Want to grab the attention of viewers with your next design and slap them in the face with it? If so, then thin, polite fonts probably won’t get the job done. Instead, thick, heavy duty fonts that scream for attention might do the trick.

These fonts are specifically designed for designers who aren’t afraid of taking risks by veering from traditionalist design trends. As such, if you think you’re prepared to take such as risk, consider using any of the following extra bold fonts in your next project.

1. High Contrast

Many extra bold fonts are characterized by their un-varying stroke sizes. You can use the fun font we illustrated above as a case in point. You’ll notice the letters are all exactly the same in stroke size. However, this may not be your desired option.

If you’re searching for a little more font contrast in an upcoming project, choose one of the following high contrast fonts we’ve indicated below. Varying from extra thick to ultra-thin, the strokes in these fonts make them highly popular. This is because they not only make an impact visually they also ooze a "feeling" of grace and class. Taking a risk doesn’t mean you can’t do it with style!

Font suggestions:

Nouvelle Vague

Bodoni XT

2. Bold and Compact

The downside of extra bold fonts is how much space they typically consume. If you’re working on a compact design project but still want to make a statement with bold fonts, one of the following bold and compact choices may be the perfect option.

(Image source: brian)

By being extra bold but consuming less space, they offer the best of both worlds. You’ll notice in the example below the strokes are still very dark and make an impact, but because they are condensed you can fit it into tight places. Just be careful you don’t over-use it, because it can end up making your space look cluttered and cramped if you go overboard.

And for most people, reading pages of bold font all on its own is hard on their eyes, so condensed fonts make it even harder. Chances are if you go overboard they’ll end up skipping right over something important.

Font suggestions:

Archery

Furore

Hursheys

Forque

3. Vintage

Sometimes, vintage and bold is just better. At least that’s the assumption with these fonts. When you want to portray a retro feel, use one of the following fonts for an impactful result. They are great for incorporating "emotion" into a design.

For instance the "scary" feel those old fashioned movie posters often portray. Or the slick artsy feel you might find on a museum advert. Anytime you want to inject a bit of "old school" into your project, vintage fonts are hands down a great way to do it.

Font suggestions:

Vintage

Candy Inc

Superstar

4. Playful

While extra bold fonts are often loud, they don’t need to be insulting, or even classy, graceful, or retro. Sometimes they just want to be fun! If you want to retain a playful feel in your designs, consider using one of the following playful bold fonts. These fonts are great options for children-oriented designs or more relaxed projects.

(Image source: Creative Tempest)

They are a bit reminiscent of gingerbread cookies and sesame street murals. You’d also find these fonts used in the packaging design of many of today’s popular toys and other advertising geared toward youngsters and teenagers.

Font suggestions:

Cookies

Grobold

Bubblegum

5. Heavy and Sans Serif

The following fonts are heavy, black and modern. They’re also great for achieving an in-your-face effect. Use these options when you want to make an impactful impression with a modern sans serif approach. You can also try combining a sans serif font (a font without feet) with a serif font (a font with feet) and mixing it up a bit.

(Image source: karlfrankowski)

It can be a little bit dangerous to mix and match fonts and the result can end up looking amateur, so experiment a bit and I’d recommend always getting a second opinion before going live with any project design.

Font suggestions:

Harabara

Bebas Neue

Boris Black Boxx

6. Serif Bold

Perhaps sans serif isn’t the route you want to take. The following font options are for those traditionalists who love a good serif font. The combination of bold strokes and elegant serif detailing can be a great option for your next project.

(Image source: hypefortype)

Remember serif fonts are the fonts with "feet" (or the little detailing at the bottom of every letter that spreads out a bit) and can sometimes be combined with similar sans serif fonts for a great effect, often "old-fashioned" in mood.

Font suggestions:

Grendel

Bambi

Acknowledgement

7. The Boldest of Bold

Before proceeding, you must be prepared for the consequences of these extra bold fonts. These are the boldest of bold, the blackest of black and should be used with the utmost of care. To make the ultimate personality statement with your next project, consider using one of these boldest of bold options.

The downside is that these types of fonts should be used very sparingly. They can at times be hard to read clearly or easily and too much of a good thing can ruin the look you’re trying to achieve. So have fun, but proceed with caution when using the boldest of the bold. You’ll often find fonts like these used by DJ’s to blare out an advertisement on where their next gig will be, to entice people to come in and see them mix. You’ll also often find fonts like these on CD covers!

Font suggestions:

Insight Issue New

Giant Head

JuneBug

Conclusion

While extra bold fonts aren’t appropriate for all designs, they are sometimes exactly what your projects crave. Play around with different font combination such as pairing an extra bold font with an ultra-thin one for great effects. However, by using extra bold fonts, you must be prepared for the consequences, such as bolder statements and increased risk taking.

(bellefoong)

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