Blackletter Ethi 4 is a bold, narrow, high contrast, italic, normal x-height font.
Keywords: posters, album covers, headlines, tattoo style, game titles, gothic, archaic, dramatic, ornate, rebellious, display impact, gothic flavor, decorative caps, handmade texture, calligraphic, spiky, flourished, swashy, rough-edged.
A calligraphic, blackletter-leaning display face with a pronounced rightward slant and strongly modulated strokes that swing between thick, inky masses and fine hairline flicks. Forms mix broken, angular construction with brushy curves, producing sharp terminals, occasional spur-like protrusions, and irregular interior counters. Capitals are especially decorative, featuring slashed strokes and embedded flourishes that create dense silhouettes, while the lowercase stays more streamlined but retains hooked entry/exit strokes and pointed finishes. Numerals follow the same chiseled, calligraphic rhythm, with compact shapes and angled stress.
Best suited to short, high-impact settings such as posters, cover art, titling, and branding moments that want a gothic or antique voice. It performs well when given room—larger sizes and generous spacing help preserve the intricate internal details and flourishes.
The overall tone feels medieval and theatrical, with an expressive, slightly unruly energy. It evokes manuscript lettering and gothic signage, leaning toward dark, dramatic, and rebellious aesthetics rather than quiet tradition.
The design appears intended to reinterpret blackletter through a more hand-drawn, brush-driven approach, emphasizing dramatic capitals and textured stroke work for attention-grabbing display typography.
Texture is visually lively due to uneven stroke edges and the frequent use of internal cuts and overlay-like strokes, which can make small sizes feel busy. The strongest impact comes from the contrast between heavy black areas and delicate connecting strokes, giving words a jagged, animated rhythm across a line.