diff --git a/src/GPUFontLayer.cpp b/src/GPUFontLayer.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5afc846
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/GPUFontLayer.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+#include "GPUFontLayer.h"
+#include "Atlas.h"
+#include "Utils.h"
+#include "fwd.hpp"
+#include "ofGraphics.h"
+#include "ofUtils.h"
+
+namespace ofxVariableLab {
+
+void GPUFontLayer::setup(const LayerSettings & settings){
+    this->settings = settings;
+    if(id == ""){
+        id = ofToString(Layer::n_layers);
+        n_layers++;
+    }
+}
+
+void GPUFontLayer::update(){
+    if(isDirty){
+        isDirty = false;
+    }
+}
+
+void GPUFontLayer::draw(glm::vec3 position){
+}
+void GPUFontLayer::drawCharacter(const char character,
+                                 glm::vec3 position,
+                                 glm::vec4 color,
+                                 float rotation,
+                                 float scale,
+                                 ofxVariableLab::FontVariation fontVariation){
+}
+const Layer::Type & GPUFontLayer::getType() const {
+    return type;
+}
+void GPUFontLayer::setVFlip(const VFlipState vFlip){
+    this->vFlip = vFlip;
+}
+
+//void GPUFontLayer::setAtlas(shared_ptr <ofxGPUFont::Atlas> _atlas){
+//atlas = _atlas;
+//// TODO: this does not seem proper
+//propsBuffer[0].fontSize_px = atlas->settings.scale;
+//}
+//shared_ptr <ofxGPUFont::Atlas> GPUFontLayer::getAtlas() const {
+//return atlas;
+//}
+void GPUFontLayer::setProps(const Props & props){
+    while(propsBuffer.size() > max(0, int(settings.maxBufferSize - 1))){
+        propsBuffer.pop_back();
+    }
+    propsBuffer.push_front(props);
+}
+const Layer::Props & GPUFontLayer::getProps() const {
+    return propsBuffer[0];
+}
+void GPUFontLayer::clearPropsBuffer(){
+    propsBuffer.clear();
+}
+void GPUFontLayer::setId(const LayerID & id){
+    this->id = id;
+}
+const LayerID & GPUFontLayer::getId(){
+    return id;
+}
+}
diff --git a/src/GPUFontLayer.h b/src/GPUFontLayer.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a4cb792
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/GPUFontLayer.h
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "ofMain.h"
+#include "ofxGPUFont.h"
+#include "Atlas.h"
+#include "Layer.h"
+#include "Utils.h"
+
+namespace ofxVariableLab {
+
+class GPUFontLayer : public Layer {
+    public:
+        void setup(const LayerSettings & settings = LayerSettings()) override;
+        void update() override;
+        void draw(glm::vec3 position = glm::vec3(0, 0, 0)) override;
+        void drawCharacter(const char character,
+                           glm::vec3 position = glm::vec3(0, 0, 0),
+                           glm::vec4 color = glm::vec4(1, 1, 1, 1),
+                           float rotation = 0,
+                           float scale = 1,
+                           ofxVariableLab::FontVariation fontVariation = ofxVariableLab::FontVariation()) override;
+        void setProps(const Props & props) override;
+        const Props & getProps() const override;
+        void clearPropsBuffer() override;
+        void setId(const LayerID & id) override;
+        const LayerID & getId() override;
+        void setShader(shared_ptr <ofShader> _shader) override {
+            ofLogError("GPUFontLayer") << "using OpenGL shaders directly, no ofShader implemented";
+        }
+        shared_ptr <ofShader> getShader() const override {
+            ofLogError("GPUFontLayer") << "using OpenGL shaders directly, no ofShader implemented";
+            return NULL; // evil?
+        }
+
+        const Type & getType() const override;
+        void setVFlip(const VFlipState vFlip) override;
+
+        //void setAtlas(shared_ptr <ofxGPUFont::Atlas> _atlas);
+        //shared_ptr <ofxGPUFont::Atlas> getAtlas() const;
+
+        //shared_ptr <ofxGPUFont::Atlas> atlas;
+
+        LayerSettings settings;
+        std::deque <Props> propsBuffer;
+        /// \brief are props updated but not drawn yet
+        bool isDirty = true;
+        /// \brief hashed id, or just counting up
+        string id = "";
+        VFlipState vFlip = V_FLIP_UNKNOWN;
+
+    private:
+        Layer::Type type = GPUFONT;
+};
+}