KRINK: A Blueprint for Building a Brand

Today I’m flipping through KRINK: Graffiti, Art, and Invention. This is easily one of my favorite books, not just because of the visuals, but because of what it teaches about culture, creativity, and building a brand from absolutely nothing.

Why the KRINK Book Matters for Culture and Creativity

The first thing this book captures perfectly is scale. If you’ve ever walked through a city, New York, Lisbon, wherever, and spotted giant block letters stretched across the side of a building, you probably asked yourself: “How the hell did they do that?” That is rolling. The book documents not only the technique, but the danger, the innovation, and the sheer determination it took to get up on those walls.

And here’s the thing. It wasn’t done with fancy equipment. A lot of early graffiti came out of everyday objects like rollers, shoe polish bottles, whatever you could get your hands on. Household tools transformed into instruments of expression.

The Importance of Documenting Your Journey

One point this book hammers home, and something I believe in deeply, is the importance of documentation. Photography is just as important as the art itself.

Somebody had to climb rooftops, lean out of windows, and hit the shutter to capture those moments. Without that, a whole era of graffiti culture might have vanished into thin air.

That lesson applies beyond graffiti. Whether you are piecing together a collage in your apartment or launching a brand in your garage, document the process. Take progress shots. Save drafts. Record the grind. That is the archive you will look back on at your “Whitney retrospective,” whether literal or metaphorical. The documentation is the art.

Graffiti in Broad Daylight: Breaking Myths of the Streets

I first noticed KRINK through the documentary Infamy, watching Air Snot and other writers putting in work in broad daylight. Before that, graffiti to me was this mysterious thing that appeared overnight. Seeing someone do it in real time, with commentary, jokes, audacity, changed how I understood it.

There is also a Vice documentary that digs into Craig’s process. Both gave me perspective. This wasn’t an overnight phenomenon. It was years of risk, hustle, and consistency.

KRINK’s Beginnings: From San Francisco to New York

The book traces Craig “KR” Costello’s journey from San Francisco in the 90s to New York City, showing the raw beginnings. Bottles of ink poured into repurposed containers, early product shots staged with film cameras before the digital era.

That is another lesson. Resourcefulness. A backdrop, a light, a tripod, and film. That is how the first KRINK product photos were shot. Nothing flashy, just intentionality. That kind of DIY foundation is how brands with staying power are built.

KRINK Packaging and Philosophy: Design Rooted in Culture

Another thing that hit me was the bottles. They reminded me of buying oils like Egyptian Musk back in the day, small glass vials that felt precious. KRINK packaging carried that same aura. It made you want to treat the product as an art object in itself.

That is design rooted in culture. When I see a KRINK bottle, I don’t just see ink. I see the reflection of bodegas, street markets, and DIY hustle.

And then there is the philosophy: “Don’t blame the tool, blame the fool.” You can have the fanciest marker in the world, but skill and thought matter more than the gear. That is true in graffiti, in photography, in business, in everything.

Collaboration and Community: The KRINK Way

KRINK also highlights the power of collaboration. From Montclair to Rizzoli, Tom Sachs to Espo to Chantelle Martin, the brand slid between creative worlds without losing its edge. That is rare. And it is a masterclass in staying authentic while still expanding.

Lessons from KRINK for Artists and Entrepreneurs

At the end of the day, what I love most about KRINK: Graffiti, Art & Invention is that it is not just a coffee table book. It is a blueprint.

It is proof that experimentation, risk-taking, documentation, and community can evolve into something global. It is a reminder that a brand is not just logos or products. It is culture, lived experience, and storytelling all rolled into one.

If I taught a class, this book would be on the required reading list. Not because of graffiti, but because it is an encyclopedia of what it takes to make something from nothing and build it to last.

So flip through this book. Let it remind you that tools are just tools. What you do with them is what makes the difference.

👉 You can grab a copy of KRINK: Graffiti, Art, and Invention here.