Slab Square Tabow 2 is a bold, wide, medium contrast, italic, normal x-height font visually similar to 'Open Serif' by Matteson Typographics (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: headlines, posters, magazine, packaging, branding, editorial, confident, classic, sporty, assertive, display impact, italic emphasis, editorial voice, strong branding, retro flavor, slab serifs, bracketed serifs, ball terminals, ink traps, angular joins.
A heavy, right-leaning slab serif with broad proportions and sturdy, block-like serifs. Strokes are thick with moderate modulation, and many joins show sharp, slightly notched transitions that read like small ink-trap cuts at the inner corners. Serifs are mostly squared and firm, sometimes subtly bracketed, giving a compact, anchored rhythm. Lowercase forms are round and full, with single-storey a and g; counters stay open and the overall spacing feels generous for display sizes. Numerals are robust and similarly slanted, with clear, strong silhouettes.
This font is well-suited to headlines, posters, and magazine titling where a strong italic voice and slab structure can carry impact. It can also work for branding and packaging that needs a confident, vintage-leaning display style, and for short editorial callouts where emphasis and presence are more important than compact text economy.
The overall tone is bold and assured, combining a traditional slab-serif backbone with a brisk italic energy. It feels editorial and headline-forward, with a touch of sporty urgency and a classic print sensibility.
The design appears intended to deliver a high-impact italic slab serif for display use, balancing sturdy, squared serifs with lively, energetic movement. Its wide, weighty forms and crisp corner detailing suggest a focus on legibility at larger sizes and a distinctive, authoritative voice.
Round letters like O/Q and the bowls in b/p show pronounced weight and stable geometry, while diagonals (V/W/X/Y) feel especially forceful due to the wide stance and strong terminals. The italic angle is consistent across capitals, lowercase, and figures, supporting cohesive emphasis in running display text.