Wu-Tang is for the Children

The other day I saw someone drawing and mentioned that I couldn’t remember the last time I sat down to just draw for fun, without thinking about a design project. Also, aside from hand-copying a typeface in college, I’ve never done much hand-lettering. Coincidence that today’s post was going to be about typography? You be the judge.

I’m not going to attach any kind of designer’s life lesson today, but I am going to shamelessly plug my website. (www.umbrelladesign.space)

Wide awake at 3am, I turned on my light, sat down at my desk, laid out my sketch pad and pencil, and stared, terrified, at the page. Do I letter an inspirational quote? Nah, I’ve got a friend who does that really well already. Enter the Wu-Tang.

I listen to Wu-Tang when I design sometimes. Actually, “sometimes” is a gross understatement. That, and I don’t take myself seriously enough to sit and draw an Ayn Rand quote for three hours. So, I just picked a Wu-Tang tagline and started drawing. First I usually like to do some minimal planning.

After I’d had enough of measuring and math, I just wanted to get to it.

Obviously, cash does in fact rule everything around me.

Once I had everything sketched out it was time to ink everything in. I realize this is the point where I’m supposed to post a really high-quality picture of my half-inked drawing and my expensive lettering nibs. I don’t have those. I have Sharpies.

Because I’m a designer, I know I wouldn’t be perfectly happy with leaving this on the page, so I took it to the computer — my comfort zone. Vectorized it and colored it.

What’s an Illustrator file good for if I don’t put it to use. T-shirts available out of my garage.