Oct 2, 2012 | New Work, Recent Posts |
I think the kind of illustration I like to do most is simple iconic ink imagery. One of my favorite projects of this kind was a set of illustrations for the annual report for a software company. They wanted something very different and expressive that would play against the stereotype of what a software company is supposed to be. The illustrations were printed full bleed on one side of the page, and typogaphy, printed on vellum, followed. When the pages turned it created a lovely transparent effect. This kind of work looks very simple when it is seen in print–but like a perfect letter in a font, each image goes through many refinements before it meets the criteria of the perfect blend of realism, abstraction, and iconic presence.
Iconic ink illustrations for TCDI corporation, ©Iskra Johnson
Sep 19, 2012 | Handwriting Design, New Work, Recent Posts
I had the opportunity to work on a wonderful project for the Seattle Study Club this summer. The brochure for their annual symposium was composed primarily of words; it featured one person talking, with no photographs or color. The designer came to me for handwriting to call out highlights in the text. I developed a style of quirky calligraphy done with a ruling pen. My goal: to enliven the copy and bring the subject matter, of inquiry, study and conversation, to life. In this era of font proliferation my invisible goal behind the scenes was to "not look like a font." I love it when a client wants custom work to actually look like custom work and not like something that already exists!
The symposium gala takes place at Ngala, a wild-life preserve that features a much-beloved giraffe named Coulter, and he appears towards the end of the brochure. It was his spirit that animated the handwriting. You can see the complete brochure here. I have pulled out representative pages, some in layout and some cropped, so you can see how the custom lettering design works with and without type in the actual layout. Click on the individual pages to see them larger.
Custom handwriting and calligraphic illustration ©Iskra Design
Sep 16, 2012 | Recent Posts, Signs I Like
From Monica Cavagnaro, Chalk calligraphy outside Seattle's Volunteer Park Asian Art Musem
I would love to know who did this. So nice to see formal lettering applied in every day life. Did they copy from a book? Was this done by a Real Calligrapher? Chalk writing is unforgiving, very hard to erase on concrete. Three cheers for Nikki!
Aug 22, 2012 | New Work, Recent Posts
August is Poetry Month at Iskra Design. These elegiac days are always about impending change, suspended between the lovelieness of summer light and the coming Autumn. Thank you Emily for reminding me what it's all about.
Brush Calligraphy and photocollage ©Iskra Design
Aug 6, 2012 | Recent Posts, Signs I Like
I caught this from the car window on a recent trip to the Palouse, and can't help but admire the problem-solving here. There are many ways to consider the perameters of a rectangle, as well as the integration of graphic symbols with letterforms. Placement of the flag is purely incidental. Always good to know what country you're in.
© Iskra Johnson
Designer, calligrapher, lettering artist. 