Slab Contrasted Ishi 5 is a bold, narrow, medium contrast, upright, tall x-height font visually similar to 'Clarendon BT' by Bitstream, 'Handmade Caslon JNL' by Jeff Levine, 'Monotype Clarendon' by Monotype, and 'Clarendon SB' by Scangraphic Digital Type Collection (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: headlines, posters, packaging, sports branding, signage, industrial, confident, vintage, editorial, collegiate, impact, space-saving, heritage feel, sturdy readability, display strength, bracketed, blocky, sturdy, compact, high-impact.
A heavy, compact slab-serif with strongly bracketed, rectangular serifs and mostly squared curves. Strokes are robust with moderate modulation, and terminals tend to end in firm, flat cuts that reinforce a sturdy, poster-ready texture. Counters are relatively tight and the overall rhythm is dense, with short ascenders/descenders and a large lowercase presence that reads as a tall x-height. The lowercase shows single-storey forms (notably the “g”), while the figures are weighty and open with prominent slabs that keep their footing in display sizes.
Best suited to headlines, posters, labels, and branding where strong presence and a compact footprint are beneficial. It also fits sports or collegiate-style applications, storefront or wayfinding signage, and packaging that wants a sturdy, vintage-leaning voice.
The tone is assertive and workmanlike, combining a classic letterpress/wood-type feel with a pragmatic, no-nonsense solidity. It suggests heritage utility—confident, dependable, and slightly nostalgic—without becoming overly ornamental.
The design appears intended to deliver maximum impact with a condensed, space-efficient silhouette, using bold bracketed slabs and restrained contrast to maintain clarity while projecting a confident, traditional tone.
In text settings the heavy serifs and compact spacing create a dark, even color, so it favors larger sizes or generous tracking when used in longer passages. The ampersand and numerals match the same blocky, slab-driven logic, keeping the overall voice consistent across mixed copy.