Below you'll find a list of tools I use frequently while designing. I've also included some of my favorite books and blogs to reference whenever I want to get inspired (or just need a work break).
Tools & Materials
Tombow Duel Brush Pen - I mainly use the brush end. Easy to control and has good thick/thin widths.
Pentel Pocket Brush Pen - Great for brush lettering. I like to use this on cheap printer paper to create a rougher texture.
Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen - Works well for thinner & more delicate lettering.
Mitsubishi Pencil 9850 - I don't think it's necessary to sketch with fancy pencils. A no.2 or a basic mechanical will get the job done. But if you want to indulge in a luxury pencil, these are pretty great.
Mitsubishi Uni Pin Fineliner - For drawing those little details.
Canson Pro-Layout Marker Paper - My favorite paper for lettering. It's smooth, doesn't bleed, dries quickly & has just the right amount of transparency.
Westcott Six Piece Geometry Tool Kit - I keep this with my pencil case for lettering on the go. It has a helpful range of transparent rulers and comes in a compact travel case.
Kneaded Rubber Eraser - I love how you can shape and mold these into fine points. It makes it easy to get into small spaces when you're doing detailed sketches.
Pink Pearl Eraser - The classic pencil eraser that will never let you down.
Books & Resources
The Universal Penman - Beautiful examples of engravings by George Bickham.
Letter Fountain - A sort-of encyclopedia of letter forms. Helpful if you want to get into type design.
A Visual History of Typefaces & Graphic Styles - Type candy. Includes a ton of inspiring visuals from the 1600s - 1900s.
Monograms & Ciphers - Hundreds of examples of monograms and type lock-ups.
Mastering Layout - Stylistically a little dated, but still a great reference guide for understanding layout and hierarchy.
Scripts - A great collection of vintage type and lettering by Louise FIli and Steven Heller.
In Progress - A insightful peek inside Jessica Hische's lettering and design process.
Horn Please - I recently went to India and was amazed by the variety of hand lettering there. This book captures that magic.
Glossary of Typesetting Terms - Essentially a dictionary of typesetting jargon.I found this invaluable when I was in school. It's still handy to have around for reference or to lend to clients and editors who want a better understanding of type.
Blog loves & Internet faves
Friends of Type - Always serving up fresh type inspiration.
Fonts in Use - Tons of examples of fonts in use in the real world.
Type Everything - Huge archive of type and lettering.
Letter Cult - Focuses on custom lettering across a range of mediums.
Type Director's Club - great professional resource for all things type.
Rose & Fitzgerald - I find this couple to be really inspiring, plus their photos are to die for.
Pennyweight - Elise Joseph speaks my language.
Rotter & Friends - I love Jess Rotter's illustration & musical tastes. Her blog is filled with great playlists to get you through the work day.
Light in the Attic - An awesome record label that puts out an endless supply of reissued and new music. If your a vinyl aficionado,check them out.
The First Mess - My go-to blog for recipes.
Love and Lemons - Aside from being a beautiful blog to look at, L&L is packed full of delicious plant based recipes. Jeanine's cookbook has become indispensable for me when planning meals.