Serif Normal Balu 3 is a very bold, very wide, high contrast, upright, normal x-height font.
Keywords: headlines, posters, book covers, editorial, branding, vintage, stately, bookish, traditional, impact, heritage, personality, display, authority, bracketed, ball terminals, teardrop terminals, soft corners.
A heavy, tightly modeled serif with generous width and pronounced contrast between thick main strokes and sharpened hairlines. Serifs are bracketed and often end in rounded, teardrop-like terminals, giving the forms a softened, carved feel rather than a rigid slab impression. Curves are full and weighty, counters are compact, and joins show subtle swelling that creates a lively, slightly uneven rhythm. Uppercase letters read monumental and blocky, while the lowercase keeps a sturdy, legible build with distinct, rounded details in characters like a, g, and s; numerals are bold and old-style in flavor, with noticeable curvature and asymmetrical stress.
Best suited to headlines, titles, and short blocks where its strong weight and distinctive terminals can carry the design. It works well for editorial display, book and album covers, heritage-style branding, packaging, and signage that benefits from a traditional, authoritative serif voice.
The overall tone is classic and assertive, evoking vintage publishing and traditional signage. Its dark color and decorative terminal shaping lend a warm, slightly theatrical presence while still feeling rooted in conventional serif typography. The face projects authority and familiarity, with a hint of nostalgic charm.
The design appears intended to deliver a bold, attention-holding serif that remains recognizably traditional while adding personality through rounded, teardrop terminals and sculpted transitions. It prioritizes impact and a classic print sensibility over a neutral, lightweight text texture.
In text, the dense stroke weight creates strong page color and can feel compact at smaller sizes, while larger settings show off the distinctive teardrop terminals and bracketed serif transitions. The rounded punctuation and robust figures reinforce a cohesive, old-fashioned print character.