Ladies in Lettering Exhibition Catalogue by a_connolly

ladies IN in LADIES lettering LETTERING

Featuring the works of ana Tanamachi & Jessica Hische D Catalogue for exhibition at The University Gallery at UMass Lowell

Contents 09

INTRODUCTION

JESSICA HISCHE

THE EVERY GIRL

DANA TANAMACHI

THE GREAT DISCONTENT

DESIGN BOOM

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S IN YOUR TOOLBOX? 5

the art of

lettering

While some typographers criticize the excessive decoration of letters, hand-lettering is still considered a beautiful art form that requires great skill and a precise touch. The craft has evolved from traditional quill-and-ink calligraphy, to modern lettering using a vast variety of media. Hand -lettering has found its place across many platforms that call for a creative application of type that breathes new life into their word-heavy displays.

Dana Tanamachi’s “hand-lettering” is truly that – lettering done strictly by the work of the young artist’s hands. This designer creates her unique and intricate masterpieces entirely out of chalk. Although it is more physically laborious than design done digitally, Tanamachi feels a sense of fulfilment from completing a ohysical final product. Jessica Hische blends hand-drawn calligraphy and digital illustration in a unique style that intertwines both the traditional and modern aspects of the hand-lettering craft. Whether she’s designing a logos, movie credits, or her own typeface, Hische adds a fun flair to every piece she creates. While these two artists have vastly different personalities and creative styles, both women have secured their spot in the design industry as forces to be reckoned with. This exhibition celebrates both their personal success as well as the beautiful craft they both have chosen to master.

Designastrator & Procrastiworker Jessica Hische takes lettering, illustrating, and

way through the alphabet 12 times; by the 13th

type design to a whole new level with her fun,

round, she asked guest designers to contribute

bold designs. She has a portfolio that includes

their talent. The letters are available as free

greeting cards for Papyrus, book covers for

downloads to use on blogs and websites—a

publishinghouse Penguin Books, and print

brilliant marketing move if you ask us! Clearly,

advertisements for Starbucks; Jessica has

Jessica knows her way around both the creative

certainly found her niche in the graphic design

and business side of a successful freelance career.

world. She has also been voted one of Forbes Magazine “30 under 30” in art and design, one

Today Jessica splits her time between Brooklyn

of 25 Emerging Artists by STEP Magazine, and

and San Francisco (where she now calls home).

a “Person to Watch” by GDUSA.

And to top it all off, it’s where she set up a collaborative studio and workshop space for other creatives

It was in 2009 after many all-nighters and

to utilize, learn, and grow. Jessica is a self-

hand drawn designs that Jessica took the leap

proclaimed “serious over-sharer” and lucky

to strike out on her own. During this time of

for us, she shared quite a bit about her start in

uncertainty and wayward scheduling, she

design, growing into her career, and becoming

started the Daily Drop Cap as a way to keep

an expert in her industry. And we absolutely

creativity flowing—she showcases a new hand-

agree with Jessica when she told us, “Everyone

drawn illustrative letter every day. And even

is different, and just when you think you figured

with the new influx of freelance clients, Jessica

it out you find some better way of doing things.

stayed true to the Daily Drop Cap and drew her

The key is to always keep trying to be better.” Yes! 9

Your first job after college was a freelance designer for a small studio in Philadelphia. How did you land this position and what did you learn? When I was still in college, I asked my professors Paul Kepple and Jude Buffum if Headcase Design (Paul’s Studio) was hiring internships. They had never had an intern before, and after a bit of convincing they hired me. When I graduated, the studio was slammed with bookwork and it was only natural that I stay on to help as a freelancer. I ended up freelancing full-time for about six months and part-time for a bit after that. I learned SO MUCH while working at Headcase —a lot about how book projects are managed, but mostly about how much I loved illustration and that I wanted to figure out ways to do more of it. Due to untimely circumstances, the studio unfortunately cut your hours. But, ultimately, this led you to a job with one of your heroes! Tell us how you ended up working alongside one of your idols and how you overcame this career obstacle. When the studio cut my hours, I was disappointed but ultimately saw it as an opportunity to do more freelance editorial illustration and design. I also picked up a teaching gig at Philadelphia University. Philly is a pretty inexpensive city (especially at the time), so it’s a bit of a freelancer’s paradise. I put together a promo to send to magazines and

agencies that might hire me for illustration work, but I also sent it to a couple of my idols, including Louise Fili. When Louise emailed about coming in for an interview, I was shocked—in no way did I think that my little promo might turn into a job offer. I hadn’t planned on packing up my bags and moving to NYC for a full-time gig, but it was an amazing opportunity and I couldn’t resist! Next up, you decided to strike out on your own with a project that earned you the moniker “That Drop Cap Girl.” Tell us about it! What gave you the courage to start your own business? Starting my own business was a bit of a nobrainer when I did it. I had been freelancing alongside my full-time job and found out after a year or so of doing it that I was actually making more money freelancing than I was at my day job! I was learning so much from Louise, though, that it took a while to feel ready to leave. I waited until I had about six months of expenses saved before I went out on my own so I wouldn’t feel stressed over how to pay my bills. I started Daily Drop Cap because I wanted to make sure I was still lettering every day once I was full-time freelance (you never know what clients are going to hire you for, and sometimes your portfolio can get away from you). I also liked that the project imposed structure in my newly formless schedule.

Your clients now include American Express, Wes Anderson, and The New York Times. When you started your business, how did you gain exposure for your brand? When did you finally feel like you had “made it” and that your business was a success? Honestly, I first felt like I made it when I got my very first freelance gig from a non-friend when I was 21 years old. It wasn’t for a crazy big agency, or well-known company, but it felt like I had won the lottery. Everything grew organically—I started getting work from small regional magazines, then eventually was hired by bigger national magazines. Eventually I started getting hired to do book covers (mostly for lesser-known authors) but eventually was able to work for some bigger names. It just slowly grew over a few years, punctuated every now and then by an impressive name like AMEX until suddenly I found there were more major names than not. When you freelance, you always worry about whether or not your business will last, and I think it took three or four years of consistent end-of-year numbers to realize that I’d actually created a successful business. You are a letterer, illustrator, and graphic designer. We want to hear about your inspiration as a creative! Where does your inspiration come from? Do you seek it out? How would you describe your design style? I find inspiration everywhere, but mostly from people! I do a lot of public speaking, and I always feel the most inspired when returning from a conference because of all of the wonderful people I meet (speakers and attendees alike). Personally, I find that a good balance between social time and work time is what keeps my creative engines running smoothly—that if I don’t spend enough time with people I start feeling unmotivated and sluggish. As far as influences though (which is probably what you’re asking) I get a lot of project inspiration from the content of the project itself (for instance, reading the book I’m doing the

cover for gives me more conceptual and visual inspiration than spending a day in a rare books library). I do love visiting print studios though, perusing Pinterest, visiting amazing places like Letterform Archive in San Francisco. And now some advice! Freelancers are abundant in the graphic design and illustration industry. What guidance do you have for freelancers wanting to create exceptional and distinct work? I guess my top advice is to try to not follow trends too closely (if you can). Dribbble and Behance can be great for getting your name out there and seeing what others are up to but if you spend too much time looking at your contemporaries’ work you run the risk of making work similar to the herd. Spend time falling in love with things that aren’t design, and let those things influence your work. Inspiration comes from everywhere and all good designers talk about how much they’re inspired by architecture, fine art, books, nature, etc. In your opinion, what traits are necessary to become a successful freelance designer? Share tips on how to be your own boss, manage your schedule, and handle payment or compensation. Some of which can be a tricky part of the business! Every person is different, but the key ingredient is to be self-aware and to constantly evaluate your process. If there are things that you are downright terrible at, is there a way to delegate that responsibility to someone else? I’m terrible at keeping track of paperwork, so I’ve had an artist rep for years to handle that for me. As far as schedule managing, it can take a bit to understand how long projects take you to complete (or stages of projects). I live and die by my calendar, and have separate calendars for every kind of deadline, event, etc. (Finals, Sketches, Meetings, Life Stuff, Travel, etc.). I also use lists a lot to organize incoming requests / collaborations so they don’t fester in my inbox (like having a list for speaking requests so that I can go over them all at once instead of on a case by case basis). Everyone

is different, and just when you think you figured it out you find some better way of doing things. The key is to always keep trying to be better. You split your time between Brooklyn and San Francisco, and also travel across the country for speaking engagements. Describe a typical day (or week!) in the life of Jessica Hische. Give us a glimpse into the madness! Most months I have at least one speaking engagement, but my travel can definitely get out of hand in the fall, during “conference season.” It’s rare that I get an entire uninterrupted work week in my office during the busy times! I can’t really work on client stuff when I’m traveling for conferences because travel is so exhausting, you’re always in different time zones, and because there are always a lot of random commitments during the conference that you didn’t account for until you arrive (social events, interviews, school visits, etc.). When I’m in my office in either SF or Brooklyn, I keep a pretty regular schedule. I generally work from 9am-7pm, start my day off with an hour of email, and spend the rest of the day trying to ignore my inbox and actually get work done. My mornings are usually for sketching or brainstorming and my afternoons are spent doing vector drawing. I reserve Mondays for “admin days” so I can answer interviews, really dig through my inbox, send files to people, etc. It’s definitely tough to stay on top of everything, but since I’m in charge of how much work I take on I just tend to slow the flow of work when I’m feeling overwhelmed or have too much travel on my calendar.

As a business owner, how do you achieve a work/life balance? It’s definitely tough! Work/life balance is different for everyone though. Right now I don’t feel like I have the best work/life balance because I feel stuck within a “day job” schedule because my husband and everyone around me has that kind of schedule. Generally I’m happiest when I can work when I want and play when I want, which means that sometimes I take afternoons off and work until late or sometimes I wake up at 5am to work so I can have an easier late day and evening. Having to confine myself to work within certain hours has definitely been a challenge, but I know it’s just prepping me for other life stages! You admit to being an over-sharer. Us too! How has social media affected your career success? It’s been incredibly important to my career, mostly because I think since people feel that they “know” me more than other folks, I’m more likely to be hired. If you had to look at five similar portfolios and pick someone to hire, you’d probably pick the person that you already get a sense of who they are and how they’d be to work with. Being myself online has helped with that. My following has grown really organically and it feels good to know that the people that pay attention to my work are real people and not a bunch of Internet robots

Best moment of your career so far? Seeing my name come on the screen at the end of Moonrise Kingdom and all of my friends clapping and cheering! In five years, where do you see yourself and your business? I have no idea. I’m not a five year plan kind of person. I could potentially see myself having employees at some point, but I’m not sure if that’s a five year or 10 year plan. I tend to let my career and work grow organically in the directions that my interests take it. I’ll undoubtedly still be doing

lettering, but I might end up doing more type design. I might focus more on brand refreshes, who knows! It really depends on the experiences I have, the kind of clients that come my way, and all sorts of extra factors like where we’ll be living, kids, etc. What advice would you give your 23-year-old self? No matter how motivated you are, still find time for friends and family! I definitely let a few relationships get pushed aside when I was struggling to get my career going early on.

“

Just when you THINK you figured it out you find some BETTER WAY of doing things. The KEY is to always KEEP TRYING to be BETTER.

”

Chalk Lettering Extraordinaire Dana Tanamachi is a lettering artist and designer who enjoys living a quiet life and working with her hands. In 2009, an impromptu chalk installation for a Brooklyn housewarming party landed Dana her first commission for Google and set the popular chalk-lettering trend—and her career— in motion. After working under design icon Louise Fili, she opened Tanamachi Studio, a boutique design studio specializing in custom typography and illustration for editorial, lifestyle, food, and fashion brands. She has been commissioned globally by clients such as Nike, USPS, Penguin Books, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and West

Elm. Named a Young Gun (YG9) by the Art Director’s Club in 2011 and a Young Creative to Watch by HOW Magazine, she has had the distinct honor of creating custom cover art for O, HOW, and TIME Magazines. Dana’s first of three exclusive product collections with Target hit stores nationwide in 2013 and her book DIY Type (Potter Style) was released in 2014. In 2015 she relocated from Brooklyn to Seattle and debuted Tanamachi Goods, a line of beautifully hand-drawn print and gift products reflecting her personal aesthetic and featuring mediums beyond chalk.

You’re currently working as a full-time chalk letterer and before that, you worked as a designer. Would you describe your path to what you’re doing now? Sure. After graduating from the University of North Texas with a Communication Design degree, I came to New York for a three month internship with Good House22

keeping magazine. I thought I might be interested in editorial design and figured this would be a good way to test the waters. Turns out, I was not as interested as I thought! That’s what internships are for, right? I never meant to move to New York, but after the internship was over, I landed my first job at SpotCo, a creative agency specializing

in Broadway/entertainment branding. In essence, SpotCo designs the majority of the Broadway show posters—it was the perfect first job for me. It was there that I was able to put my knowledge of graphic design history to the test. One week, I’d be creating type for a show set in the Victorian era and the next week, I’d be researching mod 1960’s type for the musical, Catch Me If You Can. SpotCo fed my addiction for hand-lettering. I knew the basics, but I simply wanted to get better. That led to practicing drawing letterforms after hours or on weekends. After a year and a half at SpotCo, I took a design position at Louise Fili Ltd, a boutique studio specializing in the design of restaurants and food packaging. Louise is known for her beautiful, custom typography, so it was an honor and pleasure to make a new home in her studio. Under Louise, my job description looked a bit different than my role at SpotCo. For example, I was now dealing directly with clients on a daily basis, which was great practice and preparation for the next

season in my career. I was also no longer drawing letters or manipulating type; it was my job to take care of existing clients’ needs instead of experimenting with new typographic treatments or logos. That task was left to my talented coworker, John Passafiume, who is damn good at it! At that time, it became even more important to create personal projects where I could continue to practice lettering. Being on the computer all day, I didn’t want to lose the ability to draw with my hands—I didn’t want to get rusty. That actually became a very real concern, which spurred me on to pursue creative typographic outlets in my spare time. That’s where the chalk came in. Did I ever think it would become something I could do full-time? Never. Am I glad it did? Of course. There’s an obvious design element in your work. Are you doing strictly chalk lettering or are you doing any other type of work as well? At this time, I’m pretty much strictly chalk when it comes to client work or commissions.

Ta Tan

You must have one of the most fun jobs in the entire world. It is fun and it’s really satisfying. At the end of the day, my back hurts and my hands are a little raw, but it feels good to have done something physical. Since this wasn’t what you started out pursuing, was there an “aha” moment along the way when you started to play around with chalk lettering? Absolutely. I guess I could start by giving a bit of background on the chalk. The first time I ever picked up a piece of chalk in this way was a few years ago. My friends were having a themed housewarming party—The Great Gatsby—in Brooklyn and I stopped by with a friend from college. There was a big chalk wall with several quotes scribbled all over it, which I was really drawn to. To the side, they had a smaller, blank chalk wall. My friend said, “You’re artsy, right? Why don’t you draw something? Here’s a piece of chalk.” I turned to the friend who I was with and said, “Let’s draw the word ‘Brooklyn’.” He started on the “B” and I started on the “n” and we were going to meet in the middle, but in a few minutes, I was already on to the “r” and he was still drawing the “B”. We were laughing.I didn’t think anything of our drawing, but someone came up and asked, “Did you all just do that?” Others started coming over and asking us to take their picture in front of it. My friends all said, “I didn’t know you could do that!” Well, I didn’t know I could do that either. It ended up becoming the photo wall for that party and after that, everyone uploaded their pictures to Facebook.

For the next several parties, I would come over beforehand to draw other themed backdrops. I did this for about a year in complete obscurity —it was just “our thing”—something that was birthed out of my community of friends here in Brooklyn and something that emerged out of celebration. These chalk backdrops gave me a good excuse to use my hands and continue drawing letters. I only considered it as practice because I thought, it’s just chalk—it’s so temporary and there’s no consequence. It was really freeing because I wouldn’t even sketch beforehand; I would just go for it. I would leave feeling full of creative energy and loved seeing my friends laughing, dancing, and celebrating with my work as the backdrop. I also loved working at such a large scale, which was something new for me. I suppose the “aha” moment came when I realized I had found the thing that could allow me to practice and improve my lettering skills, serve my friends, and have some fun in the process. There’s a huge satisfaction that comes from physically working with your hands and having created something when you’re done. Exactly. There are some people who are just born to design on the computer and they’re amazing masters of the pen tool, but that’s just not me. If I’m honest, I consider it to be one of my limitations. It’s probably why I leaned so heavily towards handlettering—it was easier than clicking around in Illustrator all day. Sometimes your limitations can be a launching pad into an unexpected story.

Tanam namac 25

Dana Tana

DanaTa Dana Dana Tanamachi

Did you then start to get commission work through word of mouth? Yeah. Like I said, I did installations for all those parties and everyone would go home and upload their photos to Facebook. I got my first commission from a friend of a friend who saw the photos online. She worked at Desiron, a modern furniture gallery in SoHo. They were launching a new collection and she asked me to come by and do a wall for them, which I did one day after work. My second commission was from another friend of a friend who also saw the photos on Facebook and worked at the Google offices in Chelsea Market. They were opening a new wing in their office, so I went over there on a Saturday and did a large installation to christen their new space. So yes, at first it was solely by word of mouth and social networking.

to be faithful with those relationships and I needed them in order to stay connected and grounded. Even though most of my time was taken up with work, it was still vital for me to make time for people. Sometimes I succeeded; sometimes I failed, but grace abounded.

Did you continue to work your day job for a while and then make the transition? Yes, absolutely. 2011 was certainly intense! It was challenging, but also exciting; I refer to it as my “hustle year”. I was enjoying my full-time job at Louise’s studio where we had all developed a great system of working together. I would be there during the day and then after work, I’d go straight home and bust out the chalk ’til the wee hours of the morning—then sometimes I’d wake up early to finish. During my lunch hour, I’d try to send an email or two. It was a really full year and sometimes I look back and don’t know how I survived. And those weren’t the only things I had going on. I had people and friendships in my life that were —and still are—very important to me. I wanted

During that season of serious hustle, I read a book called Quitter by Jon Acuff. In it, he encourages people not to bail on their full-time jobs as soon as they feel like their dream is gaining some traction. These were wise words that I needed to hear. A full-time job provides stability so that you can take more risks on your dream. In our culture, we’re prone to demonize our day jobs and exalt our dream jobs, but we fail to see that the former can be a platform for the latter. In his book, Acuff explains that the word “no” is the most valuable word you have as someone working towards your dream. He says: “…when you still have your job you don’t have to obsess about the consequences of saying no [unpaid bills, going hungry, etc…]. You can

When commissions really started picking up in early 2011, it was certainly an exciting time. Like any normal person, I daydreamed about all the possibilities and what it would be like to turn my dream into my day job, but to be honest, keeping my full-time job for the next nine months while inquiries were steadily increasing was probably the best decision I made last year. After all, I loved working with Louise and John and I wasn’t quite ready to part ways.

Dana amachi Tanam “ a Sometimes your LIMITATIONS can be a LAUNCHING PAD into an UNEXPECTED STORY.

”

Dana

instead focus on the benefits of saying yes to the right opportunities. When you keep your day job, all opportunities become surplus propositions rather than deficit remedies. You only have to take the ones that suit your dream best.” Each time I was approached for a commission last year, I would run it through my mental filter and ask, “Since my time is so limited, does this align with what I want to do or what I’m about?” If the answer was no, I didn’t have a problem saying no to the job because I already had security —I had a full-time job. My day job allowed me to only take on the jobs I really connected with. When I read Quitter, it changed my perspective and encouraged me to stick with my full-time job and continue doing commissions on the side. I’m glad I did both for a while. That’s really great insight. Did you go out on your own at the end of 2011? September 30, 2011 was my last day at Louise Fili Ltd. A couple weeks prior, I had this moment where I questioned if I was doing the right thing. 28

I had jobs lined up, but I was still wrestling with some hard questions. That day, as I was in the middle of a mini-crisis, I got a call from the folks at O Magazine who asked me to design the cover of their February issue. Yes, they wanted me to hand-letter the entire cover in chalk and they’d photograph Oprah standing in front of my work. I couldn’t stop laughing. They asked me to come in that next Wednesday, but the earliest I could do it was Thursday, which happened to be my last day at Louise’s studio. So when Thursday rolled around, I literally said my goodbyes at Louise’s, hopped on a crosstown bus, and worked into the night on the O Magazine cover at a photo studio in the Meatpacking District. That opportunity felt like a huge—apparently laughable—confirmation that I was doing the right thing. I needed that extra push. I just saw that cover when I was standing in line at the grocery store the other day and thought, “Dana did that!” Was creativity a part of your childhood?

I didn’t take any formal art classes when I was younger, but I was a hardcore crafter. I was in Girl Scouts—so, you name it, I’ve made it. My mom was supportive in that she always had supplies around, so I was always making things with my hands—cutting and folding paper, scribbling with crayons, gluing silly jewelry pieces, going the extra mile on book report posters or science dioramas. I remember feeling a sense of comfort, joy, and pride when working with my hands. I was in my element. On family road trips, I’d draw my dream house with my room and extra rooms for all of my dogs. I was pretty imaginative, but I never considered myself an artist and somehow, I still don’t. I very much feel like a designer. Were your family and friends supportive of your decision to pursue design and were they supportive when you decided to do chalk lettering full-time? My friends and family are so supportive and that has made all the difference. I’ve been very honest with friends and family about what I’m doing, where I’m going, and explaining the process to them. This whole thing was really birthed out of my community in Brooklyn, so they’ve seen it all along—it’s really unfolded before their eyes. My friends have been great about speaking support and encouragement into my life. My parents have been encouraging as well. I don’t think they ever dreamed that their daughter would be doing random chalk art for a living, but they’re cool with it because they know that I love what I do and I’m putting my formal training, which they graciously paid for, to use. That’s awesome. It’s good to have people around you to help you believe in yourself and your abilities. That’s something I’ve learned from this season of life. When someone sees something in you and they have the courage to speak it out, it changes everything. I learned the other month that the root of “encourage” literally means to put courage into someone. That is what my community does. I’ve learned from them that if you see something special or unique in someone, don’t just think it—tell them. Our words hold a lot of power. 29

I recently starting lecturing at a few universities. I’m by no means the world’s best public speaker, but what I love is connecting with students afterwards and asking them about what they like, what they want to do, what’s life-giving for them and being able to encourage them in that. We’re curious about how you describe what you do to others? If I’m on an airplane and someone asks what I do, I usually just tell them I’m a graphic designer. It’s hard; I don’t want to say “chalk artist” because a certain image arises in their mind—it’s not a bad one, but it’s very different from what I do. I usually say I’m kind of like a muralist, but I only draw letters in chalk. 30

You mentioned that you have a really great community of peers. Have you had any mentors along the way? Yes. I was thinking about this today. There are a couple of people who have been key players in this journey. One is a professor I had back in college named Meta Newhouse. She was a grad student at the time and later went on to become a professor of design at Montana State. Back then, I asked her if she would meet with me a few times a month because I really respected what she did; she was an art director at a respected firm in Dallas. So, she had me over for coffee and I would show her what I’d been working on. She was extremely positive, reassuring, and let me ask all the questions I could think of. I really appreciate and value the

time I had with her. Last fall, I gave a lecture at Montana State; it was so great to see her flourishing and doing what she does best. Her students obviously loved her as much as I did! Also, here in New York—I don’t know if you’re familiar with Jeff Rogers? He’s an incredibly talented designer and illustrator. Jeff—a fellow Texan—got me my first job at SpotCo; he gave me my first chance. He offered me a two week freelance stint that turned into a year and a half. It certainly had its challenges; it was a new job and I was also new to the city. Sometimes I would go to Jeff in tears needing someone to talk to and he was always there to offer incredible encouragement. I tell our mutual friends that I wouldn’t still be in New York if it wasn’t for Jeff. I might’ve given up on my dream long ago. He’s really looked out for me and is definitely the big brother I never had. We still see each other pretty often and sometimes he even comes to me for advice now. (laughing) And Louise as well. She was very kind in taking me in and letting me work with her for a year

and a half. Louise knew I had had a difficult experience before coming to her, so she was very patient in walking through things with me. She restored my faith in multiple areas—she knows what those are. I’m very thankful to her for that. Was there a point in your life when you decided you had to take a big risk to move forward? I happened to move to NY the same year that a few of my friends from Texas did, but after a year here, they all left and went back home. I was all alone. I wanted to move back to Texas, but after really considering it, I knew I was supposed to stay here. It seemed bleak. New York can be a lonely place when you don’t know people and you’re still trying to find your niche. It was a huge temptation to run away, but I’m glad I stayed. It was well worth it. I’m trying to think if there’s anything else. Well, at the end of last year, I was really burned out. There were a lot of things going through my head

and it was a confusing time. Where should I live? What should I pursue? As I again took time to consider the issues and talk with trusted friends, I decided to stay in New York, but simply cut back on a lot. I took a month off over the new year, which might seem like a risk, but it wasn’t a risk to me—it was a necessity. I needed to stop working so that I could reflect on my work. I feel like I’ve struck a much better balance in 2012 with only having one job. (laughing) I now have a healthy rhythm to my life here. I’m content and thriving again, not just barely getting by. Do you feel a responsibility to contribute to something bigger than yourself? Yes. Absolutely. On my desk, there’s a sticky note that says, “Faithfulness over success.” At the end of my career, I want to ask myself if I’ve been faithful with what I’ve been given—that includes the people and relationships in my life. I’m very protective of my friends and family and I want to be present. That equals success to me. It’s not worth it if you tank all your relationships, become self-obsessed, and all you have to talk about is the work you produce. One of the things that I also have posted on my desk is a sticky note that says “self-forgetfulness”. It’s all too easy to get caught up in what we’re doing or what’s being said about us. Let’s be honest— whether we tend to think too highly or too poorly of ourselves, either way we’re thinking about ourselves. The world doesn’t revolve around us; how can we look outside ourselves to speak encouragement, offer words of wisdom, or meet a practical need? I need help with this! 32

Is there anything you hope to contribute through your work? I want what is most important in my life to be reflected in my work and it might be things that aren’t so obvious—it might not be the phrase I’m lettering. I truly value things like simplicity,

celebration, and quietness. I would love to draw someone into that stillness while observing one of my large-scale pieces. That would be wonderful and I hope for that. I do appreciate when people tell me that a piece of mine made them stop, look, and see the layers in a particular area or notice details that they initially overlooked.Just the nature of chalk—it’s a humble medium. You can get chalk anywhere; almost everybody has memories of it. There’s an element of nostalgia about it that

takes people to a simpler time and place. I would love to recreate that for somebody and invite them to just be still, observe, perhaps remember— especially in a place like New York City where busyness and distraction reign supreme. Personally, creating these pieces takes me out of that hustle and bustle. I still only use the same tools as when I first started: a wet rag and a piece of chalk. I try to keep it bare bones so that it doesn’t distract people.

Are you satisfied creatively? I think so. Yes. Chalk used to be my outlet, my “play”. Now that it has become my full-time job, I’ve purposely added other elements of “play” to my life this year. My New Year’s resolutions were to join a choir and read a book in its entirety. I’m happy to report that I’ve done both and am loving it; both have helped me feel creatively satisfied in addition to the chalk. Do you have any thoughts about where you’d like to be in 5 or 10 years? I had this conversation with Jon Contino recently. If it all ended tomorrow, I’d still be content. I’m so

humbled by the opportunities that I’ve already been given in my young career. I don’t take it for granted and I’m very thankful. Maybe down the road I’ll go back and rejoin the workforce. I don’t know. I guess I hold my career very loosely in my hands. And, in ten years, I hope to have a family. If you could give advice to another designer starting out, what would you say? You have to do things on the side—things that are life-giving for you. Ask yourself what you would do if nobody paid you. What makes you feel fulfilled and excited? Whatever that is, do it. It might not even be design related. Remember

Anything is possible. Anything is on the table. There are no expectations to miss, no fans to disappoint, no follow-up fears.” And if there comes a time when you start getting noticed for your dream, keep your full-time job and be patient while you keep pressing in toward your dream. You’re in New York and are originally from Texas. That’s a big change. How does living in NY impact your creativity? Well, there’s endless inspiration everywhere you turn, especially in Brooklyn. I love the people and the architecture; there’s so much history. You can go to the library, a Broadway show, the opera, or a Jay-Z concert. Whatever you want— it’s out there. The stereotypical thing to say is that there’s so much energy here, but it’s true. There’s an energy and a current. A huge part of it is about the community you’re in. I happen to have a really tight-knit and creative community full of folks who are grounded. I don’t know if that’s rare, but I’m thankful for it. There are also endless opportunities here. I don’t think I could be doing what I’m doing anywhere else. Even the style I work in—it feels very Brooklyn. I’m in the right place. that your first job isn’t necessarily going to be your dream job. In this age of immediate gratification, some things still just take time. So use that time wisely! Practice. Ask yourself how you can take practical steps towards your dream. That might mean carving time out of your schedule, being a bit more disciplined, researching. Continue learning and when you get really good at something and you love it, oftentimes people will notice. But I would say, don’t do it for people to notice; be perfectly content staying in obscurity. In Quitter, Jon Acuff reminds that: “Anonymity allows you to make big, gross mistakes without everyone watching. Anonymity is the best creative lab because you’ve got nothing to lose.

You’ve touched on this a lot, so I know it is important to you to be part of a creative community of people. Do you want to add anything about what that does for you? Sure. Every Tuesday, friends come over and we cook a meal together and catch up on each other’s lives. Being known and knowing others is so important. To have people who know your story, know what you’re about, know your strengths and weaknesses, and can speak into your life is good. Like I mentioned, there is a current in NY and it’s easy to get swept away—having those people really grounds you. They can remind you of how you’ve changed and grown when you do get discouraged. 35

What does a typical day look like for you? I usually wake at 8am and get ready for the day. I have some coffee, sit on my couch, and read until 10am. I take time to be still and think about the events of the day and how I’m going to approach them. Around 10am, I sit down in the studio and sift through emails. Lately I’ve been prepping for a lot of jobs, so I’ll sketch for a few hours and have fun looking through resources and books. I’m working with chalk maybe one or two days a week. On the other days, I’m sketching, meeting with people, or on conference calls. Do you have a studio at home? I do have a studio at home. I have a two bedroom apartment here in Brooklyn and the second room is a dedicated studio space that I share with a friend who is a fashion designer and jewelry maker. What I love about my job is that I can work here in the studio on the chalk wall or a lot of times I get commissioned to go work on site. It changes up my schedule, which is a positive thing because I’m working solo most of the time. I enjoy getting out, meeting people, and working in new environments.

When you do an installation somewhere, is it made permanent? No. I don’t use any kind of fixative. So it could just get totally erased? Yup. That’s something I value—the simplicity. Chalk is ephemeral and I want to keep it that way. I think people value it more when they know it could be wiped away in an instant. What kind of legacy do you hope to leave? Like I said before: “Faithfulness over success.” How do I say this? I feel like there are so many things I think about all the time. I want to be the best steward possible of what I’ve been given and not waste time. I want the people who are in my life and who I encounter to feel like they’ve really been taken care of, loved well, and considered. I want to leave a legacy of thanksgiving—of thankfulness. And there’s a difference between loving people in general and loving people when it gets hard; or loving people who aren’t like you. Sometimes the most loving thing is talking about the hard stuff or challenging each other. It’s not just the fluffy feelings; it’s like, let’s do this together in a real way where we’re tangibly seeking the best for each other. I may have been given a gift or talent, but in the end, I want to sincerely, genuinely love people well.

D E S I G

D B O O

DE SI DB: Please could you tell us about your background? JH: I have always loved to draw and did a lot of lettering on classmatesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; trapper keepers in grade school (bubble letters and graffiti-ish versions of their names). I applied to the tyler school of art while in high school not knowing I would end up a designer or letterer but simply because I loved to draw, and I especially loved drawings that were detailed and technical (rather than loose and expressive).

When I took my first graphic design course, it all started to come together. I loved that design was about problem solving rather than being selfexpressive, and that every project had a solid starting point. I started doing lettering for projects

toward the end of my junior year in college, not knowing that lettering was in and of itself a separate industry (one that was not at that time at the level of popularity it is now). I graduated with a BFA in graphic and interactive design in 2006 and began working for louise fili, where I discovered that there was a way to make a career out of manipulated and custom type. Over time I have also built up a second career as a freelance illustrator this lead me to becoming a full-time freelance illustrator and letterer. Most of my recent work has focused on lettering but I still love to work on illustrations when I get the chance.Â

DB: How would you describe your style to someone who has never seen your work? JH: I’d describe it as warm and approachable lettering, with a balanced level of detail, not overwrought with fussy ornamentation. DB: What has been the biggest singular influence on your work? JH: Having parents that encouraged me and allowed me to explore my passions from a very early age. I knew plenty of kids growing up that were artistic but were pushed toward more ‘practical’ careers and not toward what they actually loved to do.

Without this encouragement early on, I might have never ended up pursuing my passions. DB: Which project has given you the most satisfaction so far? JH: Every project that I work on gives me satisfaction in new ways. when I worked on the titles for wes anderson’s moonrise kingdom, I was so proud and excited about the end result and just so happy to be able to be a part of something so big. That said, I didn’t have as much authorship with that

project as I do with other smaller projects (when you work with someone like Wes, he has a vision and it’s your job to carry it out), so all the work I take on helps to create a balance of satisfaction. DB: What’s the thing you enjoy most about working in print? JH: There’s so much I love about seeing my work in print. it’s magical to be able to run your fingers over the printed texture of something you created digitally, especially when special printing techniques are used. There’s something that happens in the translation from digital to print that just adds an extra layer of specialness that

is really hard to achieve digitally. I also love the finality of it—when it’s printed, you can’t open up the file and fuss with it, endlessly replacing and upgrading the images like you can for a web project. ‘The ink never dries on the web’ is something I heard said once and there’s something really nice about being able to truly conclude a project and move on to something new. DB: What do you know now that you wish you knew upon graduating? JH: That taking care of your body is important

for productivity. I spent a lot of my early twenties with bronchitis or other afflictions as a result of overworking myself. Now that I take time to exercise, eat well, and sleep somewhat regular hours, I avoid big bouts of sickness fairly well. DB: What are you hoping to explore with your work in 2014? JH: I’m hoping to finalize a personal project I started years ago in college but never fully finished (it was finished for the purpose of the project, but not something I could put out into the world commercially). It’s a board game, and I’d love to tell you more but I’d prefer to finish it

properly before I say too much about it. I also hope to write more in 2014. I love writing, but the process of doing so is difficult for me as I wasn’t formally trained as a writer and don’t have a very smooth process of draft to final. It takes me a long time and I agonize over the tone of voice and my choice of words so that it feels as natural as can be. DB: Do you draw very much and do you think it’s important to be able to draw as a designer? JH: I draw a lot for client projects but don’t do

a lot of drawing for fun. I think being able to draw can be important as a designer because it’s a means of communication, but if you have other ways of sharing ideas in the early stages of a project that also work, then great. Personally I find that pencil sketches are a great way to begin a project and because it’s obviously far from the finished piece, clients give less pushback. The closer to final your roughs are, the more revisions you tend to have to do, I’ve found. DB: What do you do to keep your ideas fresh? JH: I find it relatively easy to keep my ideas

fresh because I focus on the book / article / source material most when coming up with concepts (rather than falling in love with a visual approach before doing the research). As a designer, you need to figure out a process that lets you work through the good ideas and bad ideas in a rough exploratory way. I love doing verbal ideation before visual ideation—making word association lists and letting my

mind wander. the more I do this in the early stages of a project the easier it is for me to come up with something unique. I think if I started with sketches first and skipped this step, I’d probably repeat myself a lot. DB: What compels you to design and what other compulsions do you have? JH: I love solving problems, I love helping others with the skills that I have, and I just love the whole process of making things—coming up with ideas, 42

roughing out sketches, tightening up sketches, drawing in illustrator and making endless tweaks. It’s all very meditative for me and I’m probably the least stressed out when I can just spend days drawing / designing. As far as other compulsions, I’ve recently started exercising regularly (about a year ago I started doing pilates three times a week and have since integrated yoga into my schedule). I definitely find that exercise helps me manage stress and keeps me focussed when I’m

working. plus I really like to eat, so if I exercise I feel way better about downing a giant pulled pork sandwich for dinner. DB: Do you have any superstitious beliefs? JH: I’m not a superstitious person, but I do get a little angsty when I find myself saying negative things, thinking that it will somehow come back to haunt me. I’m an outrageously positive person and a nearly pathological optimist but we all have

bad days and sometimes I feel like if I’m putting out bad energy I’ll just get more bad energy back, so I try to turn it around quickly so I’m not outputting negativity to the world. DB: What’s the last thing that made you say ‘wow’? JH: Just the other day ben barry posted a picture of a laser cut poster he created that said ‘howdy’ with tons of beautiful filigree laser cutting around it – my actual response was ‘holy moly.’ 43

Design Sponge: What is in your toolbox? Dana Tanamachi: My toolbox is pretty straightforward, I think. I keep it stocked with a few packs of dollar-store chalk (non-toxic!), old rags, a flexible sewing tape measure and a wooden yardstick. To the side of my toolbox are lots of swatches and small jars of chalkboard paint samples from Hudson Paint in upstate New York. They produce almost any color I’m in the market for. I’ve also got several pads of tracing paper going at once; I’m always sketching something, whether it be layouts or letters for my upcoming projects. And of course, at any given time, there is a giant stack of old type books piled on my desk. Design Sponge: Fill in the blank, “When I am in my studio, I feel _____.” Dana Tanamachi: It’s nice to hide out in my studio, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. I enjoy listening to music while I work, but sometimes, silence is just golden. Design Sponge: What are on the top shelves of your inspiration library right now? This can be anything from blogs, books and magazines to vintage catalogues/manuals, etc. Dana Tanamachi: I love looking through old photos of Brooklyn in the online image archives from the

Brooklyn Public Library. It’s fun to be inspired by the rich history of this beautiful borough. I’ve also become enamored with the work of my new friend Pete Vogel of Nutmegger’s Workshop in Portland. Pete hand-paints beautiful vintage-inspired signage. And finally, I mustn’t forget Steven Heller and (my boss) Louise Fili’s newest book titled Scripts: Elegant Lettering from Design’s Golden Age. It’s been described as “a veritable festival of rare and unknown scripts between flexi-covers,” which it truly is! The images found in this book are from Steve & Louise’s joint collection of vintage type specimens, book covers, sheet music, labels and ads that they’ve been collecting for over 30 years! The amazing cover alone (lettered by John Passafiume) is reason enough to buy it. How could one not be inspired by such a book? Design Sponge: How do you keep yourself organized? Time management is often one of the biggest obstacles for creative minds. Do you have an agenda book, and do you make to-do lists? Dana Tanamachi: I seem to keep most things organized up in my head, but earlier this year, my friend Marie could sense the increasing difficulty for me to do so. So, she bought me a planner! It’s a really simple little white one from Muji that helps me keep track of upcoming jobs, deadlines, 45

meetings, etc. I don’t open it every day, but it’s a relief knowing that the big things in my schedule are all penciled in! I also scribble stuff in these little notebooks from LilCo Letterpress whenever I’m on the train or meeting with clients. Design Sponge: If you could have one superhero (or magical) power, what would it be and why? Dana Tanamachi: My magical power would be to answer emails instantly — and without typing. My computer would automatically read my mind and respond accordingly! Design Sponge: What is the best advice you have ever received, and what is the one piece of advice you would offer to a young artist/designer? Dana Tanamachi: The best advice I ever received was to practice self-forgetfulness. Take some time each morning to remind yourself that the world does not revolve around you. How can you serve someone today? What words of encouragement can you offer? Look for those opportunities and take them. My personal advice for young artists/designers is to start building a collection of resources and inspiration that is not from the internet. Step away from the computer. Go to the library, bookstore, vintage shop or flea market and have a browse. Make a nice afternoon of it. Find something that speaks to you — you’ll know when you find it! Too much of the work that is floating around online right now looks exactly the same. Social networks can be great for dispersing information and for widening your visual library. But they can also cripple your creativity if you don’t take what you find and do something different to make it your own. Let’s try to strike a good balance!

Design Sponge: How do you combat creative blocks? Dana Tanamachi: Try some new music and have a glass of wine. Design Sponge: Where do you like to shop for inspiration? Dana Tanamachi: The Renegade Craft Fair is one of my biggest sources of yearly inspiration. I love to treat myself to a few fun items. Over the last three years, I’ve become a big fan of vendors like Goose Grease, Bettula, Up In the Air Somewhere and Clam Lab. I keep all my little finds on my desk, so I can enjoy them while I work! Design Sponge: If you could peek inside the studio/toolbox of any designer/artist/craftsperson, whose would it be and why? Dana Tanamachi: After recently viewing this video from Lincoln Supply Co., a small clothing brand out of North Florida, I just sat at my computer with tears in my eyes. I’m not even sure why, exactly. But a chord inside of me had been struck. Lincoln Supply Co. is the brainchild of designer/art director Jeremy Paul Beasley. Jeremy ensures that every t-shirt and accessory is made and handled with utmost attention to detail from start to finish. Their shop sits inside an old 1940s warehouse where they hand-dye and print these nostalgic American-made shirts. I even love the stamp that they use to indicate the size on the inside of each shirt. Jeremy’s process and philosophy harkens back to a time when things were individually handcrafted — and I’d love to take a peek inside his studio/toolbox!

ARTICLES Butler, Andy. “Interview with Letterer Jessica Hische.” Design Boom, 31 Mar. 2014, www.designboom. com/design/interview-jessica-hische-03-31-2014/. Essmaker, Tina. “Dana Tanamachi: Designer, Illustrator, Typographer.” The Great Discontent, 20 Mar. 2012, thegreatdiscontent.com/interview/dana-tanamachi. Hale, Katy, and Brooke Klauer. “Letterer and Type Designer Jessica Hische.” The Every Girl, 22 Sept. 2014, theeverygirl.com/letterer-and-type-designerjessica-hische/. Stelling, Ginny Branch. “What's in Your Toolbox?: Dana Tanamachi.” Design Sponge, 2011, www. designsponge.com/2011/08/whats-in-your-toolbox-dana-tanamachi.html.

Bibliography IMAGES “Design Sponge.” Design Sponge, 2014, www.designsponge.com/2014/07/a-dayin-the-life-of-dana-tanamachi-williams. html#more-200890. Foster, Kelsey. “Design Sponge.” Design Sponge, www.designsponge.com/2011/08/ whats-in-your-toolbox-dana-tanamachi.html. Hische, Jessica. “Jessica Hische.” Jessica Hische, jessicahische.is/working. Keatley, John. “PRINT Magazine.” PRINT Magazine, 2017, www.printmag.com/featured/catching-up-with-jessica-hische/.

Orvik, Kari. “Jessica Hische.” Jessica Hische, jessicahische.is/bloggable. Szyszlo, Edyta. “The Every Girl.” The Every Girl, 2014, theeverygirl.com/letterer-and-typedesigner-jessica-hische/. “Tanamachi Studio Facebook Page.” Tanamachi Studio Facebook Page, 2012, www.facebook.com/pg/tanamachistudio/ photos/?ref=page_internal. Tanamachi, Dana. “Tanamachi Studio.” Tanamachi Studio, www.tanamachistudio.com.

“Made By Folk.” Made By Folk, www.madebyfolk.com/showcase/tanamachi-studio/.

This book is set in Objektiv Mk 1 with headlines set in Objektiv Mk 1, Scriptorama, and Austin Pen. ©2018 University of Massachusetts Lowell Art & Design Department, Mahoney Hall, 870 Broadway Street, Lowell MA 01854 This publication accompanies the exhibition “Ladies in Lettering” at the University Gallery showcasing artists Dana Tanamachi and Jessica Hische. Curated by Alecia Connolly