But oddly enough, his introduction to design and typography wasn’t as straightforward as his work would have you believe. In fact, long before he became an independent designer, the Scottish-born creative worked in a different field altogether – playing professional soccer. “When I was growing up, football was all I thought about,” he recalled in an interview with Typeroom, “but simultaneously I spent my time drawing football boots, strips, badges, etc. so without realizing, I was already working on my true passion.”

According to Black, it was only years later, that he decided on a career change and studied design at The University West of Scotland. “Thereafter, I was hooked on design and through a lot of hard work, continually challenging my abilities and not being afraid to fail has led me to where I am today,” he notes.

These days, Black’s strengths lie in his ability to cross disciplines without the restriction of a fixed personal style. This versatility has offered him the opportunity to work on a varied mix of collaborations with local and international clients of all business backgrounds. But though his clients are versatile, his work process tends to be the same, beginning with a heavy amount of research.

“I always start by thoroughly researching the brief, leading to mood boards to get the ideas flowing,” sats Black, describing his creative process. “As the mind ticks, I start to sketch a lot of ideas down and then narrow it down to more successful routes. When a concept is decided, I then take it to final stages whether thats by hand or digital depending on the specifics of the project for final completion.”

Scroll down to see some recent projects and collaborations:

The post Craig Black is Hooked On Typography Art appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

“It’s an interesting and unique career,” admitted Gonzalez in an interview with ADC. “Letterforms are everywhere and it’s something that is in our everyday lives. Exploring letterforms, styles, their history, their construction is a neverending path and that’s what I love about it, it is a lifetime learning journey.”

Incidentally, Gonzalez’s love affair with typeface could itself be described as a lifetime learning journey. Born in Mexico, he moved to Canada in 2008 where he studied graphic design and later worked as a screen-printer. It was during this time that he rediscovered his passion for calligraphy and began to experiment with letterforms.

But it would take some time until he would become a full-time typography artist. After working as a freelance graphic designer in Toronto, in 2012 he moved back to Mexico, to work full-time as an independent designer. Then, in the summer of 2014, Gonzalez moved to New York City to attend Type@Cooper where he earned a typeface design diploma from Cooper Union.

“I didn’t plan this career, it has been taking shape as I go,” he admits. “But I do remember looking at a few designers around the world who were making a living out of it, which made me believe it is possible to make a living of what you love.”

The work process itself, he explains, depends on the project. “I can start using tracing paper and brush pen but I can also start in the computer or maybe a combination of both. I try to explore new media, techniques, styles, and combine it with my work.”

With selected clients as prominent as Apple, Armani Exchange, Nike, Bentley, Google, Microsoft, Pepsi, and Facebook—he’s clearly got his work cut out for him.

The post A Word Is An Image: Ricardo Gonzalez’s Typography Art appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

“We need to be constantly learning and honing our skills in order for calligraphy to stay relevant, and to keep up with the changing times and client requests. I firmly believe that to be a good calligrapher, we need to study from the old masters.”

Yoshida practices what she preaches to a great extent. A member of the Society for Calligraphy guild in Southern California, and volunteer as the Lead Graphic Designer for the guild’s Calligraph journal, she has studied with master calligraphers, and to this day attends many classes and workshops in order to improve her skills.

But her love of what she calls “beautiful writing” sparked much earlier in life. Yoshida recalls being exposed to calligraphy as early as sixth grade: “My teacher had the most beautiful handwriting and taught us basic Italic Hand,” she shared. “I was so inspired by her that I would sit at my desk after finishing my homework and practice my cursive over and over.”

Since then, she has continued her affair with letterforms by studying graphic design and typography, then working as a web designer and graphic designer. Working as a graphic designer during the day, she treats calligraphy is her side job, but one she takes very seriously. Her blog and accompanying social media pages document her never-ending learning process. You’d want to join her on her quest.

The post Linda Yoshida Treats Calligraphy As a Life-Long Learning Experience appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

“My process is like every other designer,” she shared with Creative Chair. “It always starts with sketches putting down all the ideas that are in mind and making it into a harmonious-looking composition. After approvals from the client, I make the final clean drawing adding colors if needed, then proceed to create the illustration with paper.”

Specializing in paper typography, Karnik first made headlines thanks to her paper alphabet. “I decided to start my typography series and thought of making individual letters with paper,” she shared in another interview with Verve Magazine. “A, B, C, D… going right up to Z. By then, I had my own website and started posting images of what I had created.”

According to Karnik, halfway through the alphabet, she was offered a job. Each of her paper letters is dedicated to a certain idea that corresponds with the letter. Most recently she shared a paper interpretation to the letter A.

“A for Astronomy,” reads the Instagram caption. “I am very fascinated with astronomy and enamored with the idea that there are billions of stars and planets out there in the universe.”

Scroll down to explore more of her work!

The post Sabeena Karnik Translates the English Alphabet Into Paper appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

One of these new-traditional-sign painters is Chris Mackenzie-Gray. Based in the UK, his sign-painting services range from very small door numbers to large-scale murals, all painted with that vintage flair.

According to Mackenzie-Gray, it was while studying graphic design at LCC, that he was drawn to the analog processes of writing. “With a computer, it’s not difficult to change the layout or grid, whereas with letterpress, you have to really think about what you’re doing because it’s such a faff to change something,” he explained in an interview with Lecture in Progress.

“I did a whole bunch of research into sign painting, and one of my tutors shut down the idea,” he recalled. “Maybe they didn’t consider it graphic design, or a viable job but I just remember thinking, ‘well, that’s not something I’m going to think about again.’ I really enjoyed graphic design, but sitting at a computer nine hours a day would have left me feeling very drained.”

Today, there is only one trade school left in the U.S. for sign painting: the Los Angeles Trade Technical College. But the renewed interest in hand-painted signs might bring to the forefront the glory of typography art. For some sign painting inspiration, follow Toucan Signs’ Instagram page.

The post Add a Vintage Flair to Your Business with Hand Painted Signs appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

It’s well-known that having limited resources is often what awakes creativity in the best way. By limiting himself to having to use the word and nothing else in order to transfer the meaning, Flink found ways to transform the letters and wrap them over the space between the letters. The result is often stunning, as you can see below.

“When I think a word has potential, I type it out in Adobe Illustrator and play with the white space until I arrive at something that visually works for me,” the artist tells My Modern Met.

It’s the combination of letterforms and his font choice that determines the final result. The less work he has to do, the better the end result. This is best seen in the word “four” that only has the letter “u” slightly altered in order to achieve the effect.

Keep up with the artist’s work on his Instagram.

The post Sander Flink’s Typography is Very Clever appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

But oddly enough, his introduction to design and typography wasn’t as straightforward as his work would have you believe. In fact, long before he became an independent designer, the Scottish-born creative worked in a different field altogether – playing professional soccer. “When I was growing up, football was all I thought about,” he recalled in an interview with Typeroom, “but simultaneously I spent my time drawing football boots, strips, badges, etc. so without realizing, I was already working on my true passion.”

According to Black, it was only years later, that he decided on a career change and studied design at The University West of Scotland. “Thereafter, I was hooked on design and through a lot of hard work, continually challenging my abilities and not being afraid to fail has led me to where I am today,” he notes.

These days, Black’s strengths lie in his ability to cross disciplines without the restriction of a fixed personal style. This versatility has offered him the opportunity to work on a varied mix of collaborations with local and international clients of all business backgrounds. But though his clients are versatile, his work process tends to be the same, beginning with a heavy amount of research.

“I always start by thoroughly researching the brief, leading to mood boards to get the ideas flowing,” sats Black, describing his creative process. “As the mind ticks, I start to sketch a lot of ideas down and then narrow it down to more successful routes. When a concept is decided, I then take it to final stages whether thats by hand or digital depending on the specifics of the project for final completion.”

Scroll down to see some recent projects and collaborations:

The post Craig Black is Hooked On Typography Art appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

“It’s an interesting and unique career,” admitted Gonzalez in an interview with ADC. “Letterforms are everywhere and it’s something that is in our everyday lives. Exploring letterforms, styles, their history, their construction is a neverending path and that’s what I love about it, it is a lifetime learning journey.”

Incidentally, Gonzalez’s love affair with typeface could itself be described as a lifetime learning journey. Born in Mexico, he moved to Canada in 2008 where he studied graphic design and later worked as a screen-printer. It was during this time that he rediscovered his passion for calligraphy and began to experiment with letterforms.

But it would take some time until he would become a full-time typography artist. After working as a freelance graphic designer in Toronto, in 2012 he moved back to Mexico, to work full-time as an independent designer. Then, in the summer of 2014, Gonzalez moved to New York City to attend Type@Cooper where he earned a typeface design diploma from Cooper Union.

“I didn’t plan this career, it has been taking shape as I go,” he admits. “But I do remember looking at a few designers around the world who were making a living out of it, which made me believe it is possible to make a living of what you love.”

The work process itself, he explains, depends on the project. “I can start using tracing paper and brush pen but I can also start in the computer or maybe a combination of both. I try to explore new media, techniques, styles, and combine it with my work.”

With selected clients as prominent as Apple, Armani Exchange, Nike, Bentley, Google, Microsoft, Pepsi, and Facebook—he’s clearly got his work cut out for him.

The post A Word Is An Image: Ricardo Gonzalez’s Typography Art appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

“We need to be constantly learning and honing our skills in order for calligraphy to stay relevant, and to keep up with the changing times and client requests. I firmly believe that to be a good calligrapher, we need to study from the old masters.”

Yoshida practices what she preaches to a great extent. A member of the Society for Calligraphy guild in Southern California, and volunteer as the Lead Graphic Designer for the guild’s Calligraph journal, she has studied with master calligraphers, and to this day attends many classes and workshops in order to improve her skills.

But her love of what she calls “beautiful writing” sparked much earlier in life. Yoshida recalls being exposed to calligraphy as early as sixth grade: “My teacher had the most beautiful handwriting and taught us basic Italic Hand,” she shared. “I was so inspired by her that I would sit at my desk after finishing my homework and practice my cursive over and over.”

Since then, she has continued her affair with letterforms by studying graphic design and typography, then working as a web designer and graphic designer. Working as a graphic designer during the day, she treats calligraphy is her side job, but one she takes very seriously. Her blog and accompanying social media pages document her never-ending learning process. You’d want to join her on her quest.

The post Linda Yoshida Treats Calligraphy As a Life-Long Learning Experience appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

“My process is like every other designer,” she shared with Creative Chair. “It always starts with sketches putting down all the ideas that are in mind and making it into a harmonious-looking composition. After approvals from the client, I make the final clean drawing adding colors if needed, then proceed to create the illustration with paper.”

Specializing in paper typography, Karnik first made headlines thanks to her paper alphabet. “I decided to start my typography series and thought of making individual letters with paper,” she shared in another interview with Verve Magazine. “A, B, C, D… going right up to Z. By then, I had my own website and started posting images of what I had created.”

According to Karnik, halfway through the alphabet, she was offered a job. Each of her paper letters is dedicated to a certain idea that corresponds with the letter. Most recently she shared a paper interpretation to the letter A.

“A for Astronomy,” reads the Instagram caption. “I am very fascinated with astronomy and enamored with the idea that there are billions of stars and planets out there in the universe.”

Scroll down to explore more of her work!

The post Sabeena Karnik Translates the English Alphabet Into Paper appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

One of these new-traditional-sign painters is Chris Mackenzie-Gray. Based in the UK, his sign-painting services range from very small door numbers to large-scale murals, all painted with that vintage flair.

According to Mackenzie-Gray, it was while studying graphic design at LCC, that he was drawn to the analog processes of writing. “With a computer, it’s not difficult to change the layout or grid, whereas with letterpress, you have to really think about what you’re doing because it’s such a faff to change something,” he explained in an interview with Lecture in Progress.

“I did a whole bunch of research into sign painting, and one of my tutors shut down the idea,” he recalled. “Maybe they didn’t consider it graphic design, or a viable job but I just remember thinking, ‘well, that’s not something I’m going to think about again.’ I really enjoyed graphic design, but sitting at a computer nine hours a day would have left me feeling very drained.”

Today, there is only one trade school left in the U.S. for sign painting: the Los Angeles Trade Technical College. But the renewed interest in hand-painted signs might bring to the forefront the glory of typography art. For some sign painting inspiration, follow Toucan Signs’ Instagram page.

The post Add a Vintage Flair to Your Business with Hand Painted Signs appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

It’s well-known that having limited resources is often what awakes creativity in the best way. By limiting himself to having to use the word and nothing else in order to transfer the meaning, Flink found ways to transform the letters and wrap them over the space between the letters. The result is often stunning, as you can see below.

“When I think a word has potential, I type it out in Adobe Illustrator and play with the white space until I arrive at something that visually works for me,” the artist tells My Modern Met.

It’s the combination of letterforms and his font choice that determines the final result. The less work he has to do, the better the end result. This is best seen in the word “four” that only has the letter “u” slightly altered in order to achieve the effect.

Keep up with the artist’s work on his Instagram.

The post Sander Flink’s Typography is Very Clever appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.