Distressed Kosa 3 is a very bold, normal width, medium contrast, upright, normal x-height font visually similar to 'AG Book W1G' by Berthold, 'Geogrotesque Sharp' by Emtype Foundry, 'Neue Helvetica' and 'Neue Helvetica Paneuropean' by Linotype, 'Europa Grotesk No. 2 SB' and 'Europa Grotesk No. 2 SH' by Scangraphic Digital Type Collection, and 'Nimbus Sans Novus' by URW Type Foundry (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: posters, headlines, packaging, signage, album art, rugged, gritty, vintage, industrial, handmade, aged print, headline impact, rugged tone, industrial feel, handcrafted texture, roughened, blotchy, inked, stenciled, posterlike.
A heavy, blocky display face with compact proportions and squared, slab-like terminals. The letterforms are intentionally roughened, with irregular contours, nicks, and uneven interior counters that mimic worn type, ink spread, or degraded printing. Strokes stay broadly consistent in thickness, while the edges and joins show organic waviness and occasional chunky protrusions. Spacing reads slightly uneven from glyph to glyph, reinforcing the handmade, battered texture in both caps and lowercase.
Best suited to bold headlines and short statements where the distressed texture can read clearly—posters, flyers, album covers, game titles, and rustic or industrial packaging. It can also work for branding marks and signage when a worn, stamped, or screen-printed feel is desired; it is less appropriate for long-form text where the heavy texture may reduce clarity.
The overall tone is tough and utilitarian, evoking weathered signage, stamped markings, and aged poster headlines. Its distressed surface gives a sense of grit and authenticity, leaning toward retro-industrial and outdoorsy moods rather than polished modernism.
The design appears intended to deliver maximum impact with a deliberately degraded print texture, combining sturdy, condensed-ish blocks with rough edges to simulate age and mechanical wear. It aims to provide an immediate vintage-industrial character without needing additional graphic effects.
The texture remains consistent across letters and numerals, with counters often appearing slightly eroded and corners softened by rough breakup. In the text sample, the strong weight holds together well at large sizes, while the surface detail becomes a primary visual feature that can dominate at smaller settings.