So you’re browsing through your
favorite website and found a site that uses a font you love. You want
that font too, (and must be as quickly as possible!)… so how do we go
about finding out what that font is called? Sounds familiar? Yes… we’ve
all been there before.
One easy option is to simply email the webmaster and ask for the name of the font and where to get it.
This can take some time and not all webmasters will reply. So, I’ve decided to compile a list of free online tools to speed up the identification process.
One easy option is to simply email the webmaster and ask for the name of the font and where to get it.
This can take some time and not all webmasters will reply. So, I’ve decided to compile a list of free online tools to speed up the identification process.
1. What The Font
Developed by one of the largest font providers, WhatTheFont is your
number one spot for identifying your fonts. Simply upload an image of
the font that you want to ID and upload it to their servers (or add a
link to the image on the WTF interface), and the system will show you
multiple font results. If unable to find it, it will prompt you to go to
their Font Forum where you can post the image and wait for feedback
from font experts as to what that font may be called. I’ve used both
systems and this usually solved most of my font questions.
2. Identifont
This service takes a different approach and finds your fonts by asking a
number of questions about the font. This one can be useful if you do
not have an image of the font you’re looking for. I’ve never managed to
find any fonts using this service to be honest, but maybe I’m the
exception! The service claims to be ‘the largest independent directory
of typefaces on the Internet, with information about fonts from 534
publishers and 143 vendors’.
3. Message Boards: Typophile
This is probably the greatest and largest community of font experts. You
get your answers simply by posting an image of the font you’re looking
for in their forum. If unsuccessful there, most font sites (usually the
free font sites) have message boards where you can post questions and
images about the fonts that you’re looking for.
4. Bowfin Printworks
This site offers a ton of information as well as multiple online tools
to help you find your font, by answering questions on the shape of the
glyphs of the font in question. Similar to Identifont, but seems to be
quicker to input all the data as it’s all in one page while Identifont
goes through multiple pages and can get tedious. Includes guides for
Script Fonts, Bauhaus-style Fonts, Sans Serif and Serif Fonts and Lined
Fonts. The owner of the site is also willing to answer any font ID
questions for free via email.
5. TypeNavigator
Developed by Fontshop, this one uses the same principles as the Bowfint
system by asking questions about the shape of each character.
6. Flickr Typeface Identification
Flickr has a group dedicated to identifying fonts and another group that
showcases fonts used in different images called Fonts in Use which can
be useful for quick reference.
7. Lists of Fonts
Sometimes the best way to find a font is just by looking at lists of
fonts already created with the most widely used fonts. Here are a few
popular lists that you can use for quick reference.
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