Typophile

Alternatives to Din

ekdig

Hello,

I am trying to decide on a typeface to use for my own portfolio/identity. I'm a pretty big fan of Din, but it seems like it is being a little overused lately. I like how it is mildy- techy and mildly-retro feeling, but not over the top, I suppose. It feels very what-you-see-is-what-you-get (objective, maybe) while still having a bit of distinction. Of note, industries I'm interested in working with in the future: design-industry related (architecture, ID, etc), fine-art/gallery, editorial/book design/publishing.

I am looking for other typefaces similar to Din: objective, modern, geometic. It would be great if this typeface could work well for both headlines and for body type, print and web. I'm putting together a web portfolio, resume and business card.

I'm new to all of this (just finishing up my degree) and still trying to figure out what it is that I'm responding to when I have a reaction to a typeface - good or bad - and I really like Din. I liked Neutraface for a while (but now it feels a little too quirky for my tastes), and Trade Gothic has been a staple of mine for sometime. I don't know what all of these have in common.

I appreciate the help!

Erin

nina

Hi Erin,

FontShop has a list of DIN alternatives that should be interesting to browse if you haven't done so already:
http://www.fontshop.com/fontlist/alternatives/din_alternatives/

Another thing that comes to mind – you might like some stuff at Lineto. Not cheap, but their stuff is mostly quite current, rather geometric/constructed and clean, and probably only overused if you're in Zurich ;-). I've been wanting Gravur Condensed for a while, which is sort of DIN-ish: http://lineto.com/The+Fonts/Font+Categories/Text+Fonts/Gravur+Condensed/

Florian Hardwig

Not geometric, but rational: JAF Facit.

Chris Keegan

Two more alternatives:

Flama, to me this is a friendlier DIN.

Frank.

There are a lot of good options in the link Nina gave above.

Fontgrube

Here is a link to find "similar to ..." fonts: http://www.identifont.com/similar.html

ekdig

Hey guys,

These suggestions great. I love the faces at Lineto - I want all of them (well, maybe not all of them, but enough of them). Also, the link to the indentifont site is very helpful.

Thanks so much for the help!

Adagio

Any free alternatives?

Si_Daniels

DIN as a design is in the public domain isn't it? You just need to draw your own version from the official drawings.

Adagio

Does that mean that I can re-draw my own version and use it commercially?

Albert-Jan Pool

Does that mean that I can re-draw my own version and use it commercially?

– Draw, not re-draw
– From the DIN 1451-2 standard sheets, yes, but not from the fonts DIN Mittelschrift and DIN Engschrift (from Adobe/Linotype), not from FF DIN or from most other commercially available versions of the DIN typefaces or designs that relate to them.

To be more precise:
DIN 1451-2 is not a „design in the public domain“, it is a standard. Anyone may produce or design typefaces that relate to the standard.

Si_Daniels

Thanks for the clarification.

Cheers, Si

Adagio

Yes, thank you Albert, I appreciate it a lot.

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