Slab Contrasted Semo 5 is a very bold, wide, medium contrast, upright, normal x-height font visually similar to 'Marbrook' by Berthold, 'Coupler' by District, 'Forbes' by Linotype, 'Amasis' and 'Prumo Slab' by Monotype, 'Mediator Serif' by ParaType, 'LFT Etica Sheriff' by TypeTogether, and 'Typewriter' by URW Type Foundry (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: headlines, posters, packaging, branding, signage, rugged, retro, assertive, workwear, collegiate, maximum impact, vintage display, rugged branding, poster legibility, signage clarity, bracketed, blocky, ink-trap hints, compact counters, heavy terminals.
A heavy, slab-serif display face with broad proportions, dense color, and clearly bracketed slabs. Strokes are robust with noticeable contrast, and the joins show softened, scooped interior corners that read like subtle ink-trap shaping in tight spaces. Counters are compact and apertures tend to be more closed, giving letters a solid, stamped look. The lowercase is sturdy and straightforward, with single-storey forms and strong, squared terminals; numerals are similarly weighty and built for impact.
Best suited to headlines and short blocks of copy where maximum punch and high contrast against the page are desirable. It works well for posters, labels, and packaging, as well as branding systems that want a rugged, vintage-leaning slab voice. For longer text, adding extra letterspacing and using larger sizes will help preserve clarity.
The overall tone is bold and workmanlike, mixing a vintage print character with a straightforward, no-nonsense presence. It evokes poster lettering, athletic/collegiate graphics, and industrial labeling—confident and slightly nostalgic rather than refined or delicate.
The design appears aimed at delivering a strong slab-serif personality optimized for display use—prioritizing impact, legibility at distance, and a classic, printed-signage feel. Its bracketed slabs and compact counters suggest a deliberate balance of toughness and controlled detail for bold typographic statements.
Spacing and rhythm feel intentionally chunky, with strong vertical stems and prominent serifs creating a steady, emphatic line. The pronounced weight and tighter internal spaces make it most effective at larger sizes or with generous tracking when set in longer lines.