Looking for Slab Serif

cmyk21
30.Apr.2007 10.06am
cmyk21's picture

I'm looking for a non-Clarendon (read the "I saw Clarendon on 9 magazines post") slab serif to use for display type. Something that is not too "western" —I'm not looking to brand anything with it. Something that maybe has a historic edge to it—nothing too modern (along the lines of Dispatch or Apex). It needs to be a square serif as it is being paired in the design with a traditional serif and I want there to be distinction between the two. Has to have an extra bold and/or heavy weight.

thanks for any suggestions!

What don't you like about Dispatch and Apex? That will help us narrow the search.


Soho: brand new, more modern and square. Stainless, kind of wacky but also square. PMN Caecilia, classic. Amasis, similar to Caecilia but more contrast and bracketed serifs. Caecilia and Amasis seem more suited to combination with a traditional serif face.


Whoops, Carl. Stainless is the sans companion to Dispatch.


Right.... Can you tell by the lack of links I'm being lazy? ;)


I feel that they both have a very modern look to them—I am looking to do a "throwback" style design and when I plug those 2 in (and caecilia for that matter) to me they end up giving a vibe of too new. Plus, as far as magazines go, I've seen Dispatch and Caecilia too much in use. Looking for something a little more obscure.


Maybe one of those older geometric slabs: Beton, Rockwell, and Memphis I think are some good starters.


Or Stymie, Serifa, Lubalin Graph... not that those are obscure.


Serifa is on the right track, thanks!


In that case, another Frutiger slab that is less common: Glypha

And Calvert which is seldom seen, but no italics.


thanks, Stephen.

I think I am going to go with Serifa AND Glypha so that I have the condensed version. . .

much appreciated.


Check out Parry, from OurType

http://www.ourtype.be

or Popular, by Christian Schwartz, which (even though it's not on their web site) can be licensed from Font Bureau

http://christianschwartz.com/popular.shtml