The Seb Lester Instagram sketches provide a virtual window to the artists' portfolio. Lester is a celebrated illustrator based in the UK, praised in large part due to his exceptional knack for calligraphy.
Present within his Instagram account are an assortment of dark, humorous and often perverse messages. Phrases that read "Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, you have a lovely arse" and "I never met a calligrapher who wasn't ripped to the tits on drinks & drugs" abound the forum, prompting readers to giggle at the site of the looped letters. Interestingly, while these messages come across as unexpected and quite crass, they are couched in beautiful and intricately laid out fonts.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Humorous Calligraphy
- Opportunity for calligraphers to experiment with adding humor to their work.
- Dark/light Typography
- Potential for designers to play with the contrast of using dark or taboo messages with beautiful and intricate fonts.
- Social Media as a Portfolio Window
- Increasing trend of showcasing a portfolio on social media platforms like Instagram for access to a wider audience.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Graphic Design
- Opportunity for graphic designers to adopt a more irreverent style and integrate humor into typography.
- Art/illustration
- Potential for illustrators to merge catchy and dark messaging with calligraphy to create a unique style.
- Social Media Marketing
- Increasing importance of utilizing social media platforms like Instagram as a portfolio to reach potential clients and partners.
