Have you ever read a caption that looks like Japanese kanji, but it turns out to be in English? Have you also noticed that some people try to copy certain foreign alphabets, like Russian, even though they do not really speak the language?
What makes foreign fonts interesting, especially in the world of design?
A foreign language is not an official language spoken in a specific country. For example: you may be able to speak English, but your nationality is Indonesian. In that case, we can all safely say that a foreign font is a typeface or a typography which resembles the letters not commonly used.
For example, many of us are used to using Latin letters, such as A and Z. In certain countries, that may not be the case. They may use different letters and alphabets, and they even have some extra letters for certain dialects.
Of course, what really stands out from foreign fonts is the shape of their lettering. For example, the regular A to Z are definitely different from Japanese or Chinese characters. This, however, does not stop designers from copying foreign letters or characters while incorporating them into their own languages.
Choosing foreign fonts is not just about wanting to make your design look different or unique. There are other benefits of doing so, which include:
For example: you are working on an event related to Ramadan. Since Ramadan is the Holy Fasting Month to all Muslims in the world, your chosen font would be something more Arabic-looking. The lettering should resemble that, but the words do not always have to be Arabic as well.
Once again, it depends on the concept you are currently working on.
Perhaps not all your audience are aware of other lettering system. Japanese, Chinese, and Korean have their own characters – although these countries are in East Asia. You may consider this your duty to introduce their cultures to your audience with the foreign fonts resembling their characters.
Once in a while, there is no harm in challenging yourself to do something different. Consider doing this as part of varying your work to develop your creativity. Who knows? If people like what you do, consider this a bonus to your portfolio.
Without further ado, here are ten (10) authentic-looking foreign fonts for you:
The lettering looks like Japanese characters, yet it is not. It is just something inspired by atakana shape, with cut-out inner connection. With a combination of a dark background, a red circle to represent the sun, and the letters in white, your design looks Japanese. This is perfect for YouTube thumbnails or posters.
Empire of Persia definitely reminds you of Arabic letters. The difference is that you can still copy the curves and the dots from the original foreign font. Since Arabic letters are written and read from right to left, you might want to alter the trick a little if you wish to use English with those letters instead. You can use this design for greeting cards and invitations.
Want another faux Japanese font with more colors? Sunrize is the answer. The background is cute, with pictures of what is usually in your ‘bento’ (lunchbox). The lettering reminds you of anime titles and captions, which makes it perfect for YouTube content and thumbnails, too.
Mujahideen is another example of a foreign font idea resembling Arabic letters. The difference with the Empire of Persia is that Mujahideen does not use so many dots (which note down how certain letters sound or are pronounced). Still, the unique shape of the letters reminds you of the typical Arabic letters – even if the language used is not.
Now, here comes the real Japanese font, Hanbai. The design mixes traditional Japanese letters with a modern look. The lines are clean despite the playful curves since the Japanese generally prefer simple things. They tend to use three similar colors most of the time: red, white, and black.
Doodlebic is another foreign font inspired by the Arabic style. This one is rather playful, like the name it is given. (Doodle means to draw or sketch aimlessly.) Still, the design is far from aimless. The letter gap is not too small, and the curves do not affect the font’s readability.
Okashi is another Faux Japanese font but with more colors and a more playful accent. The background reminds you of a classic anime series, still colorful despite the faint shades. The square-ish ‘O’ makes the lettering look more like the typical Japanese characters.
Rasyideen is also another foreign font inspired by Arabic letters. What makes this font look more interesting is the pretty wide gap between the letters, despite the letters being cursive together. This lettering style probably has the closest resemblance to the original Arabic characters, even if the language used is English.
This Japanese display font will probably remind you of the classic Japanese style. The yellow circle that seems to ‘burn brightly’ like the sun is the background. Then, the Japanese letters cover it (or on the top of it, depending on the designer’s idea). This sample may look perfect as flyers, posters, or any projects related to cultural events.
At a first glance, Andara Font might remind you of an Indian letter or Sanskrit letter. The first and the last letters are usually added with cursive tails, which make this font look more artistic and unique. This font is most suitable for social media posts and any projects related to professional purposes or corporate events.
So, if you feel bored with the usual Latin letters, why not try foreign fonts for a change? You never know, your first experiment with them may challenge you to do more creative process outside the box.
