Lobster Font 101
Lobster is a retro font created by an Argentinian font designer based in Rosario, known as Pablo Impallari. The font was first released in 2010 through Impallari’s now-defunct website and published via Impallari Type. It’s available in numerous weights, including;
• Lobster Regular
• Lobster Condensed
• Lobster Bold
• Lobster Extra Bold
• Lobster Italic
• Lobster Heavy
• Lobster Ultra
Lobster has immensely grown in popularity since its release, registering thousands of lifetime downloads in popular font websites. In 2013, just three years after its release, the font was already trending on the DaFont website.
Lobster’s popularity was evidenced when one DaFont user sent a collection of images where the font was being used in various television commercials to its designer. A visibly elated Impallari replied by saying he was glad to see that the font was in use.
Pablo Impallari has released several other fonts besides Lobster. A notable mention is Cabin, which he designed and released three years later. However, Lobster is arguably the most successful font by Impallari.
Lobster Font Features
Lobster font was aptly named to evoke the spirit and imagery of the iconic sea creature. The font is characterized by its binding ligatures and swooping capitals. This effect was probably incorporated to resonate with the ubiquity of lobsters. Designs printed in the Lobster font tend to have an omnipresent appeal.
At first glance, Lobster sports an aggressive appearance, sometimes taking after the infamous Bleeding Cowboy. But if viewed up-closed, the font conveys a mix of friendliness and style.
Lobster doesn’t immediately strike as trendy and glamorous. But the font is gorgeous enough to be used on design projects where visual appeal is the overriding consideration. Examples include t-shirt printing, blog & web design, stores & restaurants, and kids’ products.
The glyphs in individual Lobster fonts may differ slightly depending on the specific version you choose. However, the impression is largely the same.
One drawback with Lobster is that it’s largely overused. Obviously, that’s because the font is gorgeous and comes with an incredible amount of aesthetic appeal. But if you’re working on a project where uniqueness is the core consideration, then you might want to consider alternative fonts.
Common Lobster alternatives include;
• Bulletto
• Bulletto Straight
• Comalle
• Lobster Two Bold
• Parkside Bold
• FF Tartine Script Bold
• Oleo Script
• Pismo Clambake NF
Where to Download Lobster Font
You can download Lobster from DaFont (https://www.dafont.com/lobster.font). The font is also available on Google Fonts (https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Lobster#standard-styles), or Font Squirrel’s (https://www.fontsquirrel.com/fonts/lobster) website.
Lobster is generally classified as a public domain or open license font. Therefore, it’s free to use on both personal and commercial projects. You can also use Lobster for print and digital design projects. All you need to do is find a great website to download the font, select your preferred file type, and hit “Download” or its equivalent.
However, remember to consult Lobster’s designer/publisher or your attorney to learn more about the font’s full license details. That’s especially if planning to use it for commercial purposes.