About Jamie Clarke

I’m an independent lettering artist and type designer with over 25 years of experience. I'm based just outside of Bristol in the UK.

My creative focus is divided between two passions: illustrative lettering and type design, both of which are detailed below. Although distinct, these aspects of my work complement and influence each other. My typefaces are inspired by my illustrative creations.

I enjoy meticulously crafting illustrations to tell visual stories, with lettering often taking the spotlight. My designs have captivated an expanding audience among branding agencies, book publishers, and packaging designers.

In addition to my illustration projects, I design original typefaces, like the one you're reading now (Rig Sans). These fonts offer a unique visual tone to the text and can be licensed through reputable partners. I also create custom fonts for clients seeking to capture their brand essence in written form.

Type or Lettering – what's the difference?

These terms may seem interchangeable but are distinct activities.

Lettering refers to letters and words drawn for a specific purpose, like a book title, logo or illustration.

Type refers to a set of characters designed and arranged into a font. The process of making a font is called Type Design.

If you're interested in the process of making a font, take a look at my article over on Google Fonts.

My background

Despite a passion for letters that was ignited at school, my design career began in web design. I initially worked for a couple of startups before joining Microsoft, where I became Head of Design in EMEA.

In my late twenties, I started my own design agency with two friends in London. The business grew to employ over 20 designers and developers and attracted a client list of globally respected brands. In my spare time, I started to re-explore the world of type and lettering via my blog, Type Worship. This ultimately led to a career turn.

After an exhilarating decade at my agency, I decided to follow my passion and studied type design at the University of Reading, and took a course in letterpress at the St. Bride Foundation.

To make a fresh start, I relocated to Sydney for a few years where I began developing my lettering skills and designing my first fonts. I've since returned to the UK, where I’ve been working on lettering commissions and expanding my library of typefaces.

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Here’s a list of my clients, so you know you‘ll be in good company…

Adobe | Google | Monotype | AMV BBDO | Creative Partnership | Royal Mail | The Royal Mint | The Folio Society | Collins | Oxford University Press | Penguin Random House | HarperCollins Publishers | Smythson | Orvis | Co-Partnership | Freytag Anderson | Lux | Pushkin Press | Bensimon Byrne | Scotiabank | Future | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | Osborne Pike | Little Big Brands | Alphablocks

I am a member of the International Society of Typographic Designers (ISTD),
the Association Typographique Internationale (ATypi) and the Letter Exchange.