Co-Founder · Designer
The Brand Identity interviews Los Angeles-based studio Forth + Back as they celebrate their five-year anniversary with a new brand refresh and website. Founders Nikolos Killian and Tanner Woodbury reflect on their growth, key projects, and lessons learned, including collaborations with Smirnoff, The Athletic, and UCR Arts. The duo discuss the evolving design landscape, their approach to process, and upcoming typeface releases.
Forth + Back created the identity for Craft Boxing’s first apparel collection, Rhythm Season, inspired by the intersection of jazz culture and boxing. The design combines monospaced typography, hand-rendered illustrations, and a vibrant yet balanced color palette referencing classic jazz album art. The result is a rhythmic, expressive visual system that bridges tradition and modernity.
The Brand Identity interviews Los Angeles-based studio Forth + Back about their two self-initiated print projects, SPIRAL and Dreams of New York. The conversation explores their creative process, production challenges, and conceptual approach to blending sports, culture, and visual storytelling. The studio reflects on balancing commissioned work with passion projects and hints at future editorial endeavors.
The Brand Identity features Forth + Back’s design for SPIRAL, an annual publication founded by Shawn Ghassemitari that explores the culture surrounding American football. The Los Angeles studio created the magazine’s identity, editorial layout, and promotional materials, using bold typography and a vivid orange accent to reflect the sport’s energy. The first issue, themed 'Tribalism,' includes illustrations by Nathan Bell and a mix of typefaces from Matt Willey, Radim Pesko, Karl Nawrot, and Pangram Pangram Foundry.