Ferro
One would be hard-pressed to discern the roots of Ferro Grotesk. It is an idiosyncratic sans with its own face standing out in a crowd of other sans serif typefaces. It combines whiffs of vernacular wayfinding lettering found in pre-War Europe with an eclectic mix of geometric and square gothic shapes. Ferro’s even texture, assertive curves, wide proportions, and large x-height create a self-assured setting in display and medium point sizes. Its slightly asymmetrical open counters contribute to an airy and easily approachable appearance of the page. Some of its distinguishing features include a raised waistline that results in compressed bowls in the B, P, and R, as well as the enigmatic protruding middle bar in the E and the F. Narrow apertures of the top curves of the S and the a, flattened curves in the Q, f, t, and the y, and unexpectedly wide proportions of the k and the f complete Ferro’s free-wheeling appearance. Unusual OCR-like futuristic punctuation and included circled numbers and arrows are useful for informational or navigational graphics.