Havi Cruz – Vector Barber & Whiskey Lettering

by Adam Jarvis | Sep 21, 2020 | typography

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Classic typesetting merged with vector art

There is just something special about really great typography. Havi has done an excellent job kerning his way right into our hearts with this tremendous example.

Explore the portfolio of Havi Cruz.

Barack Obama

Editorial Portrait

One of the great things about being self-employed, is that when you get a break between jobs you can do whatever projects you like. This time I chose to pick up a pen and do some good old fashioned drawing.

Now, I'm not even American, but I still find Barack Obama's "polarizing effect" on the World interesting subject matter for a portrait.

I always approach editorial illustrations with thoughtfulness and craftsmanship.

I'm not going to lie, it has been a while since I picked up a pen for anything more than signing a Visa bill at Chucky Cheese. So this opportunity gave me a chance to feel like an artist again. I enjoyed creating it.

This image is not politically motivated. Only artistically.

* Measure it as such.

The Approach

I started with a sharpie and an 8.5 x 11 sheet of white printer paper. Just doodling, trying to understand the subject matter.

Unlike the brilliant vector illustrations by Sheppard Fairey that launched Obama's meteoric rise to the Presidency, I wanted this portrait to be reality. Not a campaign poster.

It was important to capture the man that he is today, rather than the President he was expected to be.

This is a complicated man, who is sitting in the eye of a hurricane of pressure. Enough to crush a man or turn him into a diamond. Certainly he is not the same man who enchanted us all with a message of "Hope".
Like him or not, he has earned his own place in history.

He has aged. Put on "a few miles" and a couple of gray hairs. But still standing amidst a defining point in history.

How will he be remembered? Who is to say for certain? I decided to focus my attention on crystalizing the man right now. This is my snapshop:

Technique

I used a ruler and a light table to hatch out some interesting geometry and block out the shapes.

It felt great to put the mouse down and just put pen to paper again. (As I mentioned) It's been a while.

I then scanned the image and superimposed it over some parchment texture. I looked for something that (like the man himself) had some character and age to it.

I used a stylus and a tablet to brush in some soft colours in Photoshop. I took my time with it.

I then overlayed this vector flag image from my vector art collection. I think that it was a measured addition.

I enjoyed working on this. I'm glad that I took the time to revisit some of my artistic foundations. I hope that you like it.

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