Slab Contrasted Ishi 3 is a very bold, narrow, medium contrast, upright, normal x-height font visually similar to 'Oso Serif' by Adobe, 'Clarendon BT' by Bitstream, 'Monotype Clarendon' by Monotype, and 'Clarendon SB' by Scangraphic Digital Type Collection (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: posters, headlines, packaging, signage, logotypes, western, vintage, robust, authoritative, industrial, impact, heritage, branding, headline, bracketed, blocky, compact, high-impact, sturdy.
A heavy slab-serif with compact proportions and strongly bracketed, rectangular serifs. Strokes are broadly weighted with a clear vertical emphasis and a noticeable—but not delicate—contrast between thick stems and thinner connecting strokes. Curves are full and slightly squarish at joins, while terminals feel blunt and engineered rather than calligraphic. The lowercase keeps a traditional, readable structure (two-story a, compact bowls), and spacing reads tight and efficient, producing dense, headline-ready texture.
Best suited for display roles where density and impact matter: posters, editorial headlines, sports or event branding, packaging, and signage. It can set short bursts of text effectively, but its heavy color and tight rhythm make it more compelling at larger sizes than in extended body copy.
The overall tone is bold and workmanlike, evoking heritage printing and Americana-influenced display lettering. Its chunky slabs and compressed rhythm communicate confidence and grit, with a slightly nostalgic, poster-like presence.
The design appears aimed at delivering a classic slab-serif voice with maximum visual punch: compact, sturdy letterforms, confident serifs, and a deliberate vintage/industrial flavor that holds up in bold, high-contrast layouts.
Capitals are broad-shouldered and steady, with clear slab definitions on E/F/T and a strong, rounded presence in C/G/O/Q. Numerals are similarly weighty and high-impact, suited to attention-grabbing set pieces.