Getting Gothic in Guate

Blackletter, also known as Gothic script, has been with us for centuries– from French monks to German Nazis to Mexican lowriders– and of course it’s all over the signage of Guatemala! If you read anything important in this country, i.e. religious or market-related, chances are it’s been set in blackletter type. Actually it’ll most likely be scripted by hand, just like those old European dudes used to do. In all fairness, the degree of technical mastery of your average tienda signpainter –vs– an old school Bible-scribing monk is debatable, but hey it’s all goth. Anyway, being the thoughtful visual observer I am, I pondered to myself: “Well, my graphic design work is important. Why not re-brand with some bitchin’ blackletter?” And so I did, on the splash page of my portfolio!