Tools

Pencils
- Sakura Sumo Grip pencils 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.9
- Graphite graded pencils - H’s are for how hard the lead is and B’s represent how soft they become

Black Pens
- Sakura Pigment Black Micron Pens - 01 - 08 were my main go to’s, but I JUST scored some UniPin pigment fine liners and they are SO great. Can’t wait to break them in.
Other: LePen brand, Staedtler brand and Sharpie pen brand.

Other Pens
- White, Silver & Gold Signo pen for text decoration
- White gel pens
- Zebra, Sharpie and Kuretake brand fine line brush pens

Straight Edges
- 30° and 45° angled triangles
- Ruler
- Rolling ruler

Other Tools
- Compass
- French curve
- Eraser Shield
- Kneaded eraser
- Magic Rub eraser
- Small pencil sharpener
- Sandpaper pad
- 5” Composition Ruler by Nico Ng

Paper
- Dot grid paper (you can get Rhodia brand, but any dot grid pad will do)
- Graph paper (I like graph paper but I like dot grid better. Less intrusive against your layout)
- Accent Opaque 70lb. text in D.I.Y. kraft sketchbooks
- Tracing paper (a MUST have when exploring letters)

Hand
Letterers

There are SO many hand letterers now, it feels like the genre is getting saturated. However, I remind myself that we all hold our pencils differently, have different experiences and each bring a unique perspective to this discipline. That being said, I don’t let the scores of talented letterers ahead of me temper my passion or stop this pursuit. You shouldn’t either.

There are letterers that I followed before (and after) the industry got so crowded and the following ladies are the ones that I will always remember fondly. I was a calligrapher, but this world of crafting letters from scratch was very new to me. I think you also always tend to stick closer to letterers within your own design aesthetic (or the one you’d eventually like to have).

Mary Kate McDevitt @marykatemcdevitt - I think Mary Kate is the first letterer that I noticed who was actually making a living executing letters and she’s so badass, you need to check her out. Her process, her studio, approach etc. was groundbreaking. The first lettering book that I purchased was her hand lettering ledger (see below) which I still refer to today. She made me believe I could do this. Trailblazer.

Lisa Quine (formerly Lorek) @lisa_quine - Ahhh Lisa’s work is just EPIC, GOALS, SUBLIME… She has an amazing Victorian/Steampunk style which I have always gravitated towards and hope to be able to execute as calmly and effortlessly as she does one day. Great follow on IG and she’s very open and responsive.

Emilee Rudd @emileeerudd - Some of the very best hand letterers & illustrators you will find are those who started in Graphic Design. Emilee is no exception and again, the letters that she crafts are exquisite and I love all of the details that she adds to her layouts. Works of art really and she makes it appear like she’s simply doodling…

Martina Flor @martinaflor - Martina is an amazing artist and her signature book (The Golden Secrets of Lettering) created a bit of a paradigm shift in me in terms of how I thought about lettering and the technical side of its execution. Profound effect on my approach, I can’t recommend this title more.

Lauren Hom @homsweethom - Lauren is another graphic designer turned letterer and through her recent work and phenomenal sharing, I’ve been encouraged to be more fearless in my work and I think I just “go for it” more now. Love her bold styles and color usage. Her style is a magnet for commercial opportunities.

SO many more I could name, but these few just impacted me in unique ways. That’s what’s great about this discipline. No matter who comes before or after you, there is something unique about everyone that you cannot teach!

Books & Online Resources

Books