Designer Anna Mullin aka (Sneaky Raccoon) is the subject of our next Handmade Type Workshop contributor Q&A. Read on to find out what inspires her work and what the future holds for Sneaky Raccoon.
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What led you to making ‘handmade type’?
I simply enjoy drawing and exploring ideas. Typography seemed like on obvious route to explore as a designer because each letterform in whichever typeface has unique characteristics. It’s like puzzle-solving when you need to find the correct composition that compliments and strengthens the initial idea. Creating handmade work is always a pleasure considering that for most of time as a graphic designer, I spend behind my screen using a Wacom tablet — which is as close to drawing as it gets most days. Implementing the use of actual objects as reference such as the string, or the suggested shape of a moustache, provides a link between the subject and the idea, rather than creating something pretty simply for the sake of it.
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What are you favourite materials to use?
My favourite material would have to be my graphic pencil. I take my sketchbook with me everywhere and when I feel like there might be an idea brewing I jot it down or begin drawing the idea out. I like the thin lead of the pencil and it’s deep charcoal colour, and how it creates accurate lines even when I’m drawing something very small. Having always drawn with a pencil before moving into other media, I guess it feels the most natural material to use. I feel creative with a pencil — and I guess if it doesn’t work directly in pencil then it might not translate into other media well.
What (or who) inspires your work?
I can’t say that anyone in particular inspires my work. I am more inspired by the craftsmanship of ideas and actual skill involved in creating a beautiful piece of work. I try to make work that appeals to me, my humour or thoughts. Sometimes, people that you meet are more inspirational than what they might do as a career. In the case of the ‘Forget Me Not‘ piece, it was inspired by my auntie who unfortunately had Alzheimer’s disease, but she always remembered our faces and names until the end. ‘Mustaschio’ was inspired by the Mary Poppin’s era of suited London gentleman — I just happened to picture in my mind the wiggle of the moustache as one would speak, which I found funny and in turn made me laugh. For me, quality is just as important as content. Too much of one and the balance is off.
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Typographic illustration created for the live t-shirt screen-printing and music event Floodit
There seems to be a trend for all things handmade in design at the moment, why do you think this is?
Possibly because it’s very accessible to everyone and anyone. It’s a more personal way of creating work simply because it is by very fact, handmade. Clients sometimes have products that would benefit from a more sensitive approach to the overall message, so that’s where handmade work can be appropriate. It’s not a first-time trend. It’s always been around and will keep coming in and out of fashion. It is however certainly popular. Perhaps it’s because people like to make things. I’m not sure exactly of the reason, but I personally see it as a continuation of a way of working that i’ve been practicing since I was a child. Creating things through exploration and learning what techniques work well, which are best for particular projects, and executing them a little better as an adult.
What projects are you working on now and what does the future hold?
Every day there are new projects for me as a freelance designer. I’ve recently been creating a variety of identities including work for a jewelery brand and a music label. I was commissioned to create a large-scale illustration and typographic wallpaper for Virgin Holidays Manchester airport lounge, and have had the opportunity to art direct the creative info-graphics of Eat Me Magazine. I’ve been involved with a number of illustration projects and shows including my custom toys in Los Angeles, New York, and Berlin this year so far, and I recently created a set of circus characters which were animated to feature in a short film. Suffice to say, I like to be busy with creative projects!
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Typographic Wallpaper for Virgin Holidays – in collaboration with Hawaii Design
Looking to the future, I welcome any new projects which allow me to try something new. I’d like to work with a client on an App, or the opportunity to create work on a larger scale. Art directing has been a main focus in my work this year and I’d love to have the opportunity to pursue more of it. Personal projects I have put aside because of taking on bigger projects last year are now targets that I would like to complete such as typographic illustrations and ideas from my sketchbook. I’m also planning a show to celebrate five years of Sneaky Raccoon later this year which will take place here in London so I have my work cut out for me!
Get inspired with Sneaky Raccoon’s tutorial in Handmade Type Workshop and discover more at sneakyraccoon.com.
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Taking font creation back to basics, Charlotte Rivers‘ new book explores innovative ways to design contemporary lettering of all kinds, examining everything from classic design examples to 3D and illustrated fonts, digital lettering and radical conceptual alphabets.
Handmade Type Workshop is ideal for anyone looking to move beyond existing typography and fonts to create, explore and use original or customized letterforms and available now from our website.