Serifs, Styles & Scotch Romans: 8 versatile serif type families that are both pretty and practical

Despite somewhat of a resurgence in the 2020s, serif typefaces still find themselves regularly playing second fiddle in identity systems to their sans serif counterparts; which are often deemed friendlier and more versatile. This doesn’t always have to be the case, however, with more and more contemporary type foundries and designers turning their attention to the genre. To highlight as much, we’ve curated eight serif typefaces that combine an interesting visual approach with a broad mix of weights, styles and glyphs; making them perfect for all kinds of outputs. Contemporary and confident, Blaze Type’s Silvana blends high-contrast strokes with delicate serifs; resulting in a versatile typeface that balances historic traits with 21st century features. Research into 19th century transitional typefaces provided valuable insights, influencing the drawing process of the Lyon-based foundry. A distinct bump detail, found most noticeably on the letters ‘G,’ ‘S,’ ‘a’ and ‘n,’ can be traced back to the type specimen of Pennsylvania – published by Schelter & Giesecke – where a spot of excess ink was gathered on the ‘a.’ Silvana optimises this printing error, providing an ink-like fluidity to certain letters. Whilst being particularly suited to display purposes, the extensive glyph set of Silvana, with its 10 varying styles, ensures versatility and personality within every application. Silvana by Blaze Type