Downturn was most directly inspired by letters painted on the wall of an old medical warehouse in Washington, D.C.. Other inspirations include lettering on manhole covers, metal signs and machinery in New York and DC.

Its quirky letterforms and deliberately uneven color reflect the typographic naiveté of signpainters and engineers more interested in impact than consistency. More…

Chunky, in-your-face letters make Downturn appropriate for posters, packaging, headlines and other places you need a big impact.