A "clean" new Serif font

[Texas_Signmaker]

Roboto is one of my favorite, goto fonts. Now they came out with a serif version and it looks surprisingly clean.

https://www.neowin.net/news/google-roboto-serif-is-a-new-font-

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Mistake

 

[Boudica]

?

 

[Johnny Best]

Thanks a lot Tex for your information.

 

[Boudica]

Interesting video. What's this mistake you speak of???

 

[Notarealsignguy]

What's this mistake you speak of???

You want a list?

 

[Boudica]

Yes Please. I feel like I missed something.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I was trying to post the video and it went on a second post

 

[Boudica]

the link is in the OP.
Then you posted "mistake"

 

[James Burke]

Not bad, although some of the terminals seem to be a bit overly-done / exaggerated (for instance at 1:05 with the cap "G".


JB

 

[Bobby H]

Roboto Serif is a pretty impressive type family. But, wow, the ZIP download from Google Fonts weighs a whopping 68.2MB, 132MB unzipped. That includes two OTF Variable fonts with FOUR variable axes (weight, width, optical size and grade). There's also 40 static font folders with 18 fonts files in each folder. That's a pretty gargantuan size type family. And it's especially impressive considering it is available for FREE.

Roboto Serif has a pretty decent character set. My only complaint is that it doesn't have a native small capitals character set. But that's kind of a minor complaint with variable fonts. Using the weight axis alone you can fake a large cap/small cap treatment effectively. The grade and optical size axes will make the fake-out work even more convincing.

The four variable axes and tremendous number of static instances make the typeface very flexible. Not many serif typefaces work well for use in channel letter signs or other kinds of signs with fabricated letters. The combination of the grade, weight and optical size axes can yield a variety of slab serifs easier to build at smaller, more challenging sizes.

One of the first things I did when downloading Roboto Serif was testing it in CorelDRAW 2021. I've been seeing a lot of buggy behavior with fonts in CorelDRAW, things like italic styles of fonts being cancelled out by the upright versions or vice versa. That includes some fonts downloaded from the Google Fonts web site. Roboto Serif appears to work properly, that includes both the Variable and Static versions.

Word of warning: like with all variable fonts check the wireframe/outline view for overlapping paths. That is gravely important if you're going to be routing letters or cutting them out of vinyl. Those overlaps need to be welded solid before the job goes into production.

Hopefully Google will commission the designers of Roboto to do a OTF Variable update with similar treatment they gave to Roboto Serif (the current 2017 build of Roboto has technical problems in CorelDRAW).

 

[Gino]

I liked the way the video was put together. I just wish I could say the same for that stupid type style.

 

[bob]

Looks like a rebopped version of Cooper Black. About as exciting as watching a haircut.

 

[Bobby H]

Cooper Black? It doesn't look like that, or any other weight of Cooper at all. It's funny to see sign makers bitching about a very elaborate, flexible type family that's available for free when too many of us don't bother going past Arial in the font menu.

 

[GAC05]

Impact is overused - but what can you do.

 

[Johnny Best]

Cooper Black? It doesn't look like that, or any other weight of Cooper at all. It's funny to see sign makers bitching about a very elaborate, flexible type family that's available for free when too many of us don't bother going past Arial in the font menu.

Never used Arial because I am AntiMicrosoft. That being said, most type comes from other type already designed. And it does have a Cooper look to it. Not a fan of Domo arigato misuta Roboto Serif font.

 

[Boudica]

Thank you Johhny

 

[Bobby H]

Never used Arial because I am AntiMicrosoft.

Nevertheless, Arial is the go-to typeface for badly designed signs. When Arial is squeezed and stretched out of normal proportions it adds an extra level of stink to the design.

That being said, most type comes from other type already designed. And it does have a Cooper look to it. Not a fan of Domo arigato misuta Roboto Serif font.

The only resemblence to Cooper is the heavyweight proportions of the sample lettering on that YouTube video thumbnail image. Cooper is very rounded. Roboto Serif has very squared stems. The four different variable axes in Roboto Serif allow it to go from a heavy slab-serif appearance to a thin, high contrast, Bodoni-style typeface and many combinations in between.

I have a decent number of OTF Variable fonts. Most have only one or two variable axes. I have a few that have three axes. This one has four.

 

[Humble PM]

When we go beyond the U axis, do we get i & j?

I rather like this font, and it is subtly cheaper than H Now.

 

[Bobby H]

U axis?