Brand by Hand: Blisters, Calluses, and Clients: A Life in Design

Brand by Hand documents the work, career, and artistic inspiration of graphic designer extraordinaire Jon Contino.

Jon is a born-and-bred New Yorker. He talks like one, he acts like one, and most importantly, he designs like one. He is the founder and creative director of Jon Contino Studio, and over the past two decades, he has built a massive collection of award-winning graphic-design work for high-profile clients such as Nike, 20th Century Fox, and Sports Illustrated. Throughout all of this, he has gone to design hell and back, facing obstacles like fear, self-doubt, and bad luck. 

Brand by Hand documents the work and career of Jon Contino, exploring his lifelong devotion to the guts and grime of New York and cementing his biggest artistic inspirations, from hardcore music to America’s favorite pastime. A graphic-design retrospective showcasing his minimalist illustrations and unmistakable hand-lettering, Brand by Hand shares how Contino has taken a passion for pen and ink and turned it into an expanding empire of clients, merchandise, and artwork.

About the Author:

Jon Contino is an influential staple in the design and branding community. As founder and creative director of Jon Contino Studio, he has produced award-winning work for household names including Nike, MillerCoors, American Eagle, Coca-Cola, 20th Century Fox, AT&T, and Sports Illustrated. He has also received some of the industry’s most prestigious honors, including a Decoration & Design Building Stars of Design award, a Clio Key Art Award, a Cannes Lion award, and an ADC Young Guns award. He was born and raised in New York and never left.