Just as design hardware is constantly evolving and user needs are changing, so too should the software and tools we use. Built for the design world of today, Kittl is the AI-powered design platform built for creators, designers, and ambitious businesses that need standout branding and product visuals, fast.
Combining best-in-class editing control with powerful AI creation, Kittl boasts all the tools and collaborative features you need to build visuals that can be implemented across a wide range of creative outputs. From creating moodboards and crafting logos to building complete brand identities with AI-generated mockups that are cohesive across every touchpoint.
Born from frustrations with current tools, the subsequent hurdles of switching between programs, handling subscriptions, and clunky interfaces, Kittl promises ease, intuitive features, and, most importantly, a space for creative flow.
With a background in lettering and design, co-founder Tobias Saul leads the platform’s product vision, acting alongside co-founder and CEO Nicolas Heymann. To give us insight into Kittl’s offerings and philosophy, Saul shares his creative pathway and how his fascination with letters helped shape the dynamic tool.
From Graffiti to Kittl
“It was graffiti and illustration that first drew me in,” Saul shares, reminiscing about his childhood in the German countryside, the youngest of five siblings. His love for letters, “their shapes, rhythm, and personality,” truly blossomed during his graphic design studies at university in Düsseldorf. “With typography,” he explains, “you’re working with something structured, but you can give it soul and individuality. It’s the moment when a hand-drawn letter becomes a refined digital form and then communicates emotion. That’s what hooked me.”
Saul shifted his attention to custom lettering and type design, exploring the blend of craftsmanship and creative expression. Later, he partnered with Nicolas Heymann to create Heritage Type Co., which began as a marketplace for vintage-style fonts and design assets.
Through his work as a lettering artist at Heritage Type, Saul understood that achieving a satisfying vintage look was often time-consuming, requiring many repetitive adjustments. “I knew there needed to be a more efficient way, and I wanted to create it,” he says. “But my goal was to build tools that respect time while still respecting craftsmanship. That principle became a cornerstone for Kittl.”
Ease of Use: Accessible, Intuitive, and Built for Exploration
Saul had a few key non-negotiables when conceptualising what he wanted Kittl to be. Based on his career and experience with creative software, he recognised that, for example, usability was crucial. “It’s not enough for assets to just look great; they have to fit seamlessly into a designer’s workflow,” he notes. “Heritage Type taught me how to merge historical craft with modern production needs.”
Saul’s vision for Kittl was clear from the start. He wanted it to be intuitive and easy for designers to use, allowing them to open Kittl and start designing immediately. “We focused on flow,” he explains. “I wanted Kittl to feel effortless, like sketching with a pencil, not configuring a machine. So we studied real design workflows and streamlined the interface around those use cases.”
This approach ensures that designers can jump in at any stage and choose the level of customisation and control they want. “We have templates and presets that help beginners start quickly, while advanced controls are accessible for pros and to help beginners learn and grow,” Saul adds. “The idea was to make the software grow with the designer, not overwhelm them.”
To lessen overwhelm, they also eliminated unnecessary visual elements. Unlike traditional design tools, Saul notes that Kittl offers a straightforward interface that helps designers maintain a focused, creative state.
All-in-one: Design Features
Complexity and fragmentation in design tools can slow down creativity and efficiency. Kittl addresses this issue with a streamlined approach that consolidates all the necessary tools for designers into one convenient platform, rethinking the creative toolbox.
For example, Kittl makes vector editing user-friendly and powerful, offering complete control over every shape and detail. For Saul, this was another non-negotiable feature – vector-based effects “that stay crisp and editable instead of rasterising into pixels.”
As a web-based platform, creators can also work together in the editor in real-time.
“These make it possible for teams to use shared asset libraries. So it’s easier, for example, for designers and studios to save and access the same brand materials in one space.”
Further, mockups are included to complete your project. They’re built into Kittl, says Saul, “so it’s incredibly easy to test your typography on posters, apparel, or packaging in just seconds. This was a must-have to cut out unnecessary jumps between different tools.”
Kittl’s Typographic Power
As a type enthusiast, Saul refused to compromise on Kittl having a strong typography engine with precise control over kerning, tracking, and advanced font features. Kittl therefore refined the typography tools and layout by testing prototypes with lettering and type designers.
“For type and lettering artists, there’s a lot in Kittl I’m sure you’ll love as I do,” says Saul.
“A few of my favourite features are:
- AI-powered Infinite Canvas. This is ideal for lettering work and possibly my favourite feature. I can sketch, experiment, and scale freely.”
- Advanced text effects. These are your shadows, outlines, bevels, and text transformations. But they’re incredibly intuitive in Kittl. You can apply them with one click, without needing complex layer setups. And from there, it’s incredibly easy to adjust them to the exact look you want.
- An extensive font library. There are over a thousand commercial-use fonts built directly into Kittl. We even offer the most famous Monotype typefaces, like Helvetica, Futura, and many more.
Saul particularly appreciates the layered text effects that can be combined in Kittl. “I love using outlines, inner shadows, and highlights to create dimensional lettering” he adds. “And if you go to my profile in Kittl, you’ll see this applied in a lot of the projects I’ve made.”
AI That Empowers, Not Replaces
The final non-negotiable for Saul was incorporating AI into Kittl to serve as fuel for the creative process. Acknowledging the discourse and controversy around the technology (“and there are valid concerns surrounding it”), he points out that its potential for empowering creatives is extraordinary. “And I knew that to help creatives stay ahead in this changing industry, AI-powered tools would be a must-have to support them as demands shift,” he adds.
Integrated AI-powered tools, such as the image generator, vectorizer, background remover, and recently Kittl Flows, are designed to help eliminate the repetitive tasks that designers encounter daily, so designers can focus purely on creativity. “Which is what we’re all about: empowering your creativity.”
Kittl made many of them freely accessible to help more people experiment and build confidence in their craft, because powerful creative tools shouldn’t be limited to those with big budgets.“With more and more companies and creatives adopting AI, we know designers are expected not just to use these tools, but to use them well,” Saul notes. “Honestly, my younger self would’ve been completely blown away by the AI features we have today. Back then, what took hours of sketching and experimenting could now happen in moments. For me, this has opened up more time for true creativity.”
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Saul’s experience running a foundry – and what he wanted to bring to Kittl – is the value of community. “Listening to how designers actually use fonts, textures, and assets shaped how I think about software. As a designer myself, I know what I look for in tools. But everyone works differently.”
So Kittl became a platform shaped directly by its users — mockup library, typographic controls, collaboration features, and masking all originated from user feedback. “These tools and features are all thanks to our community sharing what they want and need. Designers shouldn’t have to adapt to a tool — the best tool will adapt to them.”
The Future of Kittl: A New Design Ecosystem
As for the future of the design platform, Saul sees huge potential in evolving Kittl into a full ecosystem for creative businesses, centralising all visual assets. Long term, bridging the worlds of digital and print with better print workflows, colour management, and tactile design previews. “And perhaps most excitingly, I want to see Kittl continue democratising professional design, helping a new generation of creatives connect with typography and graphic design the same way I did.”
Get started with Kittl at: www.kittl.com
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