Collection: Richard Payne

Looking back, my interest in typography began as an eager-to-learn artist with their first ink pen in calligraphy classes and this has only grown since. In 2009 I graduated Massey University with a Bachelor in Visual Communication Design (Hons), majoring in Graphic Design. I have over 10 years’ experience in the Graphic Design industry, and in my spare time my passion now lies in creating illustrative artwork.

Typography has always played a pivotal role in my work. It becomes both a visual language of the spoken word and tells a story of a time or place. My design aesthetic resembles traditional handmade techniques of screen printing and woodcutting, with a contemporary spin being generated on the computer. The design process for the 'Birds of New Zealand' series began with research into classic New Zealand tourism posters, in both colour, content and typography. This evolved into research into native bush, flower pressing, and finding ways to incorporate these elements into posters and a nature inspired typeface. Living in the Wellington region, surrounded by nature, my artwork is strongly influenced by my environment and local flora and fauna, giving a very distinctive New Zealand flavour. 

The 'Birds of New Zealand' series are Giclee / fine art prints, printed on a textured 310gsm German Etching paper. They are printed in high resolution and quality using fully archival inks and media.