona

Arpona

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.

Published on 15 Jul 2020
screenshot of Tofino

Tofino

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.

Published on 15 Jul 2020
screenshot of Mixo

Mixo

A very simple specimen for the unusual display face, Mixo. A selection of sizes and a glyph table are all that's available.

Published on 15 Jul 2020
screenshot of Aileron Black

Aileron Black

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.

Published on 14 Jul 2020
screenshot of Edit Serif Pro

Edit Serif Pro

Despite Edit Serif being a lovely looking typeface, this is another specimen that is, unfortunately, pictures of type rather than web fonts.

Published on 14 Jul 2020
screenshot of Optician Sans

Optician Sans

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.

Published on 14 Jul 2020
screenshot of Object Sans

Object Sans

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.

Published on 14 Jul 2020
screenshot of Gravostyle

Gravostyle

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.

Published on 13 Jul 2020
screenshot of Panorama

Panorama

An exploratory interface allows the user to navigate the design space. An imaginative use of navigational devices and layout.

Published on 08 Jul 2020
screenshot of Blanchard Collection

Blanchard Collection

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.

Published on 07 Jul 2020
screenshot of Pensum Sans

Pensum Sans

A fairly standard looking specimen, but it's enriched with content of its creation written by the designer.

Published on 06 Jul 2020
screenshot of Balto

Balto

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.

Published on 06 Jul 2020
screenshot of CoFo Sans

CoFo Sans

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.

Published on 06 Jul 2020
screenshot of Peak

Peak

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!

Published on 03 Jul 2020
screenshot of Aspen

Aspen

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.

Published on 03 Jul 2020
screenshot of Playtype

Playtype

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.

Published on 01 Jul 2020