Outline fonts are an excellent tool for adding variety to a design, making it attractive and bold. What do they look like? Where are they used? What font styles do they match?
We covered all these questions in this article and made a selection of the best outline fonts for different projects.
What are outline fonts?
The phrase «outline font» can have two meanings: technical and stylistic.
In a technical sense, outline fonts (vector fonts) are digital fonts where glyphs are constructed using vectors that determine the anchor point coordinates. These anchor points are connected by lines that form glyph contours.
From the stylistic point of view, outline fonts are a distinct font type where letters have nothing but contours. These are hollow fonts where each symbol is outlined. We only see the borders of such a font: inside, it looks «empty.» As a result, background colors and textures will show through these fonts. This feature allows designers to create exciting projects and experiment with graphics.
In this article, we will focus on outline fonts in their stylistic sense.
How and where are outline fonts typically used?
Outline fonts are called for to attract attention: on book and magazine covers, posters, packaging design, signage, in logos, large texts on websites, in apps, etc.
One of the key points to consider when using outline fonts is that they offer the best readability in medium and large point sizes. In small point sizes, the borders of such fonts will merge, and letters will look blurry.
Combining outline fonts with other styles of fonts
Outline fonts always look highly expressive, regardless of their style. A text typed in such a font will surely draw gazes, especially if the outlined typefaces work synergistically with graphic design. That’s why it’s best to choose a simpler, more neutral font pair option for an outline font.
If you want to combine outline fonts with other font types, you should follow the basic principles of font pairing. For example, avoid using more than two fonts in one project, thoughtfully distribute roles among them, and choose the suitable fonts for your project in terms of style and mood. Read another article we wrote to learn more about choosing fonts for projects.
When combining fonts, look for both similarities and differences in them. The contrast between them should be visible, but they should also have similar stylistic traits. The easiest option is to use different font styles of one typeface; this way, the fonts you choose will definitely have the right style. Learn more about the principles of font combination here.
Best outline fonts for creative design projects: our top choices
In our font selection, you will find free and paid outline typefaces with various moods. Many of them are part of typefaces, so you can use outline font styles and standard ones from the same font family to be sure of their compatibility and functionality.
Versatile outline fonts from the TypeType collection
We chose the best outline fonts made by our studio: functional, versatile, and modern. These typefaces are suitable for a wide variety of tasks, such as web design, printing, branding, signage, or posters. You can use them wherever you need to design expressive and eye-catching text.
TT Fors Outline is a black outline font included in the TT Fors typeface. Like the entire font family, it has a neutral character and fine-tuned proportions. The glyph forms in this font closely resemble geometric shapes (circle, triangle, square). This makes the outline font styles of TT Fors so adaptable to a wide variety of projects. They can place an eye-catching accent and align with a minimalistic design. The typeface has two bordered fonts in total: an upright TT Fors Outline and an oblique TT Fors Black Outline Italic.
TT Hoves Pro, one of the «basic» typefaces in our collection, also includes a neutral hollow font. This typeface is a Scandinavian sans serif, simple and neutral yet still recognizable. The character design is dominated by horizontal and vertical strokes. TT Hoves Pro font family offers two outline font styles: vertical TT Hoves Pro Bold Outline and oblique TT Hoves Pro Bold Outline Italic. They work great in branding, packaging design, web, and printing and can match any neutral font you use for designing informative text blocks.
TT Ramillas is an aesthetic, experimental serif that brings an elegant feel to any design. The typeface includes decorative bordered font styles with signature flared serifs and an open aperture. The typeface features two outline font styles: upright and italic. These outline fonts are ideal for headlines and other eye-catching texts. They look especially harmonious in projects related to art, fashion, or perfumery.
TT Travels Next is an ultra-modern display font with a bold character. This wide sans serif oddly blends fluid and sharp forms. Like the previous typefaces, it has two outline fonts: a vertical TT Travels Next Black Outline and oblique TT Travels Next Black Outline Italic. They do an excellent job as expressive fonts and blend harmoniously with basic font styles. Regardless of its vibrant character, TT Travels Next can easily match almost any project theme, from food item and beverage branding to major public event visual identity.
TT Autonomous is a rough technological sans serif with noticeable glyph squareness and angular counters. Its proportions tend to look monospaced, evoking associations with something technical and machine-like. Like the other styles in the family, outline fonts have a futuristic and powerful look. TT Autonomous ExtraBold Outline creates a stable feeling, and TT Autonomous ExtraBold Outline Italic offers more dynamics. By the way, in addition to the fonts with outlines, the typeface features curious reverse font styles you can use to place accents and design block text.
TT Commons™ Classic is another versatile sans serif with geometric glyph forms. This elegant, well-balanced, and simple outline font makes any mundane tasks shine. Two font styles feature outlines: TT Commons™ Classic Bold Outline and the corresponding oblique TT Commons™ Classic Bold Outline Italic. Their outlines resemble bold fonts and have a neutral character. These font styles can help place necessary accents and perform well paired with text font styles from this or other typefaces.
TT Milks is a soft and gentle font family. We crafted this font specifically for use in the branding and packaging of dairy products, which is reflected in its name. Outline fonts included in this typeface look especially peculiar and funny: apart from the bordered font style, the typeface features a hollow font with shadows and even a version with cow print. TT Milks features a total of three outline font styles containing only uppercase characters and supporting tabular figures and case sensitivity.
TT Smalls is a decorative font family. Glyph construction in this font is based on geometric sans serif, which makes the forms simple and versatile. However, each letter consists of strokes composed of strokes, the quantity of which varies depending on the font style’s weight. Content typed in this font will look attractive in medium and large point sizes, even when placed on a black, white, or any other plain background without any additional graphic elements.
Outline typefaces for creative design made by other studios
Below, we compiled a list of paid and free outline fonts in various styles in case you are looking for a more unusual option:
- Kumar One Outline by Indian Type Foundry;
- Typefesse by Velvetyne;
- Heafy Display Font by Migomojo Type;
- BISH by Anastazja Oakhill;
- Vultura by SG Type;
- Dan Pro by Fontfabric;
- Impossible Type by Fleta.
Conclusion
Outline fonts are among the most fascinating tools available for designers. They allow you to express your creativity fully. We hope our article will help you choose the best outline font for your project. The key is to not be afraid to try new things and continuously enrich your watchfulness range!
