Oklou Typeface
Oklou is a modern blackletter typeface—a hybrid between traditional fraktur and script typefaces. It is best set large, when its loops, balls, and points can be shown off. During a visit to the Henry Ford Museum Archive, I was instantly captivated by some hand painted, calligraphic lines on the back of a 19th century carriage. They reminded me of car detailing, tattoo language, and barbed wire fences. I initially took direct inspiration from the carriage and began exploring a script typeface, but I was missing some structure. I then rerouted to more of a blackletter space, where the letterforms were bold and geometric. Call me Goldilocks because I ended up landing somewhere in-between structureless script and boxy blackletter… somewhere just right. Oklou is commanding but squirmy. The antennae-like tendrils reach to and fro, complementing the sharp angles and strong diagonal lines.
