Font Friday #157

Corsair PE

Corsair PE feels authentic rugged and smooth in Latin, Greek & Cyrillic. The handwritten style typeface Corsair PE in the headline and a big pull quote on a mobile phone: “Like a bird on the wire, Like a drunk in a midnight choir I have tried in my way to be free.” — from the Leonard Cohen song “Bird On The Wire”, sent in by Steve

Display, Handwritten typeface

from Rosetta
designed by Ksenya Samarskaya

1 Style

1 Weight: Regular

Additional Scripts

Cyrillic, Greek

Best for

  • Headings (display text)
  • Long reading text (body text)
  • User Interfaces (functional text)

License starting

below $50 (one style)

Specialty

A robust handwritten style display typeface, creating the illusion of natural variety by randomizing different versions for the same letter.

Get Corsair PE

My Corsair PE Font Review

The handwritten style all caps typeface Corsair PE appealed to me, because of two reasons. Firstly it has something casual, friendly and easy going to it. And secondly, it does not overemphasize that. The typeface remains somehow calm and simple and therefore versatile, equipped with some clever details. To better show you what I mean, let’s compare Corsair PE to another handwritten style, all caps typeface.

All caps Corsair Pe is a handwritten style typeface. It has something rough while seeming Casual and easy going. Covering Latin, Greek Привіт типографи and Cyrillic script Λάτρης του τύπου. Use it in larger sizes, like 20 to 40 px, for Headings or a quick intro. Also Below 20 px, the typeface remains legible. But Still, For longer text it is tiering to read.
Corsair PE is also equipped with arrows and charming rare ligatures for catchwords like “AND” or certain country codes.

One of the most popular handwritten style typeface is Amatic SC, ranking 151st of over 1600 Google Fonts. Every time I encounter it, it shivers down my spine 🥶, because Amatic SC is so noisy, narrow and horrible to read. Corsair PE on the other hand is a bit wider, and more rugged, creating a more even texture.

Hard to read. Amatic SC is noisier.
 It is much narrower, more contrasting, only works in fairly large sizes.
Amatic SC is horrible for more than one word.
Easy to read. Corsair PE is calmer. It seems simpler and more even, but still handwritten. It works in regular sizes.
Corsair PE is much more robust.

Also, the individual characters of Amatic SC are very striking. When you see them exactly repeat, the illusion of authentic handwriting is immediately destroyed. Corsair PE has less peculiar letters, therefor repetitions are not that obvious. Above all, each character comes in several slight variations, so letterforms feel naturally randomized.

Not Different. Amatic SC only comes with one style of each letter, destroying the illusion of authentic handwriting. Different! Corsair PE uses multiple versions of the same letter in slight variations to create an authentic impression of handwritten words.
To cerate natural variety Corsair PE cleverly uses different version of one letter.

I wish Corsair PE was also available in one or two more weights, since this would make it a bit more versatile. Because it is an all caps typeface, it soon becomes trying to read, so use it only for a few words, up to three or four sentences at most. When you keep that in mind, Corsair PE will make you happy in headings, on packaging or in other short, larger text.

Font Pairings for Corsair PE

Where Corsair PE is located on the Font Matrix is not that relevant, since it’s both handwritten style and caps only. I recommend pairing it with something that is also quite narrow and a sans-serif, like Georama.

Corsair PE
Corsair PE
  • Headings
Georama (free)
Georama (free)
  • Headings
  • Copy
  • UI Text

Learn more about pairing typefaces using the Font Matrix.

What do you think? Do you like that handwritten vibe? Tell me in the comments!

Typographic power to your inbox

  • Font Friday: I recommend one typeface per week, free fonts included.
  • Type Tuesdays: articles & videos that up your design game.
  • Join 2500+ typography enthusiasts, unsubscribe anytime.

Edition #157, published

One Comment

  1. CORSAIR PE was born for ћирилица 😉

    Actually, one weight makes it authentic because, if it’s one person’s handwriting, then it’s usually the same line ‘thickness’, at least in my writing. 🤔

    Epic family picture!

    No rest this weekend, Oliver, I’m packing my stuff and moving into another apartment. 🥴

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *