I recently came across the work of London-based hand-lettering artist, Alison Carmichael, and was a little blown away. I was immediately struck, not only by the artist's skill, but by what her ornate and stylized creations bring to the work it adorns—elevating what might have been just another clever ad into something more.

Sometimes, her lettering is the star, it becomes the product, drawing the reader in to discover the message described by her beautifully nestled strokes:

Sometimes, it serves to capture and instantly communicate the spirit of that which it embellishes:

And it is always rendered without the aid of computers, or fancy software. Just pen, ink, brush, an evident love of letters, and a steady hand. Enjoy. If you'd like to see more, visit the artist's website here.

—Tom