Slab Contrasted Ihli 3 is a very bold, wide, low contrast, italic, normal x-height font visually similar to 'Arcanite Slab' by 38-lineart, 'Artegra Slab' by Artegra, 'FS Silas Slab' by Fontsmith, 'Sanchez' and 'Sanchez Slab' by Latinotype, 'Cyntho Next Slab' by Mint Type, and 'Choplin' by René Bieder (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: headlines, posters, sports branding, packaging, pull quotes, athletic, confident, retro, editorial, punchy, impact, motion, headline clarity, brand emphasis, retro tone, chunky, bracketed, ink-trap hints, compact, energetic.
A heavy, right-leaning slab serif with broad proportions and sturdy, rectangular serifs. Strokes are predominantly thick with modest modulation, giving the face a dense, high-impact texture while still preserving clear counters. Terminals and joins feel slightly sculpted rather than purely geometric, with subtle notches and angled cuts in places that help open up tight interior spaces. The lowercase is compact and weighty, with a robust single-storey a and g, and a short, forceful rhythm that reads as emphatic in both display lines and short text blocks.
Best suited to headlines, posters, and short-form editorial settings where a strong italic slab voice is desirable. It works well for sports branding, event promotion, and packaging that benefits from a confident, vintage-tinged emphasis. In longer passages it remains readable in the sample, but it will be most effective when used with generous spacing and at sizes where its heavy details can breathe.
The overall tone is bold and assertive, with a familiar, vintage-leaning energy reminiscent of classic sports and headline typography. Its italic slant adds motion and urgency, making the voice feel active and promotional rather than quiet or literary. The weight and slabs give it a grounded, workmanlike confidence that can read as both retro and contemporary depending on context.
The design appears intended to deliver a powerful, forward-leaning slab serif for attention-grabbing display work, combining a classic athletic/editorial feel with sturdy construction. Its wide stance, strong serifs, and compact lowercase suggest a focus on impact and legibility under bold styling, while small sculpted cuts and openings help maintain clarity at heavy weight.
Capitals are wide and strongly structured, with an especially substantial presence in letters like E, F, T, and W. Round forms (O, Q, 0) stay fairly open for the weight, while diagonals (V, W, X, Y) are thick and stable, contributing to a solid, poster-ready silhouette. Numerals are similarly weighty and built for impact, with clear shapes that hold up well at large sizes.