Serif Contrasted Ulse 9 is a bold, wide, very high contrast, upright, normal x-height font visually similar to 'Benton Modern' by Font Bureau, 'Zesta' by Indian Type Foundry, 'Bodoni No. 1 SH' by Scangraphic Digital Type Collection, 'Bodoni Serial' by SoftMaker, 'TS Bodoni' by TypeShop Collection, and 'Bodoni' and 'Bodoni Antiqua' by URW Type Foundry (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: headlines, magazines, posters, branding, packaging, dramatic, editorial, luxury, classic, assertive, elegance, prestige, headline impact, modern classic, didone-like, vertical stress, hairline serifs, sharp terminals, crisp.
A high-contrast serif with strong vertical stress, thick main stems, and extremely thin hairlines. Serifs are fine and sharp with little to no bracketing, giving the design a crisp, carved feel. The forms are upright and formal, with round letters showing tight, glossy curves and narrow internal counters where thick strokes dominate. Spacing and widths vary by glyph, producing a lively rhythm in text while keeping an overall disciplined, stately structure.
Best suited to headlines, mastheads, pull quotes, and other display settings where its contrast and hairline detailing can be appreciated. It can also support premium branding and packaging, particularly for fashion, beauty, and luxury-oriented identities, and for invitations or formal announcements where a stately serif voice is desired.
The font projects a dramatic, fashion-forward tone—polished, authoritative, and slightly theatrical. Its sharp contrasts and refined detailing evoke prestige and ceremony, making it feel more like a display face than an everyday workhorse.
The design appears intended to deliver a modernized classical serif voice with maximum contrast and a strong vertical rhythm. Its fine serifs and hairline joins prioritize elegance and impact, aiming for striking typography in large-scale applications.
At larger sizes the hairline details and delicate serifs become a defining feature, especially in letters like E, F, T, and the numerals. In dense text, the heavy verticals and fine horizontals create a strong stripe pattern, emphasizing a high-end editorial texture.