We demonstrate a metallic template assisted method for realizing out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy in electro-deposited Co and Ni films, using highly porous TiN films as templates. TiN films containing high aspect ratio sub-50 nm wide pillars were obtained by controlling film-morphology via gas pressure during sputter deposition of the films. The nanoscale separation between these pillars allowed us to electrodeposit magnetic films on the pillars resulting in high aspect ratio magnetic structures. Co and Ni films grown on such nanostructured TiN films showed a significant coercivity enhancement as compared to planar films. Angular dependence of coercive field and the remnance ratio (M(r)/M(s)) reveals that, in the ultrathin limit, magnetic films coated onto the nano-pillars are akin to magnetic nanotubes. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.