Blackletter Ilra 1 is a bold, normal width, high contrast, upright, normal x-height font.
Keywords: headlines, posters, branding, packaging, album art, medieval, gothic, ceremonial, authoritative, ornate, historic tone, dramatic impact, textura revival, display presence, angular, calligraphic, black, sharp, compact.
A dense, angular display face with sharply faceted strokes, pronounced thick–thin modulation, and abrupt terminals that feel cut with a broad nib. Counters are small and teardrop-like, while joins form pointed arches and wedge-shaped notches that create a rhythmic, interlocking texture. Capitals are tall and weighty with strong vertical emphasis, and lowercase forms stay compact with minimal rounding, giving text a dark, patterned color even at moderate sizes. Numerals follow the same chiseled construction, with chunky silhouettes and narrow internal space.
Best suited to headlines, mastheads, titles, and other short-form settings where its strong texture is an asset. It can add a historic or ceremonial character to branding, packaging, event collateral, and entertainment graphics, particularly when paired with simpler companion type for supporting text.
The overall tone is medieval and ceremonial, evoking illuminated manuscripts, heraldic signage, and traditional gothic lettering. Its heavy, carved presence feels authoritative and dramatic, with an old-world formality that reads as historic and ritualistic rather than casual.
The design appears intended to translate broad-nib blackletter construction into a bold, high-impact display voice, prioritizing rhythmic texture, sharp joins, and a carved, emblematic silhouette for strong visual identity.
In paragraph settings the tight counters and dense texture quickly become dominant, so letterspacing and line spacing can materially affect clarity. The style favors crisp reproduction and benefits from larger sizes where the internal cuts and pointed joins remain distinct.