One of the foundries selling the most fonts right now at YouWorkForThem is BLKBK, a graphic design studio run by two young Canadian artists, Justin Graefer and Derek Campbell. The two began working together in 2010 when they collaborated on a font for a Halloween party. They were struck by the raw emotion of their final design, which seemed to speak even before they wrote anything with it. Several more successful collaborations followed, and they opened BLKBK in 2013.
The pair seeks to emulate the emotional capacity of their first work, “Drop Dead,” in every design they create, with their goal being a strong sense of meaning that proliferates from style as much as content. Each letter is initially designed and created by hand, on paper, which they feel is vital in achieving a soulful human element, and while their own passion and emotion is incorporated in their work, they hope that people will feel free to add their own interpretations.
They draw much of their inspiration from historical ephemera: from hand-painted signs and ’70s vinyl art to ’80s VHS sleeves and hip-hop culture…and more. This wide breadth of resource material allows them to create a diverse array of fonts that speak powerfully for themselves. BLKBK’s fonts are never made with a target market or specific product in mind, rather they are designed to speak for themselves, yet be versatile enough so that others can express more intimately their own thoughts and feelings.
BLKBK currently offers licenses for over 45 fonts and ten handset type families, and from one look it’s clear that each one fulfills these creative goals. The fonts exude a classic brush-stroke style, even with their crisp, clean edges, giving them a handmade feel. Some are aggressive, others industrial, and more still are unique and inviting. If you are looking for a font for your next project, BLKBK is one of our top recommendations.
As an extra bonus for this month only, BLKBK is taking part in our end of year sale. This means, all of their designs are currently 50% off until December 30, 2015. Hurry up and grab these quality designs while the price is right.
