BlockFace

BlockFace is an easy-to-use modular typography printing kit designed by graphic artist Will Mower. The kit can be used to combine stamps and construct letterforms, design typographic posters and cards, and explore the joys of printmaking. BlockFace provides the opportunity to escape from screens and explore symbols, pattern-making, and typography in a tactile and more engaging way.

Will is an artist, designer, and printmaker who became interested in modular systems and printmaking back in 2013 during a period of creative block. Influenced by an interest in play, he began designing toolkits that could free up his approach to making. As his work has developed, he has continued to explore ways in which systems can be used to remove barriers to the creative process. Will is interested in typography, architecture, and signage and uses these as a reference point to explore how ideas can be presented through a graphic language. He creates prints, objects, and books, and enjoys running workshops to share his design approach with others.

The first BlockFace type kit (originally named Alpha-Set) was released in 2018 and contained 16 laser-cut rubber stamps with wooden grips and a set of instructions for creating a single typeface. The set was then developed through workshops, and an updated version that offered more flexibility and a wider set of typeface options was released in 2021.

Struggling to keep up with the demand of the kit, Will partnered with the Open Press Project to together make it more widely available. Just like Will, the Open Press Project are printmaking enthusiasts who are dedicated to making the medium more accessible. Since 2020, they have been manufacturing small 3D printed printing presses and have shipped more than 5000 of them to all corners of the world.

Bringing their skills together, Will and the Open Press Project have created the current iteration of the BlockFace kit: a set of 24 rubber stamps with a 3D printed grip, and a layer of cushioning foam. The kit comes in a fancy cardboard box with magnetic closure along with the Typebook, a manual containing instructions on how to construct 6 different letterform styles.

The BlockFace kit is available to purchase through a Kickstarter campaign here.

In addition to this, BlockFace is an open-source project, meaning anyone can freely download the files and guides and create their own kit as long as they have access to a 3D printer or laser-cutting machine. Learn more here.

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