Shadow Wave 10 is a light, narrow, medium contrast, italic, normal x-height font.
Keywords: posters, headlines, branding, packaging, titles, noir, retro, theatrical, mysterious, whimsical, shadow effect, vintage display, decorative impact, signage feel, dramatic motion, stenciled, tapered, calligraphic, angular, flared.
A slanted, decorative serif with a cut-out construction that creates small internal gaps and notch-like voids through many stems and bowls. Strokes are relatively slender with tapered terminals and occasional wedge-like serifs, giving letters a lively, slightly calligraphic rhythm. The forms are narrow and upright-leaning in structure but consistently italic in posture, with rounded bowls that stay compact and verticals that feel stretched. An offset shadow impression is suggested through the repeated separated stroke segments and the consistent hollowing that reads like layered ink or a split stroke.
Best suited to display settings such as posters, headlines, title sequences, and branding where the hollowed details can be appreciated. It can also work for packaging or event graphics that benefit from a retro-shadowed, sign-like presence; for longer text, larger sizes and generous spacing help preserve the interior cut-out rhythm.
The overall tone is theatrical and slightly enigmatic, balancing vintage sign-lettering charm with a noir, poster-ready edge. The broken, shadowed detailing adds drama and motion, making the text feel animated and attention-seeking rather than quiet or utilitarian.
The design appears intended to evoke vintage display lettering with a built-in shadowed, cut-out effect, delivering instant character without additional styling. Its narrow, italic cadence and consistent void pattern suggest a focus on dramatic, high-impact typography for attention-driven applications.
The cut-outs are a defining feature and remain consistent across capitals, lowercase, and numerals, producing a strong pattern at display sizes. Some glyphs show pronounced entry/exit flicks and asymmetric shaping that emphasize the italic flow and add a hand-cut, stencil-like personality.