Ruth Rowland, fom A to Z!

Award winning hand lettering artist Ruth Rowland, based in the UK, collaborates with companies around the globe on projects ranging from publishing to advertsing and no challenge is ever too great. Recently awarded the Peter Esslemont Prize for Calligraphy and Illumination in the UK, her impressive client list includes Coca Cola, BBC, Starbucks, Quercus Publishing, Virgin Records, Harper Collins, Pilot Pens, Marks & Spencer, Heathrow airport, Hotel Chocolat, Penguin Random House, Southern Poverty Law Center, BAA and Neiman Marcus among many others.

We would like to show you some of her projects from the past few months:

Ruth was commissioned by The Folio Society to create a set of hand lettered monograms for The Complete Novels of Jane Austen.

To celebrate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, The Folio Society have published a luxurious six-volume edition of her novels. The books are bound with woven mulberry silk and cotton cloth, from Stephen Walters, the luxury silk-maker who wove the silk for Princess Diana’s wedding dress. 

The hand lettering created by Ruth references copperplate calligraphy, the style behind Jane Austen’s elegant handwriting, as well as historical monograms from the 1700s. 

Instead of using a traditional copperplate nib, Ruth worked with a pointed brush to add a little more weight and legibility to the letters. The result were monograms that retained the flowing line and form of the historical script, while also having a contemporary feel. The set of six monograms were then set within oval cameos on the spines of the books. Ruth enjoyed taking inspiration from historical reference material from the era the books were written, including Austen’s own handwriting, and giving it a modern twist for contemporary readers. (Video above: courtesy of The Folio Society)

Ruth created a beautiful title treatment for the book "In Every Lifetime", by historical fiction and romance author Elisabeth Hobbes.

This romantic fantasy tells the tale of a turbulent love story spanning a thousand years. To capture the feel of a story told over centuries, the hand-drawn decorative letters were inspired by some of the different historical periods mentioned throughout the story.

Hand-drawn with pen and ink, the title was then set against a dramatic marbled background by the brilliant designers at One More Chapter, a division of HarperCollins Publishers UK

Ruth has worked on multiple campaigns for Heathrow Airport: the Welcome campaign included various styles of hand lettering for Heathrow Pride and Welcome Heathrow.

Focusing on real people rather than models, photos and handwriting samples were carefully studied before tackling each caption. The result is a dynamic series of posters brimming with each person's individual style.

Below: Hand lettering for Country Living magazine: monthly logos, headlines and quotes and hand-lettered Wanderlust masthead and strapline.

Award winning calligraphic logo for iconic British sherry producer, John Harvey.

Soft calligraphic lines give this iconic label a stylish contemporary feel.

Ruth also creates wonderful maps and illustrations, make sure to check the full range of her talents on her page here

We hope you enjoyed this newsletter and looking at Ruth’s work.

Take also a look at our website and discover the wide range of talented artists available to create striking imagery.

Do not hesitate to get in touch to discuss your next project!

We wish you a great week,

All the best,

The Illustrationzone Team