Love fonts? I’ve picked out some of my favorite handwritten scripts fonts to spark your creativity. Plus, I’ll give ideas for font pairings.
Handwritten script fonts are a huge trend, and they’re not going away anytime soon. Personally, I’m a fan. They can range from casual to elegant, playful to grunge.
Many of these fonts really are hand lettered by a font artist, who then turns the design into a digital typeface. I’m in awe of these people. While I’d love to be able to make my own hand-lettered art (it’s on my List of Things to Learn), for now I’m just glad that there are so many beautiful handwritten script fonts to choose from.
When you choose the right hand-lettered font, it really sets off your design. But there are a few things to watch for…
3 Tips when choosing Handwritten Script Fonts
1 – Be sure it’s legible
You might think all fonts are legible, but that’s not really the case. There is no FDA regulating font readability (for better or worse), so it’s up to you. Just be sure it’s easy to read.
2 – Look for alternate characters
Sometimes, a font designer will build in several versions for the same letter. For example, an “a” can look different at the beginning of the word than it does in the middle or at the end of a word. That’s called an alternate character (or a glyph), and it opens up a world of design possibility.
3 – Pair handwritten script fonts with plain fonts
The star is your gorgeous handwritten font. The sidekick is the plain font you pair it with. Don’t make your star compete for attention. Get more tips on font pairing.
One more bonus tip for using handwritten script fonts:
Keep your hand-lettered text to a minimum. If you have a long title or quote, consider putting most of the text in a simpler font, and put only a few key words in the hand-lettered font. It’s a great way to keep it readable, and you can use your beautiful font for emphasis.
By the way, download the Handwritten Script Fonts cheat sheet to get pairing ideas for each font!
21 of my favorite Handwritten Script Fonts
Ready for the main show? Let’s bring on the fonts!
Oh, and don’t forget to download the Handwritten Script Fonts cheat sheet at the end to get pairing ideas for each font!
South Blues is a casual brush font that looks like it was written with a marker. Just a hint of grunge without the rebellious attitude.
Source: The Hungry JPEG
Britany is a beautiful blend of sophisticated and careless. It’s perfectly imperfect.
Source: The Hungry JPEG
With just a touch of curlique, Roselina is whimsical, but not carried-off-by-fairies cutesy.
Source: Creative Market
Ditto looks like you yourself hand-wrote it. If your handwriting was beautiful and easy to read, that is.
Source: The Hungry JPEG
Quite Hustle hits that great note of both grunge and easy to read, which is a difficult feat.
Source: Creative Market
Grand Hotel looks so proper (it is grand, after all) with its nod to old world style, but it’s friendly enough to work just fine for today.
Source: Font Squirrel (free)
Raselina is feminine, casual, and whimsical all at the same time.
Source: The Hungry JPEG
Allura is such a versatile font, and it plays well with a number of styles.
Source: Font Squirrel (free)
A bit formal and a bit worn, Intro Script has more than a bit of personality.
Source: Font Squirrel (free)
Messy script is like waking up with bedhead and still looking fabulous. Watch out, world.
Source: Creative Market
Hearth & Home just makes me smile. It’s friendly and cozy, like a letter you would dash off to a friend. We should bring back the days of dashing off letters to friends.
Source: The Hungry JPEG
If Schiffen were a person, she would have a messy bun and a flavored coffee. And a fun view of the world.
Source: Creative Market
Filson could single-handedly revive the manicured mustache market. It’s playful and classy at the same time.
Source: Creative Market
When you want to splash your thoughts out (and still get your message across), Atmosphere is your font.
Source: Creative Market
Dancing Script is a sweet and sensible blend that can match a number of styles.
Source: Font Squirrel (free)
Willona is a calligraphy brush script with a fabulous contrast of wide and thin lines.
Source: Creative Market
Faith and Glory is a splendid brush font with some fun extras, like the “AND” and other short filler words.
Source: Creative Market
I tend to like fonts that are captivating, but not too perfect, and Wreath Halftone fits that bill. It has a sweet old world charm.
Source: Font Squirrel (free)
With its flowing lines, Pamithais would be at home on an extravagant wedding invitation or an intimate dinner party menu.
Source: The Hungry JPEG
Lanjutin can fit in with modern and streamlined or playful and inviting. It’s a very well-done font with a lot of options.
Source: Creative Market
Black Jack is such a fun font with an edge – it brings out your inner pirate.
Source: Font Squirrel (free)
Need some font pairing ideas?
Have some ideas for your next design? When you choose the right handwritten script font, your design goes up to a whole new level.
Grab the Handwritten Script Fonts cheat sheet to get pairing ideas for each font!
I’d love to see what you make! #imaginedesignrepeat
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