Hand Job:
A Catalog of Type
Mike Perry

In this digital age of computer-generated graphics and typography, it's refreshing to find typographers who still believe in working by hand. No longer relegated to designer's sketchbooks, hand-drawn type has emerged from the underground as a dynamic vehicle for visual communication—from magazine, book, and album covers to movie credits and NFL advertisements. As the practice and appreciation of hand-drawn type grows, it's time to celebrate the work of those typographers whose every letterform is a work of art.

Hand Job collects groundbreaking work from fifty of today's most talented typographers who draw by hand. Graphic designer and hand typographer Michael Perry selects work representing the full spectrum of design methods and styles. Each hand-drawn work is entirely shaped by the artist's unique process—every one a carefully executed composition enhanced by unplanned "accidents" of line, color, and craft. Hand Job also includes photographs of found type, artists studios, and the tools that help make typography come to life. Whether you are looking to invigorate your design work or are just in need of a little offbeat inspiration, Hand Job will have you reaching for your favorite pen.


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Michael Perry (www.midwestisbest.com) runs a small design studio in Brooklyn, NY. Working with clients like Zune, Zoo York, Dwell Magazine, Chronicle Books, and so many more. He is currently working on two new books. He also recently started a magazine called Untitled a..., which explores his current interests. Doodling away night and day, Perry creates new typefaces and sundry graphics that inevitably evolve into his new work, exercising the great belief that the generating of piles is the sincerest form of creative process. He has shown his work around the world, from the booming metropolis of London to L.A. to the homegrown expanses of Kansas.
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Editorial Reviews

Library Journal:
"Cheeky, youthful exuberance..." — Mark Woodhouse (November 1, 2007)

Turntable Lab:
"For designers and artists out there who prefer quirky hand drawn letters over rigid digital styles, this one's for you....This hefty book contains plenty of inspiration and eye-candy to soak in here from well known names and newcomers alike." (October 2007)

OCULAR INVASION:
"This is a compendium of illustrators and designers kickin it old school. What I really enjoy about hand done design is that it feels personal; it feels unique. Most importantly, it feels fresh. This book features 55 designers and illustrators and none of them are duds. I usually feel dissapointed by books that feature multiple artists/designers/illustrators/etc because it always seem to be the case that half the book is just filler. Hand Job, while never deviating from its core message, somehow managed to assemble a wide range of great talent. And it doesnt hurt that the book is just plain well designed. Overall: 5 out of 5. I am extremely pleased with my purchase. Perhaps my favorite book that Ive bought this year. Normally going for $35, Amazon it on sale for $23 (a steal).http://www.ocularinvasion.com/blog/hand-job-a-catalog-of-type/" (September 2007)

mocoloco.com:
"The handmade lettering, an inspiration to any artist, is a refreshing change from the computer-generated fonts of the day. Examples of work by each typographer fill 2 to 6 pages, from a variety of sources. Plus, who can resist the title?" (4/13/2008)

Brunswick Street Bookstore:
"Hand Job collects groundbreaking work from fifty of today's most talented typographers who draw by hand. Graphic designer and hand typographer Michael Perry has selected work that represents the full spectrum of design methods and styles. Whether you are looking to invigorate your design work or are just in need of a little offbeat inspiration, Hand Job will have you reaching for your favourite pen." (Winter 2008)

Domy bookstore blog:
"This book is a must for contemporary illustrators and designers." (September 2007)

Best! Books! Ever! (Part 1!), SPD:
"Hand Job: A Catalog of Type by Mike Perry is one of those books that I can open to any page and instantly think, I wish I was awesome. I love hand drawn type and this book is my favorite source of inspiration when the opportunity to draw some type arises. Mike has included a great collection of artists and designers with a variety of styles. It's also a conversation starter when your friends stop by and see a book called Hand Job on your bookshelf. " — Jeff Rogers (October 14, 2009)

happy mundane:
"I really really really love this book. I remember back in the early 90's (totally dating myself here) the graphic design world was all about deconstructive type and how many crazy fonts you could use. I'm so glad that today, there's a strong resurgence of hand drawn type. It brings back a more "artistic" aspect to commercial design, and its just more fun and gives much more quirky personality. This book has a huge and comprehensive collection of recent pieces that have used hand drawn type, but what I also love was that it showcases many designer's studios and work places. It's a must-have reference for any graphics person, or anyone that simply appreciates some personal creative expression.http://happymundane.blogspot.com/http://youtube.com/user/happymundane" (9/17/07)

illustrationmundo.com:
"...a great collection of hand drawn typography." (10/12/2007)

Dwell:
"In reaction to the proliferation of Bezier curves and a seemingly endless supply of pixels, designers and clients (including the NFL) are returning to handmade lettering. With Hand Job, Michael Perry chronicles a range of exciting bespoke experiments that blur the lines between illustration and typography." (October 2007)

Mondo magazine:
"With its focus exclusive to hand-drawn type and typography, this contemporary collection is a feast-and-a-half for even the mild text buff...This humble bumble took one look through the pages and was met with an instant wrench in her heart. The detail alone is enough to have your nose glued to all 256 pages for hours." (4/15/2008)

Time Out Chicago:
"a refreshing change from most design books: Hand Job is about the next generation of superstars, from frighteningly talented students to rising taste makers...It's hours of fun." (11/22/07)

Step Inside Design:
"If, like many of us, you're tired of seeing one computer-generated graphic after another, Hand Job might provide a refreshing change. The book is a collection of hand-drawn type from 55 of today's most-talented hand typographers." (November 2007)

How Design:
"A humorously titled book celebrating the work of typographers who create letterforms by hand." (February, 2008)

DBLOGALA:
"Hand Job, A Catalog of Type by Michael Perry was just released on Amazon. I was thrilled to see this, because it originally wasnt scheduled for release until November...and I was drooling in anticipation. Got it Friday and it didnt disappoint. http://dblogala.typepad.com/dblogala/2007/09/hands-up.html" (9/4/07)

Wieden + Kenedy Blog:
"One day Mike Perry made this book called Hand Job. Every art director on earth bought the book." (July 10, 2009)

brandchannel.com:
"...it's uplifting to experience a graphic design book that focuses on hand-drawn typography...vibrant and alive...hip without being pretentious--a true look at an underappreciated art form. This is the perfect book for anyone who appreciated graphic design and values sincere uniqueness." (October 2007)

Metropolis:
""...Of the 55 practitioners of hand-drawn typography represented here -- each given between two and six pages to show his or her stuff -- none creates work that is remotely ordinary." (September 2007)

Eyeteeth:
"The new book Hand Job: A Catalog of Type by Mike Perry (Princeton Architectural Press, 2007), is a fascinating 250-page tome in its own right, with clever, cute and sometimes bizarre examples of custom-penned letterforms.http://eyeteeth.blogspot.com/2007/09/mpls-hand-job.html" (9/17/07)

American Craft:
"Michael Perry's compendium of hand-drawn type points to the continued relevance of the human touch in modern communication..." (Oct/Nov 2007)

Rosebuzz:
"A technique which transforms every shape of letter into an art, which celebrates every curve, every height and every upstroke. Sublime and reassuring at the golden age of the computing." (1568986262)

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