Delicate, sophisticated, and established. Neue Obec is a
display transitional serif
inspired by a handpainted
sign in Slovakia from the 1970s.
about
Research
Neue Obec was derived from a hand-painted sign in Liptovská Porúbka, Slovakia. The sign was likely made by a local signmaker in the 1970s but was discovered while scrolling through Type Atlas, an online vernacular type archive created by Ondrej Jób. The original specimen featured only 9 letterforms, “obecná knižnica” (“public library”). Each letterform is characterized by its heavy weight, bold contrast, ball terminals, and pointed edges. These letterforms created an opportunity to highlight the hand-lettered qualities while applying a consistent rhythm necessary for contemporary application.
Consistency and consideration were needed in crafting the relationship between the negative and positive space of the elegant, heavy-weighted typeface. The two available weights with alternate characters: Regular, Thin, and Outlined are best utilized in larger sizes such as headlines, posters, videos, and print.