Niko began as a typeface for a daily newspaper, which creates some interesting design challenges. The paper and printing conditions are not ideal. The columns are narrow and packed with information. Text is not uniform and appears in many different hierarchies, from headlines to subheadings, main body text, and captions. In addition to solving these practical challenges, the typeface must not only be reliable and friendly but also distinct and precise to appeal to the readers and take them from column to column and page to page. To address these challenges, Niko has a relatively large x-height and open letter forms which emphasize the sense of horizontality, leading readers’ eyes along the line. Wedge-shaped stem heads add liveliness and variety to the carefully crafted letter forms.

Niko’s humanistic design makes for comfortable reading. The true italic includes subtle calligraphic elements that lend a fresh and lively appearance to the typeface. On the screen, Niko brings warmth and humanity to an otherwise cold medium. The 54 styles across nine weights and three widths offer tremendous typographic flexibility, making Niko a versatile typeface that can be used for a wide range of content including editorials, brochures, webpages, packaging, and corporate design. Like all LudwigType fonts, Niko can be licensed 24/7—for print, web, mobile apps, and ePubs. Webfonts may be tested for thirty days and desktop trials are available upon request. Have a licensing question? Get in touch. To stay current on all things LudwigType and Type Network, subscribe to Type Network News, our occasional newsletter featuring releases, foundry happenings, type and design events, and more.