16 Hand Lettering Designers With Skills We Envy
We are obsessed with hand lettering right now. Adding a personalized, artistic touch to some of our favorite quotes and phrases is a guaranteed home run, whether you’re designing a birthday card or some creative wall art. Even more impressive than our favorite hand-lettered prints and clothing? The incredibly talented makers behind the art. If you’ve ever wanted to learn hand-lettering skills from a pro, then our Hand Lettering online class was made for you.
In this beginner-friendly lettering course, you’ll learn all the basics about form, pen strokes and balance from hand-lettering pro Danielle Evans. Whether you’re looking to design your own cards or a custom cake topper, Danielle’s class has you covered, so you can start transforming your favorite words into art.
Looking for inspo before you take the lettering class? We tracked down a few of our favorite hand-lettering designers with crazy amazing skills.
1. Jessica Hische: Hand-lettering superstar Jessica Hische should definitely be on your radar. Not only does she have some serious skills, but she pretty much has a bi-coastal dream life. With studios in both Brooklyn and San Francisco, Jessica spends her days drawing book covers, ads for Starbucks, magazine infographics and more. She started it all with a blog she called “The Daily Drop Cap,” where she honed her talent for drawing beautiful letters. We’re pretty much obsessed with watching her career evolve.
2. Jessica Levitz: Jessica Levitz is the woman behind June Letters Studio, which she built in San Francisco to focus on hand-lettering and illustration as well as branding and website design. Her childlike illustrations make us swoon. If only our handwriting was that artistic.
3.Lisa Congdon: You’ve probably seen Lisa Congdon’s work somewhere before. This one-woman force of nature is based in Oakland, CA and is known for her abstract paintings and hand lettering. If you want to know how to build a career on your art, she’s your go-to lady.
4. Molly Jacques: A hand lettering artist and type designer, Molly has collaborated with brands like Nike and Disney to create awesome hand-lettered designs. If you’re looking to get her digital lettering skills, check out her Intro to iPad Lettering online class.
5. Victoria Rothwell: Moira Ink, headed up by Victoria Rothwell, specializes in lettering and calligraphy. We didn’t even know there were so many styles of calligraphy. Just one browse through their portfolio is enough to make you want to send beautifully addressed envelopes to everyone you know. If you’re feeling inspired to pick up a calligraphy pen, we’ve got a class for that too!
6. Chris Piascik: Designer and illustrator Chris Piascik posts daily drawings to his Tumblr that combine the art of unique lettering with his irreverent (hilarious) humor. His work proves that hand-lettering doesn’t have to be limited to beautiful envelopes and framed prints.
7. Nicolas Fredrickson: Designer and hand letterer Nicolas Fredrickson believes in the power of pencil and paper. All of his designs start with sketching and he says his work is “95 percent hand done and five percent on the computer.” The results can be stunning when you go analog.
8. Jennet Liaw: Jennet puts so much thought in each of her pieces. Each one is carefully planned and contains tiny details that make her work stand apart from other artists. Her lettering shows what your work can be if you take the time to perfect each detail.
9. Mary Kate McDevitt: If you own a book on hand-lettering, chances are it was written by Mary Kate McDevitt. A Brooklyn-based illustrator, she has done work for clients like Target, Nintendo and even the United States Postal Service. She’s turned her hand-lettering skills into a mini empire, creating everything from idea notepads to inspiring journals.
10. Joshua Phillips: A graphic designer based in Arkansas, Joshua Phillips is a hand-lettering master. If you follow him on Instagram, you’ll not only get a regular onslaught of new hand-lettering designs, but you’ll also get a peek into his process.
11. Have a Gander: This hand-lettering company is a UK-based husband-and-wife team of designers. Peter and Fiona Gander have a huge range of hand-lettered kitchen wares, from towels and mugs to aprons and cheeseboards. They’re proving that there’s no limit to what can be hand-lettered.
12. Clairice Gifford: Clairice’s hand-lettered art prints have that elaborate, illuminated style that often draws people to hand-lettering in the first place. Her eye for color and tendency towards flower-y, vintage designs leave us wondering just how she does it.
13. Danielle Evans: Danielle, also known as Marmalade Bleue, is so talented at hand lettering that she can do it with any medium — even food. Aside from being an accomplished designer and illustrator, she’s also teaching our Hand Lettering online lcass. Learn from a pro at your own pace.
14. Megan Wells: Because we can never get enough of wedding paraphernalia, we’re obsessed with the variety of hand-lettering techniques in this wedding program by Makewells. Who knew one hand-lettered piece could offer so much inspiration?
15. Jen Mussari: This motorcycle helmet from Brooklyn-based hand-lettering aficionado Jen Mussari has us wondering what unusual object we could hand-letter. Maybe our kitchen chairs need a little love?
16. Lauren Hom: Hand-lettering hero Lauren Hom has been trading her lettering skills to restaurants for lunch. Her “Will Letter for Lunch” project has landed her meals throughout New York City and has been a great way for her to get her name and talent out into the streets. Want to mimic her style? Try your hand at her Intro to Ink Illustration online class!
Oh, by the way, we have all kinds of lettering classes at Brit + Co. Check out our LETTERING category, where you can find calligraphy, chalk lettering, fauxligraphy, bounce lettering and so much more!
Got enough inspo from these amazing hand-lettering artists? Feeling the urge to take our hand-lettering e-class? Let us know in the comments how you’re incorporating hand lettering into your life!