Everyone in the design world understands that typography plays a significant role in their work. Typography can also be considered a fascinating world where every font has its own story and purpose. The slab serif is one typeface style known for its boldness and distinctive appearance.
Slab serifs, a part of the serif family, are new members compared to their old serif counterparts. The traditional ones can be traced back to the Roman era when they were widely used for inscriptional letters in Latin.
However, slab serifs originated in the early 19th century, when they appeared due to the rising demand for print advertising. Their bold and robust look made them ideal for capturing an audience’s attention. They first appeared in commercials between 1815 and 1817, introduced by Vincent Figgins under the brand name “Antique.”
Interestingly, the design of slab serifs was also influenced by all things Egyptian throughout the 19th century. This fascination was believed to be partly fueled by Napoleon Bonaparte’s Egyptian campaign from 1798 to 1801, who then returned to Europe with a lot of knowledge about Egypt. Although there is no apparent connection between a slab serif style and Egyptian writing systems, the typeface was commonly referred to as “Egyptians” then. This was most likely due to a marketing tactic or even simply a cultural trend.
By the 1920s, slab serif fonts had evolved further, influenced by the appearance of geometric design concepts. Fonts such as Futura greatly influenced the design of modern slab serifs with more monoline strokes, making them both visually pleasing and functional for a variety of applications.
Slab serif fonts have a number of defining characteristics that set them apart from other font types:
The stroke endings in slab serifs sometimes appear rounder or angular. For example, Courier font has rounded endings or terminals. Still, Rockwell font comes with rather blunt, angular strokes at the font’s end.
Slab serifs come with a wide variety of stroke widths. Geometric slab serifs, such as Memphis and Rockwell, both have consistent stroke widths. This feature makes the two fonts easy to read and suitable for body text. Other slab serifs, such as Clarendon, have larger stroke widths in certain areas. This makes the font better suited for huge text, like headlines or titles.
Slab serifs can also be distinguished by their boldness, which varies from one slab serif font to another. Slab serifs created for advertising projects are often quite bold, for their purpose is to capture attention. Meanwhile, those designed for body text, such as those used in smaller sizes, often need to be bolder to maintain their readability.
Now that you have a brief history of and the characteristics of slab serifs, it’s time to enrich your font arsenal with the following slab serif fonts.
Roberto is a slab serif font that comes in a vintage style inspired by the typography style of Western posters. The typeface stands out for its strong geometric shapes and stroke widths. Its design is considerably clean and robust, making it perfect for a variety of applications that require a bold statement, like headlines. So, if you need a new font for your branding projects, Roberto can be one of your options.
Neolan Immanuel is a font that combines both elegance and uniqueness. Its design gives the typeface a distinctive appearance. It’s possible that this is the first time you have encountered a typeface with such an unconventional ligature. The font’s signature is on its sharp ends with thin and thick strokes that add to the appeal.
Whiskys Wonderful is a slab serif with a classy and contemporary style. The thin and thick strokes give the font an elegant appearance. Not to mention, the sharp ends of the font make it more appealing. It’s perfect for branding projects that require exquisite vibes, like fashion brands, wedding invitations, certificates, high-end magazines, and many more.
Anything Branding is a beautiful and elegant font that will provide any designers out there with diversity. It comes with unique and sophisticated strokes that will give your design a distinctive appeal. It’s also perfect for a variety of applications, be it for huge text or body text that requires readability.
Nother Gambus is a font that can add elegant and timeless vibes to any design in your endeavor. It has a classy appearance and conveys to everyone that it is a font of the highest quality that should be in your font arsenal. Nother Gambus is ideal for corporate or luxury designs, like high-end magazines.
Rockwell is a classic slab serif font known for its geometric solid features and unified stroke widths. Its design is robust and clean, making it a perfect option for a wide variety of design applications. Whether it’s used for headlines or body text, Rockwell maintains readability and visual appeal perfectly in both applications.
Courier invokes nostalgia with its rounded ends and monospaced style. Initially designed for typewriters, it adds a vintage vibe to any project. Its consistent width provides a tidy appearance, which is helpful for a design that aims to convey tradition and reliability. It’s perfect for projects combining current content with historical elegance.
That’s a wrap! Each of the slab serif fonts listed above has unique characteristics that will appeal to your design project. Whether you are looking for a font that can add a touch of modernity, vintage, or even classic vibe, these fonts can help you achieve that desired effect while maintaining visual appeal and, most importantly, readability.
