At Fontfabric, we believe in the power of evolution within a strong design lineage. Just as Nexa evolved into the friendly geometry of Nexa Round, we envisioned a new chapter for the family – one that incorporates the classic structure of a serif. Today, we’re proud to introduce Nexa Serif, a natural progression from its sans-serif predecessor, crafted with the same commitment to versatility and enduring quality that defines the Nexa name.
A New Chapter for Nexa: Introducing Serif
The name Nexa has long been associated with clean, contemporary design and exceptional versatility in the typographic landscape. Today, we’re excited to unveil the latest chapter in the Nexa story: Nexa Serif. Building upon the strong foundation of the bestselling Nexa, this new typeface seamlessly integrates its geometric heritage with the refined character of a serif. The result is a harmonious and versatile font family, where Nexa Serif stands as a refined counterpart, ready to tackle a wide range of design challenges.
The Genesis: Inspiration Behind Nexa Serif
The idea behind Nexa Serif was to extend the Nexa type family with a serif counterpart. This was quite a challenge because Nexa is a highly geometric sans-serif with wide proportions and distinctive character shapes. The goal was to create a serif font that wasn’t display-oriented but instead suitable for body text—offering readability while still maintaining a strong connection to Nexa.
A Spectrum of Expression: Exploring the Weights
Nexa Serif boasts an extensive range of 16 weights:
- Thin, Thin Italic
- ExtraLight, ExtraLight Italic
- Light, Light Italic
- Regular, Regular Italic
- Medium, Medium Italic
- Bold, Bold Italic
- ExtraBold, ExtraBold Italic
- Black, Black Italic
This comprehensive family provides designers with a full spectrum of typographic expression.
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Inside the Design: What Makes Nexa Serif Special
Nexa Serif incorporates several unique design details:
- Geometric cuts in ‘R’, ‘K’, ‘y’ and uppercase serifs.
- Smooth shoulder connections in ‘n’ and transitions in ‘p’, ‘d’, ‘b’, ‘q’ (like Nexa).
- Asymmetrical serifs for a subtle humanist touch.
- Refined terminals in ‘a’, ‘f’, ‘r’, ‘?’ tapering to thinner strokes.
Typographic Powerhouse: OpenType Features
Nexa Serif is packed with OpenType features such as ligatures, tabular lining, localisation, and alternates for enhanced typographic control.
Global Reach: Extensive Language Support
Nexa Serif offers broad multilingual support, covering over 130 languages within the Extended Latin and Cyrillic scripts. This ensures it can effectively communicate your message to a diverse global audience.
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Meet the Minds: The Designers Behind Nexa Serif
To truly understand the journey and nuances of Nexa Serif, we had the pleasure of speaking with its creators, Ani Dimitrova and Kiril Zlatkov.
Ani Dimitrova brings a wealth of typographic expertise to the project. Having started her design career at Fontfabric, Ani’s passion for type has led her to develop several independent typefaces. Now back at Fontfabric, she continues to shape the visual landscape with fonts like Transforma. Her dedication to the craft extends to education, as she also shares her knowledge and passion for typography design with students at Varna Free University.
Kiril Zlatkov is a multifaceted artist with a rich background in visual arts. A graduate in Graphics from the National Academy of Arts in 1996, Kiril’s creative explorations span graphics, painting, poster art, graphic design, illustration, calligraphy, and typography. His work has been showcased in numerous solo and group exhibitions, biennials, and triennials both in Bulgaria and internationally. Prior to focusing on his artistic pursuits, Kiril also lent his creative vision to the advertising world, serving as an art director and creative director in various agencies from 1999 to 2013.
Designer Insights: An Interview with Kiril Zlatov and Ani Dimitrova
Can you introduce yourself?
Ani: Hello! My name is Ani and I’m a type designer with a strong interest in creating contemporary fonts that combine personality with functionality.
Kiril: I am Kiril Zlatkov, and I create contemporary fonts with a distinct character and expressive potential.
What inspired you to create Nexa Serif? Tell us more about the concept behind it?
Ani: Nexa Serif is a natural continuation of the well-known Nexa font family. The goal was to create a serif version that combines the familiar geometry of the original with warmth and elegance brought by the serifs. The idea was to preserve the spirit of Nexa while adding more personality, tradition, and versatility for various visual contexts.
Kiril: The team decided to create a serif version with a visible and pronounced contrast. This greatly changes the character of the letters, but the benefits are many — variety within the family, a wider range of possible uses, and a strong independent future. The work was difficult, but we achieved a result that exceeded our expectations.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during the font creation process?
Ani: The biggest challenge was finding the right balance between modern aesthetics and classic serif structure. We wanted it to be distinctive enough to stand out, yet versatile enough to work across a wide range of projects.
Kiril: The most difficult part was finding a structural approach to the serifs that would be harmoniously connected to the letterforms and have its own character. The italic version is very interesting, with unconventional and original solutions. It has the potential to be used independently as well as an italic companion to other fonts.
How do you envision Nexa Serif being used by designers in the creative industry? What would be the best implication for Nexa Serif in terms of usability?
Ani: I see Nexa Serif as a powerful tool for brand identities, editorial design, packaging, and digital platforms. The combination of strong character and great legibility makes it suitable for both headlines and body text.
Kiril: Nexa Serif is quite close to the idea of a universal everyday font, but it also has great potential in all kinds of complex publishing projects, packaging, posters, and corporate identities.
Did other fonts inspire you in the design process of Nexa Serif?
Ani: Yes, the inspiration came from several classic serif typefaces, as well as from modern typographic approaches.
Kiril: Yes, we were inspired by various examples from the distant and recent past. This is difficult to perceive and not particularly important, because we managed to create a family with a strong independent character.
If Nexa Serif were a person, what qualities would they possess?
Ani: They would be someone who fits in just as well at a formal event as they do at a creative meeting — stylish but never pretentious.
Kiril: Serious, respecting personal space and the opinions of others. With a sense of when to be original and funny, and when to remain silent.
Do you have any set of characters that you favor most?
Ani: The “g”, “a”, and “y” letters with their alternate forms bring me a lot of joy. I also really enjoy the italic version of the typeface.
Kiril: The font family has a wonderful contemporary Cyrillic script; most of the characteristic letters like к, х, г, в, з, ф are examples of good style, combining tradition and innovation. The same applies to most of the letters in the italic version, which is one of the hidden treasures of the family.
Beyond Static Forms: The Flexibility of a Variable Font
Nexa Serif embraces the future of typography with not one, but two variable fonts: one for the upright styles and another for the italics. This allows for seamless interpolation across the weight axis, providing granular control for nuanced design and optimized performance for web applications.
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Designed for Impact: Seeing Nexa Serif in Action
Nexa Serif’s balanced structure and refined details make it a versatile choice for various applications. Picture its elegant clarity on an Orient Express train ticket, ensuring legibility with a touch of sophistication. Its design also lends itself well to longer texts in editorial and corporate materials, as well as impactful branding and web design.
Conclusion: The Enduring Appeal of Nexa Serif
Nexa Serif is inspired by our bestselling Nexa, crafted to complement it while standing strong as an independent typeface. It blends geometric simplicity with a refined touch, offering a versatile serif perfect for both body text and headlines.
