2008 | HAND-LETTERING FOR THE ARM LETTERPRESS | CLIENT: THE ARM LETTERPRESS

Emerging Talent No. 13: Jessica Hische
Jessica Hische is a designer/illustrator in Brooklyn, N.Y., where she spends her days drawing type and designing pretty things, and her nights working on everything from editorial illustration to hand-lettering for romance novel covers. “I work with a very diverse group of clients,” she reports, “including Chronicle Books, Random House, Victoria’s Secret, Tiffany & Co., The New York Times, American Express, The Boston Globe, Wired and the Internal Revenue Service. I also currently work as a senior designer at Louise Fili Ltd, where we design books, restaurant identities and food packaging.”

Hische creates work with a vintage/modern sensibility, served up with a dash of humor. Her approach is carefully considered, and the results are delightful. “My work is a combination of design, illustration and hand-lettering,” Hische explains. “It’s occasionally humorous—maybe just to me—and always very rich in color. I draw a lot of inspiration from vintage typography, Victorian and art deco especially, and cut paper, which I emulate digitally.” People respond to Hische’s smart, witty typography. “Her typographic sense is stellar,” enthuses Frank Baseman, principal, Baseman Design Associates and associate professor of Graphic Design at Philadelphia University. “She literally creates unique typefaces and type designs for many of her projects. Her illustration style is light, whimsical and certainly does have a certain retro style, which seems to be serving her well.”

A graduate of Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, she had several internships while in school, one of which, at Headcase Design, turned into a full-time position after graduation. During her twoyear stay at Headcase, she worked on a number of projects, illustrating in the studio’s signature style. She began promoting her own illustration work and joined artist representatives Frank Sturges Reps. Recruited by Louise Fili Ltd, she moved to New York and has been there since.

Hische’s characteristic energy bodes well for her professional future. “I would definitely love to do more self-authored work,” she says. “I also hope to open a type foundry or small design studio within the next few years. My work has steadily evolved since I graduated college, and I can’t wait to compare the work that I’m doing today with the work I will be doing in five years.” It’s not all work and no play for Hische, though. “In what free time I have,” she says, “I really enjoy nice dinners, bike rides through the city and reading in public places. I have a horrible addiction to the internet, particularly for gossip websites and fantasizing about expensive furniture.”
www.jhische.com | www.louisefili.com