Slab Contrasted Ismo 2 is a very bold, narrow, low contrast, upright, normal x-height font visually similar to 'Palo Slab' by TypeUnion and 'Stymie' by URW Type Foundry (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: headlines, posters, branding, packaging, signage, industrial, assertive, western, editorial, vintage, impact, compactness, ruggedness, heritage, blocky, square-serifed, compact, sturdy, high-impact.
A heavy, compact slab-serif with thick rectangular serifs and mostly straight-sided geometry. Strokes are broadly even, with only modest modulation, producing dense color and a firm, poster-like rhythm. Counters are relatively tight and the curves are simplified, giving letters a blocky, machined feel; joins and terminals stay crisp rather than calligraphic. Lowercase forms read sturdy and utilitarian with short, strong serifs, while caps carry a consistent, weighty structure that maintains a narrow, space-efficient footprint.
Best suited to headlines, posters, titles, and bold branding where compact width and strong serifs help text hold its shape at large sizes. It can also work for packaging, labels, and signage that benefits from a sturdy, no-nonsense presence, especially in short phrases or stacked layouts.
The tone is forceful and workmanlike, evoking industrial signage and classic display typography with a faint western or old-press edge. Its strong slabs and condensed stance create an authoritative voice suited to emphatic statements rather than subtlety.
The design appears intended to deliver maximum impact in limited horizontal space, pairing robust slab serifs with simplified curves to create a durable, attention-grabbing display voice. It prioritizes solidity and legibility at larger sizes, aiming for a classic, utilitarian character that reads instantly in bold applications.
The overall texture is dark and uniform, so spacing and line breaks become important for comfortable reading. Numerals match the same rugged, rectangular logic, keeping the set cohesive in headlines and short bursts of text.