Slab Square Kono 1 is a very bold, normal width, high contrast, upright, normal x-height font.
Keywords: posters, headlines, signage, logotypes, packaging, western, circus, playful, vintage, theatrical, display impact, period flavor, sign painting, ornamental texture, brand character, bulbous, flared, notched, bracketed, decorative.
A very heavy, high-contrast display face with chunky, slab-like serifs and dramatic swelling through curves and joins. Strokes feel pressure-shaped rather than monolinear, with frequent pinched waists and teardrop-like counters that create a lively, uneven rhythm. Terminals and serifs read as flat-ended blocks with distinctive inward notches and scooped cut-ins, giving many letters a carved, ornamental silhouette. Proportions are compact with sturdy bowls and short apertures, and the overall texture is dense and black on the page.
Best suited to display settings such as posters, event titles, storefront signage, and branded wordmarks where its distinctive notched slabs can be appreciated. It also works well for packaging and labels that aim for a vintage show-poster or Western signboard feel. For longer text, larger sizes and generous tracking will help maintain clarity.
The tone is showy and nostalgic, evoking old-time signage and theatrical posters. Its quirky notches and inflated forms add a playful, slightly mischievous character that feels at home in Western, circus, or saloon-inspired aesthetics. The weight and contrast also lend it a bold, attention-grabbing voice suited to headline drama.
The design appears intended to reinterpret slab-serif letterforms through a highly decorative, carved-and-swollen shape language that maximizes impact. Its forms prioritize personality and historical display flavor over neutrality, aiming to deliver immediate recognition and a strong period-evocative mood.
The strong internal cut-ins and tight counters can close up at smaller sizes, so spacing and size choices matter for legibility. In all-caps it reads especially emblematic and poster-like, while lowercase keeps the same ornamental logic with compact, bouncy shapes.