Interview: Nicky Laatz Font Designer

*This post contains affiliate links, which may pay a small commission to my business. It doesn't cost you any extra, but helps to support this blog. Many thanks!

I had the absolute pleasure of being able to interview my favorite font designer, Nicky Laatz, and am so excited to share what she said with you! I’m a huge fan of script fonts with feminine accents, swirls, and swashes, and this gal delivers on that in a BIG way.

If you've ever searched for pretty feminine script fonts or watercolor textures and hand drawn illustrations you've probably come across Nicky Laatz on your own. In fact, just strolling through Target or opening a magazine is likely to reveal one of her fonts being used - they’re THAT popular (and versatile).

She runs a shop over on Creative Market where you can immerse yourself in all the lovely things she creates. You’ll be able to read my interview with her at the bottom of this post but first, take a gander at all the prettiness!

Example design of Heart and Soul font by Nicky Laatz

Design examples using Bonjour, by Nicky Laatz

I use her fonts Heart and Soul and Bonjour on the daily, and just snatched up her font trio called Blooming Elegant. It's a "trio" because it has the regular script, a sans version, and a "hand" version. I mean how cute is this? Check out the tag cards and alphabet!

Blooming Elegant font trio by Nicky Laatz

Example of Blooming Elegant font on tag cards for a flower shop

Now that you've had a taste of the delicious pretties she has in her shop, it's time to meet Nicky! Check out the interview below.

Tell us about yourself

I currently live in Cape Town, South Africa. I started out as a self taught graphic designer in 1997, and designed websites mostly, then branched out into DTP. I've always had a love of fonts and lettering though from a young age, and it was a natural progression to learn how to make my own eventually. I eventually stopped doing web/dtp, and now focus on my own graphic design and font design.

What's your process for creating a new font? Do you carry a sketchbook everywhere? :-)

I generally like to write out words instead of individual letters to start out - to get a style I like, then I perfect any letters I need afterwards. I don't carry a sketchbook everywhere, but if I'm bored and there is a pen and paper nearby - a lettering frenzy usually begins :)

How do you come up with all the cute illustrative "extras" that sometimes accompany your products on Creative Market?

I love doodling, so I suppose they are just a result of my natural doodling over the years. I doodle things I'd like to use in my own designs really - and thats how I come up with them.

Do you have any tips for using the iPad Pro for creating fonts and illustrations?

Practice, practice, practice. Play with the brush settings, learn how to make your own brushes. Most importantly, have fun while you are doing it - the rest comes naturally.

What are the "must have" tools and resources you'd recommend for budding font designers?

A vast collection of pens, a good scanner, Illustrator, and good font software.

Who are some of your favorite designers on Creative Market?

Gosh, thats a long list. I could go on and on, a few that come to mind are Laura Worthington, Ian Barnard, Callie Hegstrom, Jeremy Vessey of the Hustle Supply Co, Angie Baldelomar of Angie Makes, and Dustin Lee of Retro Supply Co.

Any sneak peeks or hints about new products you're developing right now?

I have about 10 fonts in development at any one time :) I'm loving textured fonts at the moment, so a new brush script will be out next week :)

Follow Nicky:

Fill up your cart with the fonts, graphics, and illustrations in her Creative Market shop.

And look for her giveaways on Instagram @nickylaatz