Hand Job: A Catalog Of Type (Mike Perry) [Book Review]

As the popularity of hand-drawn type continues to grow, it’s now time to explore and celebrate the work of those typographers whose letter is a work of art. Hand Job: A Catalog of Type displays an incredible universe of hand-drawn typography, exploring the work of 55 typographers and Graphic Designers who are making new strides with the originality of their work and popularity of their clients.

Hand Job: A Catalog of Type came into existence through the efforts of artist, designer and author Mike Perry. Perry began drawing as a child and admits he “never really stopped”. He employs many different techniques and media to produce some highly original hand-drawn artwork. Along with big-name clients, numerous awards and international exhibits, Perry has recently turned his hand to publishing. Hand Job is the first of a series of books that showcases art Perry has collected and admired for all these years. He writes:

“My hope is that the work on these pages will open a window into the soul of typography and hold strong those shining moments where other typography books leave off.” (p.10)

The cover of Hand Job features a concise collage of hand-drawn typography placed behind an eye-catching pink strap. Perry has then used the pencil as a found object to illustrate the book’s typographical masthead, which sits on top.

The book’s stock is thick, uncoated and has an appealing book smell. Interestingly, the book has utilised various coloured paper stock along with the standard white variety. Showcased artwork has been deep etched and then screen printed onto this coloured stock, which blends things together nicely.

Contributing artists are indexed alphabetically. Chapters are divided by a colourful spread with a large, illustrated letter denoting the current letter of the alphabet. Also on these spreads are brief artist biographies, web site addresses and artist signatures that make for a personal touch.

In the digital age we live in it’s refreshing to see a small group of typographers still working by hand. It’s not hard to see why though — the scribbles, dashes and curves of these illustrative letterforms all look extremely enjoyable to make.

This handmade aspect continues throughout the design of the book. The artwork is presented either in a free or loose fashion. Collected type and illustration work has been scanned, ordered and placed differently on every page. The larger and more interesting type designs are given their own pages and run right to the edge for maximum effect.

In addition, Hand Job includes photographs of artists’ studios and found type to give readers a better understanding of how this typography comes to life.

Artists featured in Hand Job include Noah Butkus, Deanne Cheuk, Stefan Marx and plenty of other handmade masters.

Hand Job is full of happy work. Every piece has been completely shaped by each artist’s unique process and serves as a great reference for designers and illustrators. Pick up a pen and join in the fun!

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About The Reviewer

James Santilli is a Digital Designer from Sydney, Australia. Designer's Bookshelf was born from his passion for design books. By curating books on the Bookshelf, he hopes to help fellow designers fill their collections with the best quality titles.