Slab Contrasted Elhi 5 is a very bold, very wide, medium contrast, upright, tall x-height font.
Keywords: posters, headlines, logotypes, packaging, signage, western, vintage, playful, punchy, confident, high impact, retro display, woodtype feel, brand presence, bracketed serifs, soft corners, heavy slabs, low apertures, ink traps.
A hefty slab-serif with broad, blocky proportions and strongly bracketed terminals. Strokes are thick with subtle modulation, and the counters are compact, giving the letters a dense, poster-like color. Serifs read as squared slabs with softened joins, and many joints show small notches/ink-trap-like cut-ins that sharpen the silhouette. The lowercase is compact with a tall x-height and rounded bowls, while uppercase forms are wide and sturdy; numerals follow the same chunky, sign-painter heft.
Best suited to display settings such as posters, big headlines, branding marks, packaging, and storefront-style signage where its mass and slab terminals can fully register. It can work for short blocks of text at larger sizes, but its tight counters and heavy color make it less ideal for small-size, long-form reading.
The overall tone feels bold and extroverted, with a clear vintage display flavor that leans toward classic Western and circus/woodtype associations. Its heavy rhythm and carved-looking details add a spirited, slightly mischievous energy that reads as friendly rather than formal.
The design appears intended to deliver maximum impact with a woodtype-inspired slab structure, combining wide proportions, sturdy bracketing, and small carved details to create a recognizable, nostalgic display voice.
Spacing and sidebearings appear generous enough to keep the heavy shapes from clogging, but the dense counters and deep slabs make it most legible at larger sizes. The distinctive notched joins become a key identifying feature in words and headlines, adding texture without becoming ornamental.