About Maria Montes

With twenty years professional experience, Maria Montes specialises in premium branding assets developing the means for brands to connect deeper with their audience.
Montes has extensive experience working in partnership with leading brand design agencies around the world, helping them craft and develop their identity systems with emotionally charged visual elements including, display type, logo design, monograms, logomarks, lettering, illustration, patterning, packaging and digital assets.
Maria’s passion is helping clients and designers bring their ideas to life through truly unique and beautifully-crafted design elements.
Background
- Barcelona-born, Naarm-based multilingual, multicultural lettering designer and illustrator specialised in branding assets and calligraphy education. Originally from Catalonia, Maria moved to Australia in 2006 where she currently resides.
- Montes’ creative practice is set by the principals of never stop learning, sharing knowledge and create emotion through her work.
Do’s and Don’ts
- Branding and digital assets including display type, logo design, monograms, logomarks, lettering, illustration, patterning and packaging design.
- In-person and online calligraphy and lettering courses . Corporate workshops, as well as private one-to-one tuitions.
- Public speaking engagements at design conferences, in-house agencies and universities.
- 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)
Values
- High quality work, communication, collaboration, transparency, honesty, 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.
Selected Clients
- Sony Music Entertainment, Nike, Bloomsbury Publishing, Inaria Luxury Brand Design, Como House and Gardens, Labassa Mansion, Art Centre Tinglado 2, Art Centre La Panera, Hardie Grant Publishing, Shillington College, McCANN Agency, University of Melbourne, Murray Art Museum Albury, Hodder & Stoughton Publishing, National Trust of Australia (Victoria), Esprit, Megan Park, Country Road, Hew, Australian Red Cross, Queensland Health, Zara, Mango, Massimo Dutti and Uterqüe among others.
Featured Talks
- 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. 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
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, Public and In-house Workshops
- 2022. Brush Calligraphy Workshop at Hume Libraries, Melbourne
- 2022. Brush Calligraphy Workshop at Darebin Libraries, Melbourne
- 2022. Brush Calligraphy Workshop at the 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
Press Publications
- 2022. Type Specimens, A visual history of typesetting and printing by Dori Griffin
- 2022. Lettering Artwork. Typism Book Eight, Australia
- 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
Education
- 2021. Italic Variations with John Stevens
- 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 Celtic 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. 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