How To Recognize A Font? A Mini Guide To Successful Font Recognition

Website developers and graphic designers are often asked by the client to hunt down the font they are thinking of. Without a name, finding a particular font can be very difficult. But if you have a font sample, the job is made slightly easier. In this case you can use a number of techniques to identify the font.
Mainly the font recognizing techniques involve three types of methods: internet identification tools, print catalogs, and other developers.
When it comes to internet identifications tools, one of the best is “What the Font!” This font identification engine does a wonderful job of finding a typeface. In the rare case that it fails in doing so, it refers you to typeface forums where online typographers can help you recognizing the font.



But that is for cases when you have a font image. If you only have a memory of the font, then try out Identifont. This online tool asks you 20 questions about the appearance of the font you are looking for. With each question the search is narrowed down and font suggestions are displayed in the end.



Also, if you have the font’s image memorized and can recognize it again if you were to see it, the print catalogs can be a great help. Simply open up a font catalog and start flipping through the pages. For this the most helpful is perhaps Rookledge’s International Type Finder.



Finally if all fails, then see if fellow designers and typographers on the web can help you out. Perhaps you remember seeing the font on a certain website and your online colleagues remember which site it was. There is no harm in trying.
Combined, these three techniques will definitely help you find the desired font.