E—info(at)mariamontes(dot)net
T—+61 (0) 421 244 612

About Maria Montes

I help cultural and luxury brands to stand out through truly unique and beautifully-crafted design assets.

With ten years’ independent professional experience, I specialise in premium identity design developing the means for brands to connect deeper with their audience.

I have worked in partnership with leading design studios around the world, helping them craft their identity systems with emotionally charged branding assets including logo design, monograms, brandmarks, custom type, lettering, illustration, patterning and packaging design.

Background

I am a Spanish-Australian multilingual, multicultural brand designer, letterer, illustrator, calligraphy-and-typography educator.

My creative practice is set by the principles of never stop learning, sharing knowledge and create emotion through my work.

Do’s and Don’ts

Branding assets including custom type, logo design, monograms, brandmarks, lettering, illustration, patterning and packaging design.
Guest lecturer; In-person and online calligraphy courses; Corporate workshops, as well as private one-to-one tuitions.
Public speaking engagements at design conferences, in-house agencies and universities; RMIT University mentor.
For over ten years, I’m the author and editor of a bi-monthly email newsletter announcing calligraphy courses, community events, type related matter and other topics which often include creative mental health and fostering women in the industry.
I don’t do wedding calligraphy or wedding stationery.

Maria is a rare breed. A designer, illustrator, typographer and creative force, Maria is a design partner in the truest sense. Her work is consistently exquisite and is guaranteed to elevate your brand, idea and spirit. I cannot recommend her highly enough.

Andrew Thomas
Co Founder and creative director, Inaria (London, UK)

Selected Clients

Brand Design Firms

Porto Rocha (US), Pentagram (US), Inaria Luxury Brand Design (UK), Windsorborn (AU), Brand Lounge (UAE), McCANN Agency (AU), Ama Foundry (NL).

Editorial Design Firms

Bloomsbury Publishing (UK & US), Design Feast (US), Hardie Grant Publishing (AU), , Hodder & Stoughton Publishing (UK), Art Centre Tinglado 2 (ES), Art Centre La Panera (ES).

Luxury Clients

L’oscar Hotel London (UK), Sitara Himalaya (IN), One Spa World (UK), One Moon (US), The Calligraphy Co (AU).

Packaging & Merch

Sony Music Entertainment (JP), Nexba (AU), Goodness Group (AU), Charlie’s Fine Food Co. (AU), Whistle Post (AU), Simone Keane (AU).

Fashion

Megan Park (AU), Country Road (AU), Zara (ES), Mango (ES), Massimo Dutti (ES), Esprit (AU), Hew Clothing (AU), Target (AU).

Education

Tipo-G (ES), Practica Program (US), ATypI Paris (FR), Typographics (US), The Design Conference Brisbane (AU), Typism Conference (AU), Como House and Gardens (AU), Labassa Mansion (AU), University of Melbourne (AU), Western Sydney University (AU), Melbourne Pavilion (AU), Shillington College (AU), Monash University (AU), University of Newcastle (AU), Melbourne Columba College (AU), Rippon Lea House and Gardens (AU), Carnegie Library (AU), Moose Toys (AU), Billy Blue College (AU), Griffith University (AU), University of Sunshine Coast (AU), Hume Library (AU), Yarra Council (AU), Darebin Library (AU), Stonnington Lybrary (AU), Intentional Digital Agency (AU), L’Escola D’Art i Disseny de Tortosa (ES).

The new Windsorborn logo turned out perfectly, exactly what we were hoping for when we sought out Maria’s expertise! Super distinctive, elegant yet bold, and very modern, quite different from what most other agencies are doing. The creative process was really smooth, everything was communicated effectively, and all feedback was meticulously addressed.

The new logo has served us incredibly well, and we have had nothing but great feedback on it since its implementation. It helped set us up for an amazing year, so very much appreciate Mari’s part in all of that. Excellent work.

Gareth Jenkins
Senior Brand Designer, Windsorborn Agency (Sydney, AU)

Values

High quality work, communication, collaboration, transparency, respect and trust.
Proud member of Alphabettes, Letterform Archive, Society of Scribes NYC, Typism and YesEqual. Supporter of First Things First 2020 manifesto and What I have to offer is me. What you have to offer is you by Charlie Kaufman.
I pay rent to the following organisations: Djirra, Seed Mob and Deadly Connections.

Featured Talks

2024. Principles of Script Lettering, Typism Summit 2024
2023. Latin One | Calligraphy mechanics, Practica Program
2023. Thriving as an immigrant artist, Open Studio Podcast with Martina Flor
2023. 9 parameters to understand, curate & design script alphabets, Typelab EU
2022. Type Design Education for Graphic Designers, Type@Copper NYC
2021. Keynote speaker Finding Your Inner Compass, ATypI All Over
2021. Letter Now! Podcast w/ Martina Flor on Learning & Teaching
2021. Three outcomes to Script Brush Lettering, Typelab Asia, Typographics
2021. Guest Lecturer at Monash University, Type Design Department
2021. Guest Lecturer at the University of Newcastle, Type Design Department
2021. Guest Lecturer at the LCI Melbourne, Art and Design Academy
2021. Finding Your Inner Compass, Typism Podcast, Australia
2021. TypeLabs Asia Channel, Typographics NYC
2021. Ten Years in Ten Minutes, Intentional 10th Anniversary Event
2020. Alphacrit with Isabel Urbina Peña and hosted by the Nicole Dotin
2020. Podcast Interview with Ema Hewitt from HEW

2019. Live Streaming Interview at Adobe France

2019. Love for Letterforms. Type@Paris Talks, France

2018. Keynote speaker TDCBNE Conference, Australia
2018. What a Shitshow, Catalan Interview at the Art Centre La Panera
2017. Keynote speaker Typism Conference, Australia

2017. Drunk on Lettering Podcast, USA

Awards + Press Publications

2024. Communication Arts (CA) Magazine | Typography Winner
2024. Type Directors Club NYC | Typography Winner
2023. The Year Book of Lettering, Part One
2023. Typism Book Nine, Australia
2022. Type Specimens, A visual history of typesetting and printing by Dori Griffin
2022. Lettering Artwork. Typism Book Eight, Australia
2022. Change Starts in the Classrooms, “Belonging” report by We Are Tank
2021. Lettering Artwork. Typism Book Seven, Australia
2020. Escriptura i sensibilitat by Jordi Ribas
2020. Lettering Artwork. Typism Book Six, Australia
2019. The Heroine’s Journey Website by Peter De Kuster
2019. L’univers de Maria Montes by Anna Vilamú Bosch, surtdecasa.cat, Spain
2019. La lletra esdevé art by Gloria Aznar, Diari de Tarragona, Spain
2019. Interview with Maria Montes. Type@Paris, France
2019. Green Fairy Font. Typism Book 5, Australia
2019. Lettering Artwork. Typism Book Five, Australia
2018. Interview with Maria Montes. Design Feast by Nate Burgos
2018. Stop Feeding The Beast. Nibster Mag, Spain
2018. Ten, Skateboard Design. Typism Book 4, Australia
2018. Letterpressed Illustrated Cocktails. Scripted Book, China
2018. LOVE. Good Type The Book Volume Two, USA
2018. Green Fairy Font Family. Available commercially at MyFonts
2017. Green Fairy Font. Typodarium, Germany
2017. Cocktail Cards That Pack A Punch. Neenah Papers, USA
2017. Entrevista con Maria Montes. Puentestudio, Argentina
2017. Fresh Illustration by Maria Montes. Communication Arts, USA
2017. Lettering and Illustration by Maria Montes. The Design Files, Australia
2017. Scare Shitless: Facing fear and getting out of your comfort zone. Alphabettes
2017. Interview with Maria Montes. Typerie, Australia
2017. Five Typographers Share Their Treasured Finds. Communication Arts, USA
2017. Shit Just Got Real with Maria Montes. Typograph.her, Australia
2016. Hidden Gems in Melbourne: Renaissance Bookbinding, Alphabettes
2016. The Richardson Family. Good Type The Book Volume One, USA
2016. Introduction to Calligraphy. Lettering Hub, Australia
2016. Profile Interview. Lettering Hub, Australia
2015. Lettering Artwork. Typism Book Two, Australia
2014. Profile interview. Baronmag
2014. Our First Six. The Loop, Australia
2014. Profile interview. Magic Timeout
2013. Homage to JMP Lettering Artwork. Typism Book One, Australia
2011. Miłosz Italic Typeface Design. Desktop Magazine, Australia

Exhibitions

2020. Across Borders Group Exhibition. Design Museum Barcelona
2020. Letterform Group Exhibition. Revolver Upstairs, Melbourne
2020. Front Lines: Takayna to Adani. Long Gallery Hobart, Tasmania
2019. Planet Before Profit Group Exhibition. Work-shop Melbourne
2019. Typo EINA 15 Anys Group Exhibition. Eina Espai Barra de Ferro, Barcelona
2019. What a Shitshow Solo Exhibition. Centre d’Art Tinglado 2, Tarragona, Spain
2019. La Tipografía en la Cultura Contemporánea Group Exhibition, Mexico
2018. What a Shitshow Solo Exhibition. Centre d’Art La Panera, Lleida, Spain
2017. High Risk Dressing/Critical Fashion Group Exhibition. RMIT Design Hub
2016. Yelp After Work Drink Party Group Exhibition. Work-shop Melbourne
2015. Breaking The Ice Solo Exhibition. Nieuw Amsterdam, Melbourne
2015. People Can Change Group Exhibition. Melbourne Arts Club Gallery
2015. Pick Me Up London Group Exhibition represented by Supergraph Australia
2015. Supergraph Group Exhibition. Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
2014. Tone of Voice Group Exhibition. CATC College, Melbourne
2013. Homage to Josep Maria Pujol Group Exhibition, Barcelona

Corporate, Academic, Public and In-house Courses

2023. Script Alphabets: Grow, branch out and flourish! at Tipo-g, Barcelona
2023. Intro to Copperplate Calligraphy at ATypI, Paris
2023. Brush Calligraphy Workshop at Stunnington Libraries, Melbourne
2023. Brush Calligraphy Workshop at City of Yarra Libraries, Melbourne
2022. Copperplate Calligraphy at L’Escola per l’Art i la Cultura, Tarragona
2022. Brush Calligraphy Workshop at Hume Libraries, Melbourne
2022. Brush Calligraphy Workshop at Darebin Libraries, Melbourne
2022. Brush Calligraphy Workshop at City of Yarra Libraries, Melbourne
2022. Brush Calligraphy Workshop at Glen Eira Libraries, Melbourne
2021. Copperplate Course at Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne
2021. Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at the Western Sydney University
2021. Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at McKinnon Library, Melbourne
2021. Brush Pen Calligraphy Workshop at Darebin Library, Melbourne
2021. Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at Murray Art Museum Albury
2020. Brush Calligraphy at MPavilion, Melbourne
2019. Calligraphy Workshop at St Columba’s College Essendon, Melbourne
2019. Lettering and Typography Semester at RMIT University, Melbourne
2019. Corporate Calligraphy Workshop at Mind Australia, Melbourne
2018. Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at Griffith University, Brisbane
2018. Corporate Calligraphy Workshop at Carnegie Library, Melbourne
2018. Corporate Calligraphy Workshop at Moose Toys, Melbourne
2017. Carolingian Calligraphy Workshop at Emmanuel College, Melbourne
2017. Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at Griffith University, Gold Coast
2017. Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at Shillington College, Melbourne
2017. Art Deco Calligraphy Workshop at Rippon Lea House, Melbourne
2017. Brush Calligraphy Workshop, Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Centre
2017. Italic Calligraphy Workshop at Moose Toys, Melbourne
2017. Gothic Calligraphy Workshop at Work-shop Melbourne
2017. Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at Como House, Melbourne
2016. Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at Tractor Design School, Melbourne
2016. Brush Calligraphy Workshop at Reed Gift Fairs, Melbourne
2016. Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at Work-shop Sydney
2016. Carolingian Calligraphy Workshop at SAE Quantum Institute, Melbourne
2016. Italic Calligraphy Workshop at Work-shop Brisbane
2016. Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at Como House & Garden, Melbourne
2016. Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at Labassa House, Melbourne
2016. Fraktur Calligraphy Workshop at Work-Shop Melbourne
2015. Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at Work-Shop Brisbane
2015. Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop at CATC Design School, Melbourne
2015. Calligraphy Workshops at Work-Shop Melbourne
2014. Introduction to Neuland Script. Imagination Industry, Melbourne

Professional Development

2024. Lettering Foundations with Ken Barber
2023. Brush Casual Lettering Workshop with Ken Barber
2023. Modern Blackletter & Italic Variations with John Stevens
2021. Swash Lettering Workshop with Ken Barber
2020. Copperplate Flourishes with Nina Tran and Suzanne Cunningham
2020. Advanced Blackletter with Luca Barcellona
2020. Powerful Gothics with Oriol Miró
2016. TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training & Assessment, Melbourne
2018. Copperplate and Insular calligraphy with Amanda Adams
2014 – 2017. Fraktur, Italic and Brush Roman Capitals with Keith Adams
2012. Typeface Design Condensed Program at Type@Cooper, New York City
2011. Copperplate Calligraphy Workshop with Amanda Adams and Oriol Miró
2011. Postgraduate Course of Advanced Typography. Eina, Barcelona
2003 – 2004. MA in User Interface Design (UI). Elisava, Barcelona School of Design
1996 – 2000. BA (Hons) Graphic Design. Eina, School of Art & Design, Barcelona