HAND LETTERING LOVE::TORRIE T. ASAI

I am pretty excited to introduce you to a lettering newcomer Torrie T. Asai. I feel like I ‘discovered’ her and I am pretty sure if she continues her practice and wants to start offering her services clients will start lining up. I think the best thing about Torie is that she is so humble, like me she is just your average chronic doodler and that is how she started out on her lettering adventure; what propelled her even more was planning for her wedding, which took her down the rabbit hole of ye ole blogosphere. Torrie hand-lettered the above print for you, I took creative license and made one a little more vintage-y and then a simple white + gold one (just click on them and you can access the download). I hear that Costco does great prints for a song. Remember all downloads are for personal use only. Torrie also let me pick her brain a little so we could learn a little bit more about her + her process!
Q& A::LETTERER TORRIE T. ASAI
What do you currently do?:

I currently work for a small company that handles electronic data translation of daily business-to-business transactions. It’s a mouthful, I know, but I essentially work at a computer all day implementing, managing, and supporting accounts that use the proprietary services our company offers.  I definitely appreciate having a solid job that allows me to enjoy lettering on the side – not to mention, I have the perk of having my husband work for the same company, so we get to carpool and have lunch together everyday.  Some may think that’s terrible, but it has been the biggest blessing ever.

Who are some of your favorite letterers?

I love this question. I’m a big list-maker, so I’ve already got an on-going list of my favorites. These all have been a huge inspiration to me:

Dana Tanamachi
Mary Kate McDevitt
Molly Suber Thorpe (Plurabelle Calligraphy)
Mara Zepeda (Neither Snow)
Sean McCabe (Sean Wes)
Molly Jacques

Patricia Mumau (Primele)
Jessica Hische

What are some of your fave supplies?

I just use a black Pilot G-2 gel pen and a black Zig Memory System Writer Dual Tip Marker currently, but I plan to get some Micron pens, which I hear are great for lettering, as well as some calligraphy supplies to try my hand at that next.

Is it weird that I get so excited just sitting in front of a blank piece of white paper and a black pen? (I skip the pencil step – it takes too long!) I love the anticipation of what might be created next. The possibilities are endless! Nerd alert. I know. Most of the time it doesn’t turn into much, but just doodling letters over and over and over can trigger new ideas.

What do you use as reference, if any?

I don’t actually have any specific reference I use at the current moment, but so many of the blogs I follow (especially THIS ONE!) have been a great resource full of references to explore. Like this post on 20+ Calligraphy Alphabet Specimens.

What got you started?


I distinctly remember the series of events that led me to lettering. Planning for my wedding led me to the world of blogs where I discovered a ton of inspiration and creative hand-letterers.  Then came Pinterest where I starting collecting (read: obsessing over) all the inspiration I was seeing for lettering and typography. Then my brother and his now fiancee gifted me with blank greeting cards, a set of pens, and Calligraphy book full of lettering styles for my birthday. What a novel idea that was – since then I’ve hand-lettered every birthday card and ‘thank you’ note for practice. The rest is history!
Where would you like to see your lettering to appear in the future?

It’d be a dream to make stationary cards and other paper goods. I love that a perfect, simple sentiment in a card with a hand-written note can really make someone’s day.  The ultimate dream would be to be a part of someone’s wedding day or any other party for that matter!

Can people have you letter for them?  If so where can they get a hold of you?

It’d be an honor to be able to letter for anyone! *

*Please note, if you would like to work with Torrie than please email me so I can get you her email address.

12 thoughts on “HAND LETTERING LOVE::TORRIE T. ASAI

  1. thanks, susan, sarah, and caitlin! i had so much fun doing this! appreciate the comments a ton! and ESPECIALLY ‘thank you’ to miss b for the feature and your compliments! it’s ridiculous, really!

  2. thanks, mark…. there will be plenty of OCCASION for me to practice on in your 2013 wedding, dear brother! :) can’t wait to letter away on anything you and your lady let me get my hands on!

  3. I have been reading through your posts and thoroughly enjoying all of them. Like you, I love calligraphy and hand lettering, pens and designing stationery is my dream. Your blog is wonderful and inspiring and your work beautiful. Well done!

  4. My niece Torrie, is definitely talented! She has been sending us hand-lettered birthday cards and I have been awed by them, so this year, I asked her if she would design a Christmas card for my family! I gave her a scripture I wanted to be on the card and gave her free reign as to what she wanted to do with it! She gave me two choices! I am using them both! (Just took them to the printer today!) I LOVE THEM! Torrie also hand lettered a “Recipe for Joyful Living” for her grandparents which I thought was so neat I took it out of the frame, copied it, shrank it to fit on a quarter sheet of paper and had them printed out as notecards to be used as thank you notes, thinking of you notes, or just for any occasion! She is definitely gifted with a talent!!!! If anyone wants a special card to be made, she’s the one to go to! (And I’m not writing this just because I am her auntie!) :) She has a God-given talent!

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