Procreate Calligraphy Tutorial — Snooze One (interview & live demo)

Procreate Calligraphy Tutorial — Snooze One (Interview & Live Demo)

I’ve got a special guest, his name is Nick, he goes by Snooze One, and he’s agreed to do some live lettering demonstrations with us and I’m super excited because not that many people can do this. So Nick, welcome to the show and why don’t you tell people a little bit about who you are?

Nick: Thanks so much for the invite. I’m a lettering artist from Berlin, Germany. Modern lettering, experimental stuff, not only traditional but also digital. And what we are doing today is trying to find new tools to ride with us. This experimental stuff is what excites me.

Origin Story and Influences

You originally caught my eye because I was scrolling through Instagram and one of those recommended things and somehow I found you and started following you. What I think was really neat about what you’re doing is there’s a couple different ways that you can do lettering. The way I always tell it’s called build up lettering where you sit there and you slowly draw and you kind of make very refined shapes and layers and layers of tracing paper and eventually you come up with letter forms. What you’re doing is a little bit different. You’re doing more calligraphy and it’s all in real time.

Nick: Pretty much, yeah. It’s sometimes a mix out of both out of lettering and calligraphy.

Interviewer: How did you get into doing what it is that you’re doing? What started you on this path of lettering?

Nick: What got me interested in 2013, I got into graffiti when I was 13 years old at the time. This was when I kind of discovered my passion for letters. I just played around with different styles, different techniques you can do there. But then again, I think like two years later, I already got into calligraphy because my godfather gave me a pair of the pen, this broad edge pen and this actually got me into black letter calligraphy. I started to slowly focusing on calligraphy and kind of moving away from graffiti that actually introduced me to the world of calligraphy and I really loved it and I started to practice brush pink calligraphy and going on to this modern experimental direction that I’m heading into right now where I kind of tried to mix everything, different techniques.

Combining Different Styles and Techniques

You’re talking about combining a lot of different things. Your traditional calligraphy, black letter is what many people know when they think of calligraphy that’s what we’re talking about. You’re taking graffiti letter forms and you’re also taking influences from sign painting.

Nick: Exactly. I’m always trying to connect it, but there’s not always the possibility. But on the other hand, it’s also really cool to kind of do something different and get a little bit out of your comfort zone and learn new techniques.

Digital Platform of Choice

Interviewer: So, what is your digital platform of choice? Are you using Photoshop or are you mainly using Procreate?

Nick: I think you have the most potential with Procreate. Then that’s kind of what I’m doing on Procreate, just experimenting with different brushes, different effects. I also use Affinity Designer for like vector stuff on my iPad, mainly programs.

Pursuing Lettering as a Career

Interviewer: Do you do this as a hobby or do you do this as a professional?

Nick: That’s a tricky question. So, I’m actually studying visual communication right now, on the side, it’s a full-time study.

Interviewer: So you’re a full-time student studying visual communication. Where you’re going to school? What year are you in school?

Nick: right now we have holidays and next semester would be the last if I’m keeping track of it.

Interviewer: So you’re a senior in college if you can say that?

Nick: Exactly, yeah. So you have like two more semesters to finish then you graduate right exactly yeah. That’s one of they’re work and the other one at writing my thesis.

Interviewer: Have you found a lot of applications in your visual communication program for you to use your lettering and calligraphy skills?

Nick: It’s definitely tricky because my university actually not has this focus on on type. We recently got a new professor for topography and opened the calligraphy class for the first time at my university. But other than that, I’m always trying to bring letters into the projects but on the other hand, it’s also really cool to kind of do something different and get a little bit out of your comfort zone and learn new techniques.

Live Calligraphy Demonstration

Interviewer: Let’s do a little warm-up with you. What’s the phrase or something that you like to work on just again and get the hand loose and ready to do this phrase?

Nick: It’s a bit boring but the normal routine would be a couple of directs just to get this flow right. One of my favorite phrases is, “It’s going to pay off.”

Interviewer: Why don’t we start there? So, we’re looking at this overhead camera, you’re on the iPad Pro, right?

Nick: Yes, okay. And you’ve got this white three-dimensional room as the background? So, you’re looking through some brushes right now?

Interviewer: One of my favorite actually it is it’s a nice, these are one of your brushes that you’ve designed?

Nick: Exactly. It’s a nice choosing tape with a smooth shadow. I usually don’t like to start with a white background so this gives me a little bit of texture to begin with.

Interviewer: What’s the phrase or something that you like to work on just again and get the hand loose and ready to do this phrase?

Nick: One of my favorite phrases is, “It’s going to pay off.” I’ll be running this a couple of times as well.

And from there, they go into a live demonstration of the calligraphy process, with Nick discussing his techniques and showcasing his skills.

***This article is based on an interview and live demonstration with Nick “Snooze One,” a lettering artist known for his modern, experimental approach to calligraphy. Nick, based in Berlin, Germany, discusses his journey from graffiti to calligraphy and his pursuit of combining different lettering techniques. Despite being a full-time student studying visual communication, he continues to grow his passion for lettering and hopes to turn it into a career. The interview also includes a live calligraphy demonstration where Nick showcases his skills and discusses his process.***

Frequently Asked Questions about Procreate Calligraphy Tutorial with Snooze One

Can I use Procreate for calligraphy?

Yes, Procreate is a popular app for digital calligraphy creation as it offers a wide range of brushes and tools to create beautiful hand-lettered designs.

Who is Snooze One?

Snooze One is a talented calligraphy and lettering artist who specializes in creating stunning digital works using Procreate.

What will I learn from the live demo?

In the live demo, Snooze One will demonstrate various calligraphy techniques using Procreate, including brush selection, letter formation, and composition tips.

Do I need prior experience with calligraphy to attend the tutorial?

No, the tutorial is suitable for beginners and experienced calligraphers alike. Snooze One will provide step-by-step instructions and guidance for all skill levels.

How can I access the tutorial?

The tutorial will be hosted on Snooze One’s website and will be available for live streaming. Participants can sign up for the tutorial and receive access details via email.