I’ve long had an obsession with hand lettering – that thing you do where it looks like the most amazing calligraphy but it’s all done freestyle, kinda like drawing rather than writing. I used to doodle all through school and uni, with many a diary and textbook finding themselves covered with various cursive forms of my name and other inspirational and not-so-inspirational quotes. Hand lettering’s popularity is on the rise and rise these days, and has rekindled my love for it as well as typography and fonts.

There are some inspirational people around who make my efforts look positively like chicken-scratchings! I’ve previously posted about Dana Tanamachi, but another rising star who abides a little closer to home is Gemma O’Brien, from New South Wales. Somehow I managed to miss her exhibition down at the Fremantle Arts Centre (totally gutted) but I can console myself with this simple DIY tutorial she wrote for a pair & a spare. I’m definitely going to give this a go!

I haven’t as yet been able to find a hand lettering workshop here in Perth, but if you know of one please do let me know!

Text by Sarah

Images courtesy of a pair & a spare and Jacky Winter Group