GOING BACK TO BASICS this week, with American artist & graphic designer, Dana Tanamachi, who accidentally stumbled upon a new career working in chalk using all her own imaginative and original typefaces, after a random doodle on the chalkboard-painted walls of a friend’s home one night two years ago, at a housewarming party in Brooklyn . . .
Based in Brooklyn, NY, the Texas-born letterer opened her own design studio in 2010, after having designed Broadway show posters, as well as work for the prolific art studio Louise Fili Ltd. Described as a “boutique design studio specialising in hand-lettering and custom typography for editorial, lifestyle, food and fashion brands,” Tanamachi Studio has created an assortment of impressive designs, many that are typically seen in your favourite coffee spots, but can also be found on wine bottles, and the window displays for Ralph Lauren.
“We tend to think of letters as boring or just a necessity, but when you see how expressive they can be, it opens up an entiely different world. If you customise a letter, it can tell a story.” – Tanamachi
Above, Dana Tanamachi for Ace Hotel New York (Room #1021)
The young designer’s unique talent and incredible eye for detail can be seen from glossy magazine covers for TIME Magazine, Ace Hotel New York rooms plastered in text, and billboard posters for Nike Woman across the globe.
Utilising a tool often attributed to the classroom, Tanamachi’s installations demonstrate how a simple doodle can become a striking work of art. —Anita
[All images via Tanamachi’s website & instagram; quote from WSJ]
