Distressed Ekji 4 is a bold, normal width, high contrast, upright, normal x-height font.
Keywords: posters, packaging, headlines, stickers, merchandise, playful, handmade, quirky, retro, bold, handmade look, print texture, retro feel, playful impact, brushy, inked, worn, textured, bouncy.
A heavy, hand-drawn display face with compact, rounded letterforms and a lively, uneven rhythm. Strokes appear brush- or marker-made, with noticeable interior scuffing and rough, slightly wobbly outlines that create a printed/inked texture rather than clean vector edges. Counters are often small and irregular, terminals are blunt, and curves show subtle flattening and swell that vary from glyph to glyph. Spacing and widths feel slightly inconsistent in an intentional way, contributing to an organic, cut-and-printed look.
Well-suited for short headlines and punchy messaging on posters, event graphics, and social tiles where a bold handmade voice is needed. It also fits playful packaging, labels, stickers, and merchandise designs that benefit from a screen-printed or stamped aesthetic. For longer text, larger sizes and generous spacing will help maintain clarity as the distressing can visually fill in counters.
The overall tone is playful and informal, with a crafty, DIY character that reads as friendly rather than refined. The distressed texture adds a vintage, screen-printed energy and a bit of mischievous grit, making the font feel expressive and human.
The design appears intended to emulate bold hand-lettering reproduced through imperfect printing—combining chunky forms with deliberate wear and ink variation to deliver an approachable, characterful display voice.
The texture is present inside many strokes as well as along edges, so it will appear darker and more compact at smaller sizes; it reads best when given enough size for the distressed details to show. Numerals and caps share the same chunky construction and roughened finish, keeping the set visually cohesive.