Welcome to my Meet the Maker series where I get a chance to chat with makers who inspire me.

Today I’d like to introduce you to Ivana Marić, better known as LePunktNoir, a designer specializing in lettering and illustrations for logos and book covers. We’ve been InstaFriends and part of a little “mastermind” group since late 2018. Ivana did the amazing lettering you see below!

In the Early Days

How and when did you get started in your craft?

Right after I finished college. I couldn’t find work as a biology major at the time and I decided I’m not going to just sit around and wait so I started to learn how to use Adobe Illustrator. Being a freelancer and working with people all over the world was something that really appealed to me and as I learned more, I slowly started to get client work and learn more every day.

How did you come up with your creative name?

In my case, using my actual name didn’t make sense because it’s very common, making it hard for people to find me so I decided to choose something else. After a lot of brainstorming I decided on LePunktNoir, which translated from German and French means “the black dot.” The reason I chose these two languages is because I moved from Croatia to Germany, to a place very close to the French border. As it usually goes with places where two cultures meet, there is a lot of French influence here and vice versa, so I thought it would be fun to choose a name that reflects that and whatever happens in the future I would always remember where it all started.

The images above are two of my favorites pieces that you have done. I love the unique lettering and the story you tell with each one. Tell me about one of your favorites.

The Grave I Call My Garden Book Jacket

I picked this book jacket design I did for a poetry book written by Victoria Cosmo. From start to finish this project has been such an enjoyable experience for me that it’s currently one of my favorite projects I’ve ever done. I was encouraged and guided by Victoria but she also gave me a lot of freedom and trusted my process. And it’s my absolute favorite print medium…a book cover!

Process

What does a typical creative session look like for you?

I usually start my projects by doing some research first. I’ll have an idea of what I want to create but it’s hazy in the beginning. After that I’d do some really rough sketches on paper to figure out the composition and all the elements I want to include. For lettering, I would try a few different styles to see which one would work best.

At this point I would switch to digital because now I know where I’m going and all that’s left is to figure out the details. Depending on what I’m doing, I would either finish everything in Procreate including the colors and finalizing, or I would switch to Affinity Designer once I have a refined digital sketch and continue to color and finalize in vectors.

I’m constantly trying to improve my process and I love to explore new tools so the details of my process often change but the main process is always the same. Research, sketching and then refining and finalizing.

Do you have a daily practice? What or how do you practice?

I try to have a practice routine and it changes depending on what I want to improve. Right now I’m looking to improve my drawing skills so I try to practice sketching every day. I pick a random subject that I want to practice that day and do some quick sketches, or if I have time I’ll also do a few digital studies with color. The goal is to expand my visual library and try to figure out how I would draw some things. Other times I take a brush and do a few pages of calligraphy to explore new ways of writing letters.

What is your method for getting out of a creative rut?

When I notice I’m in a rut, I like to try something new. A new technique or new medium. Usually that leads to a lot of frustration but I try to give myself permission to create bad pieces for a time and that that’s okay. It doesn’t help right away but I try to push myself to create as much as I can during this time. After a while something sparks an idea or I just manage to swim to the other side somehow. Definitely not an exact science but I’m always afraid if I just wait for something to spark an idea it will never come. I took Picasso‘s quote “Inspiration has to find you working” very much to heart.

Looking back to when you started your creative journey, what is something you’d tell yourself?

To learn more about running a business and marketing early on. I never had the opportunity to learn about business in school but it’s such an important part of having a business that I always wish I spend more time doing that very early on.

This or That

Cats or Dogs? Dogs

Coffee or Tea? Coffee

Early Bird or Night Owl? Neither actually. I need my time in the morning to properly wake up but I’m in bed by 11 pm.

Messy or Tidy? Messy

Fast Food or Health Food? Fast Food

Calling or Texting? Texting

Couch Potato or Fitness Fiend? Major couch potato

Candy Corn: Yes or No? Never had the opportunity to try it but if it’s sweet then most likely yes.

Do you have any hidden talents or skills not directly related to your creative career?

According to my husband I make a kickass homemade pizza.

Get Inspired

Please share all the ways people can find and admire your work.

You can find me on IG and other socials as @lepunktnoir

Or on my website https://lepunktnoir.studio

It was so great getting to know a little more about LePunktNoir. Be sure to check out her website and socials to see more of her amazing work.