Cover reveal! The next issue's cover art is by Laura Maxcy.

/

The July/August/September issue's files are off to the printer!

The issue is about creative adventure—real, imagined, personal, historical... So the lettered globes of Laura Maxcy caught my eye as cover material.

Through her company Wild & Free Designs, Laura specializes in hand-lettered goods—her prints, postcards, mugs and painted vintage globes are adorned with quotes and phrases meant to inspire and to encourage a sense of adventure and wonder in the world around us. 

"Wild & Free Designs came about from my background in graphic design, a love of reclaimed vintage, and inspiration from the Transcendentalist writers' works on nature and the world around us (works of Thoreau, Emerson, and Muir in particular)." 

"When I was younger I was constantly outside exploring the world around me. I drew so much inspiration from being out in the woods, and those memories have become such a large part of me. Everything I create with Wild & Free Designs is directly influenced by my time as a young explorer."

"Although I got my degree in graphic design, I needed a creative outlet that didn't involve staring at a computer screen all day. I started hand-lettering quotes on vintage landscape prints I found at a thrift store, with which I planned to decorate a room in my house. Instead I decided to list them on Etsy, along with my painted globes. Each of my items are definitely unique and one-of-a-kind. I especially love doing custom work for someone and getting to experience their satisfaction and appreciation."

Issue 34 will be ready to mail in a few short weeks. Please subscribe or renew today! Mailing data for the issue will be finalized on June 15.

#handwritingmatters with Sakura

/

Sakura's ad in the current issue of UPPERCASE.

Regular readers of UPPERCASE magazine will know that it is a magazine with very few ads. I really appreciate all the advertisers in each issue, whether they're readers placing Peeps, Calling Cards or bigger ads. In issue 28, Sakura of America is supporting UPPERCASE with a half page ad and Minted has a full page ad. All revenue from ads goes directly to paying contributors. If you'd like to advertise your business—big or small—the details are posted here.

Saturday, January 23 is National Handwriting Day. To celebrate, Sakura is holding an Instagram giveaway. Write your favourite quote on a piece of paper (preferably using one of Sakura’s products of course) and post the image using the hashtag #handwritingmatters on Instagram in order to be considered. Between Friday, January 15 and Monday, January 25, Sakura will choose 10 winners to receive tools for lettering. The giveaway’s only open to residents of the US and Canada, and you must be over 13 to participate. The full rules are listed here.

The prize includes:

  • Pigma Professional Brush Pen, all three sizes of fine, medium, bold
  • Pigma Calligrapher in all six colors and 2mm nib size
  • 2 Koi Coloring Brush Pens
  • 4 Gelly Roll
  • 1 Pigma Pen 10
  • 1 XS12 Mechanical Pencil
  • 1 Pigma Graphic
  • 3 Pigma Micron
  • 1 Strathmore Writing pad
  • 1 Sakura pen case

Sakura will be featuring many submitted posts on the Pigma Micron website.

Happy Handwriting!

hand lettering lessons

/

We're proud to support Vancouver's Got Craft? again this winter. During that event sign painter John Lennig (from BIG TOP Sign Arts) will be hosting a hand lettering workshop. John will discuss brush lettering in general and specifically the BullNose letter style, one of the most basic of hand painted styles. Participants will also take home a piece they've created. What an inspirational way to spend a weekend morning!

Beginner Hand Lettering Workshop at Got Craft?
Saturday, December 14th OR Sunday, December 15th, 2013
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Details here. 

Photo credits: [stu-di-o] by jeanie

getting inky

/

You'll have likely noticed the inky creative and curious scrawl on our sidebar. I penned this with my new favourite writing implement: the Kuretake ZIG Letter Pen by CocoIro. These inexpensive pen bodies can be fitting with various style pen tips and refill colours. The brush tip, above, has a fairly small tip, but in the right letterer's hands could do something amazing. There are even smaller flexible pen tips for writing and intricate drawing. You get really nice results without a lot of pressure. (This is my problem when writing longhand—I press too firmly and my hand gets tired easily resulting in sloppy writing.)

Available at JetPens​.