Cake Design News: What’s in Your Toolbox: Cynthia Warren

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Huge heart palpitations here at What's in Your Toolbox! I am such a fan of Cynthia Warren that I am having a total geek-out moment! Composure regained, now I will happily introduce you to this lovely lady. I first stumbled upon her work when Design*Sponge featured her here back in 2010. Cynthia has such a wonderfully diverse portfolio, and she is equally brilliant at hand-lettering, calligraphy and illustration while also incredible at brand identity and package design. I can't decide which I love more: her menu designs for Chez Panisse or her charming wedding invitations. Both reflect her appreciation for old-timey type and botanical-influenced illustrations. — Ginny

1. Design*Sponge: What is in your toolbox?

Cynthia Warren: I wear many different hats here in my studio, which makes my toolbox rather large . . . it even includes a 100-plus-year-old printing press! I feel so fortunate to be a graphic designer who is able to see my projects through, hands-on, from initial concept to finished printed piece.

I love experimenting with all kinds of tools, new mediums and materials, but my most basic toolbox always has Sakura Micron pens (the 005 nib is unbelievable), a mechanical pencil (I love my Koh-i-noor Rapidomatic), metal rulers, a heavy rolling parallel ruler, a surgical scalpel with #11 blades (I discovered these in art college; they are scary sharp, and once you've used one, you will never use an X-Acto knife again!) and many pads of bleed-proof marker paper (Bienfang), tracing paper and a lightbox.

If I'm working on an illustration or hand-lettering project, I like to use brush pens (Tombo), Hunt mapping and artist calligraphy nibs, Sumi ink, watercolors and gouache.

I spend a lot of time at my drafting table creating all of my designs by hand. Once I have something I'm happy with, I'll scan it and then refine and finalize it on my computer. My boyfriend just bought me a Wacom tablet, which completely goes against my stubborn Luddite ways, and now I can't imagine working without it!

2. Design*Sponge: Fill in the blank, "When I am in my studio, I feel _____________."