On Type / Art Deco Fonts
Art Deco Fonts: 10 Fonts in the 1920s and 30s Style
Art Deco fonts have high contrast, tall and narrow capitals, and geometric shapes. The style comes from the 1920s and 30s, when it was used on posters, hotel signs, cinemas and packaging. This guide covers where the style comes from, how to recognize it, and ten fonts in that style, each with nine weights and a variable font.
Where Art Deco Type Comes From
In 1925, Paris hosted the Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes, a large exhibition of decorative and industrial design. The name Art Deco came later, in the 1960s, as a short form of that title. The style it describes ran through the 1920s and 30s, in architecture, furniture, fashion and graphic design.
Type was a big part of it. The French poster artist Cassandre drew the typeface Bifur in 1929, with letters reduced to a few thick strokes and thin lines, and Peignot in 1937, which mixes capital and lowercase forms. In the United States, Morris Fuller Benton drew Broadway for American Type Founders in the late 1920s, with heavy strokes next to hairlines. Futura, from 1927, came from the same years and is often used for Art Deco designs today.
How to Recognize an Art Deco Font
- High contrast between thick and thin strokes, or strokes of one weight with no contrast at all.
- Tall, narrow capitals.
- Crossbars set unusually low or high, for example on A, E and H.
- Geometric shapes: a round O, straight lines, pointed tips.
- Decorative details like inline strokes, gaps in the letters, or ligatures that join two letters.
10 Art Deco Fonts
Quin, a sans with low crossbars
Quin is the closest to 1920s lettering in our catalog. The strokes have one weight, the capitals are narrow, and the crossbars on letters like A, E and H sit lower than usual. The S and Y have unusual shapes. For restaurants, bars and logos with a 1920s look.
Test Quin →Saltz, a condensed serif with an Art Deco set
Saltz is a narrow serif with high contrast and sharp terminals. Its stylistic set ss02 lowers the crossbars on letters like E and F, a typical Art Deco detail. For fashion, beauty and magazine headlines.
Test Saltz →Aezra, a narrow serif with long terminals
Aezra has tall, narrow capitals, high contrast and long, tapering terminals, like the lettering on 1920s posters and book covers. Ligatures such as ST and RA join letters into one shape. For book covers, film titles and theater posters.
Test Aezra →Mirya, a soft condensed serif
Mirya is condensed, with high contrast and ball terminals. The capital ligatures CA, LL and LO join two letters into one shape, a common detail in Art Deco signs. For cafés, bakeries and invitations.
Test Mirya →Rozi, a high-contrast serif with sharp serifs
Rozi has very thin hairlines next to heavy stems, and long, sharp serifs. The Z and R have long diagonal strokes. For premium branding and editorial headlines.
Test Rozi →Pout, a reverse-contrast sans
Pout turns contrast around: the horizontal strokes are thicker than the vertical ones. The letters are built from circles and straight lines, which gives it the look of 1920s and 30s display lettering. For bars, beauty brands and posters.
Test Pout →Chez, a rounded font with high contrast
Chez has strong contrast between thick and thin strokes, with round stems and ball terminals. It is the softest font in this list. For beauty, fashion and food packaging.
Test Chez →Ques, a wide font with flared stems
Ques is wide, with high contrast and stems that flare out at the ends. Wide, high-contrast capitals were common in Art Deco advertising. For beauty, fashion and hotel branding. It also has an italic.
Test Ques →Scal, a geometric sans
Scal is close to Futura, which came out in 1927, in the middle of the Art Deco years. It has a round o and a, and pointed tips on the A, M, N, V and W. For logos, labels and text.
Test Scal →Apex, a sans with pointed tips
Apex has sharp points on A, K, M, N, W and Z and a round o, a mix often seen in Art Deco signs and posters. Alternate letters add more pointed forms. For logos and headlines that should look precise.
Test Apex →Where Art Deco Fonts Work
Art Deco type is used most for hotels, cocktail bars, restaurants, theaters and cinemas, and for packaging of chocolate, perfume and spirits. It also works for wedding and event invitations with a 1920s theme. Use the Art Deco font for the name or the headline, and a simple sans or serif for the rest of the text. Gold or brass on black or dark green is a common color choice from the period.
For more, see the Art Deco fonts collection, and our posts on Bauhaus fonts, mid century modern fonts and fonts for architects.