Brush Script Logo Development for H & Field

Don't you just want to jump into the above photo (photo © and courtesy of H & Field)? The colors are just so beautiful – and perhaps you share my fondness for a stark desert against a bright blue sky?

We were recently contacted by Julie from H & Field, a California-based maker of small batch handmade goods created with organic indigo using a resist technique inspired by Japanese shibori (photos below © and courtesy of H & Field).

Julie had seen our custom brush script stationery and lettering in our Etsy shop and asked if I could create a logo for her using this bold brush lettering style. I was happy to help and love logo development projects, so we got started right away.

When I do lettering work, I like to prepare my ink, brushes, and papers and spread out. As you can see, I tend to write out the text I've been commissioned to letter more than once or twice. I like to provide my clients with options (i.e. different styles of capitals, stroke thickness, different brushes, etc.), so this requires some playing around. When I was working on the H & Field project, I was also creating lettering for another client, Hannah, who had ordered a set of our custom-lettered business cards from our Etsy shop.

From there, I take the custom brush lettering and scan it, and then create vector artwork in Illustrator on my computer. I'll adjust spacing/sizing and clean things up a bit in Illustrator (sometimes ink splatters or looks a bit rough in some places, so a little touch up can be needed). Once the variations are finalized, I present the client with a few options to choose from, like this:

Choosing a favorite is what my clients often find to be the most difficult part of the process. You can see above how within the 5 different options, there are variations on thickness of stroke, brush, ampersand and/or + sign, the "F", curves and the end of strokes, and so on. These little differences can really change the overall look of your logo.

Once the client has made a selection, I take the logo and prepare it in many different formats for print and web, and provide these to the client along with vector versions for their future use. It is very important to have a library of file types to choose from for your logo, since different output methods (web, desktop vs. commercial printing, etc.) require different resolutions and color spaces, and you should have easy access to all of these files.

At this point, clients often wish to have their new logo applied to stationery and marketing collateral such as business cards, web graphics, brochures, note cards, and so on. This style of script looks beautiful when letterpress printed, and also works nicely for flat (digital or offset) printing as well.

If you are interested in having a custom brush-lettered logo created for your business or personal brand, please be in touch! We look forward to working with you!

A Fresh Start | 2015

Happy New Year! It's that time again for getting organized and following through with your New Year's resolution(s)! Did you make any this year? I don't usually make resolutions per se, but I do have a few areas where I want to make some improvements this year – such as drinking more water, taking better care of myself generally, increasing my gym time to train for this year's Tough Mudder, and so on.

Getting more organized is always on my list – New Year or not! Above are a few of my pics for sticking with a "Get more organized in 2015" resolution!

{ 1. Paper Mate Flair Pens. I use these babies to color-code my day planner and the activities/events for everyone in our family; 2. Nate Berkus Gold Scissors. Nothing makes a desk look prettier than a few gold accessories; 3. Sugar Paper's 2015 Planner. I use this one every year; 4. Thank You Notes from Sunlit Letterpress. You vowed to write thank-yous for your holiday gifts – now is the time to get it done! 5. Nate Berkus Gold Stapler; Mr. Berkus can do no wrong; 6. Custom Calligraphy Letterpress Business Cards from Sunlit Letterpress. Get your business and social life in gear with custom cards that leave a lasting impression; 7. Custom Calligraphy Digital Business Cards from Sunlit Letterpress. Our digitally-printed custom calligraphy cards are crisp and elegant, with a lower price tag and faster turnaround than our letterpress options; 8. Threshold Kitchen Canisters. Though meant for your kitchen, I use a variety of these pretty canisters to store desk accessories like clips, pens, etc.; 9. Letterpress Lovers Club Subscription from Sunlit Letterpress. Be extra organized and always have stationery on hand for birthdays and other celebrations. Fresh stationery is delivered monthly with this subscription box service, and averages about 4-5 cards per mailing; 10. The Lettermate Addressing Guide. Your card recipients will think you are both talented and organized when you create beautiful envelopes using this guide for your lettering. No more uneven lines or badly centered writing! }