Distressed Goma 14 is a regular weight, normal width, medium contrast, upright, normal x-height font visually similar to 'JAF Bernini Sans' by Just Another Foundry, 'Ocean Sans' by Monotype, and 'Nat Grotesk' and 'Orbi Sans' by ParaType (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: posters, book covers, packaging, headlines, branding, vintage, rugged, hand-inked, old-print, aged print, tactile realism, heritage tone, bold texture, bracketed serifs, rough edges, inky texture, weathered, bookish.
A serif typeface with sturdy, slightly condensed capitals and bracketed serifs, set with moderate stroke modulation and a solid, upright posture. The letterforms show a consistent distressed treatment: chipped edges, uneven contours, and occasional interior nicks that mimic worn metal type or rough letterpress printing. Lowercase forms are compact and readable with rounded bowls and short, sturdy serifs; joins and terminals keep a blunt, ink-dark finish. Numerals follow the same robust construction, with visibly textured curves and small irregularities that stay consistent across the set.
Well-suited to display applications where texture is part of the message—posters, book and album covers, labels, and heritage-leaning branding. It can also work for short editorial headlines or pull quotes when a classic serif voice is desired with added grit, while longer passages may benefit from larger sizes to keep the distressed details from reducing clarity.
The overall tone feels vintage and workmanlike, with a rugged, tactile presence that suggests age, handling, and imperfect printing. It conveys authenticity and grit without becoming chaotic, balancing classic editorial shapes with a deliberately weathered surface.
The design appears intended to deliver a traditional serif reading voice with the patina of wear—evoking ink spread, rough paper, or aged printing—so designers can add character and history without resorting to overt novelty shapes.
Texture is strong enough to be clearly visible at display sizes and in short text blocks, creating a dark, poster-friendly color. The distressing appears applied uniformly across glyphs, maintaining a cohesive rhythm while introducing natural-looking variation along stems, serifs, and curves.