Slab Square Surim 5 is a regular weight, normal width, low contrast, italic, normal x-height font.
Keywords: editorial design, book typography, magazine features, pull quotes, headlines, literary, editorial, classic, scholarly, formal, readable emphasis, editorial voice, classic tone, sturdy italic, slab serif, bracketed slabs, wedge serifs, calligraphic slant, bookish.
An italic slab-serif with sturdy, blocky serifs and gently tapered joins. Strokes read as fairly even in weight, with soft modulation rather than sharp contrast, and the slant feels consistently calligraphic across caps, lowercase, and numerals. The letterforms are open and rounded where needed (notably in bowls and counters), while terminals often end in firm, squared slab shapes that anchor the rhythm. Spacing and proportions favor readability, with a moderate x-height and traditional italic constructions, including a single-storey italic “a.”
This style works well for editorial typography—feature headlines, subheads, standfirsts, and pull quotes—where an italic voice is needed but with more structure than a delicate serif italic. It also suits book interiors for emphasis, citations, or introductory matter, and can hold up in poster-like settings when a classic, authoritative italic is desired.
The overall tone is traditional and literary, combining the authority of slabs with the movement and elegance of an italic. It feels composed and serious rather than flashy, with a subtly old-style, bookish flavor suited to long-form reading.
The design appears intended to deliver a readable, traditional italic with the firmness and presence of slab serifs, balancing expressive slant with stable, print-oriented shapes for editorial and literary contexts.
In text, the italic angle and strong serifs create clear word shapes and a steady baseline, giving emphasis without becoming brittle. Numerals follow the same italic slant and sturdy finishing, keeping a cohesive texture in mixed alphanumeric settings.