Slab Contrasted Vabu 5 is a bold, normal width, medium contrast, upright, normal x-height font visually similar to 'Oso Serif' by Adobe, 'FF Zine Serif Display' by FontFont, 'Askan Slim' by Hoftype, 'Diaria Pro' by Mint Type, and 'Abril Titling' and 'Portada' by TypeTogether (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: headlines, editorial, posters, book covers, branding, heritage, authoritative, sturdy, collegiate, classic slab, editorial clarity, display impact, heritage tone, slab serif, bracketed, high-contrast, ball terminals, oldstyle figures.
A robust slab-serif with strongly bracketed, rectangular serifs and a compact, steady rhythm. Strokes show noticeable contrast, with thick verticals and comparatively lighter connecting strokes, producing crisp counters and clear internal shapes at display sizes. The serifs are wide and supportive, with softened joins that keep the heavy weight from feeling brittle. Lowercase forms are traditional and text-driven, with a two-storey “a,” a single-storey “g,” and pronounced ear and terminals that add distinctiveness without becoming decorative. Numerals appear oldstyle with varying heights and extenders, aligning more with text typography than purely lining figures.
Best used for headlines and short-to-medium text where a strong typographic color is desirable—magazine titles, editorial pull quotes, posters, and book covers. It can also serve branding and packaging that benefits from a classic slab-serif authority and distinctive oldstyle numerals.
The overall tone is confident and institutional, combining a classic bookish voice with a sturdy, poster-ready presence. It reads as dependable and slightly historical—well-suited to contexts that want gravitas and clarity rather than minimalism.
The design appears intended to merge traditional text-serif construction with a heavier, slab-serif backbone, delivering a confident display voice that still feels rooted in editorial typography. Its bracketed slabs, controlled contrast, and conventional lowercase forms suggest a focus on readability and heritage character in impactful sizes.
The design maintains strong silhouette clarity across the alphabet, with generous slab feet on capitals and a consistent, slightly condensed feel in round forms like O and C that reinforces density. Spacing appears comfortable in the sample text, supporting word-shape readability while keeping a weighty, headline-centric color.