Slab Contrasted Bute 3 is a bold, very wide, medium contrast, italic, normal x-height font.
Keywords: headlines, posters, magazine, book covers, branding, editorial, vintage, authoritative, rugged, collegiate, impact, heritage, readability, personality, display, bracketed, ink-trapless, ball terminals, curved spurs, tightly kerned.
A robust slab-serif italic with strongly bracketed slabs and a confident forward slant. Strokes show noticeable modulation, with heavy verticals and slightly tapered joins that keep counters open despite the dense weight. The design favors broad proportions and compact inner spacing, giving a sturdy, planted rhythm across lines. Several lowercase forms show distinctive curls and ball-like terminals (notably in g, j, y), while capitals maintain crisp slab endings and a consistent serif grammar.
Best suited to display settings such as headlines, posters, and magazine typography where its heavy, slanted slabs can project impact and personality. It can also work for short editorial blurbs or pull quotes, especially when set with a bit of extra letterspacing to avoid crowding.
The overall tone feels editorial and old-school, like a headline face drawn from classic print traditions. Its weight and slabs convey authority and solidity, while the italic slant and lively terminals add energy and a slightly playful, vintage flourish.
The design appears intended to blend the authority of a slab serif with the momentum of an italic, creating a bold editorial voice that remains structured and consistent. Its distinctive terminals and bracketed slabs suggest a focus on character and print-like presence over minimalism.
In text, the strong slabs and tight apertures create a dark, even texture that reads best with generous tracking or larger sizes. Numerals are heavy and characterful, matching the letterforms’ emphasis on sturdy stems and pronounced serif feet.