The Typography Dojo is a place where we come together to explore the techniques in the practice of type and typography with training from design Sensei. Join us to learn from the masters.

Nick created his first fauxsaic, a mostly-digital, highly-detailed mosaic illustration in a technique he developed while working for Louise Fili. He had no idea fauxsaics would grow into a series, allowing him to transition into a freelance career with artist representation, and fly him as far as Australia to give talks at typography conferences. Since that very first post, they’ve been featured by over 50 design blogs all over the world and have turned into what one blogger referred to as “a newly emerging illustration style” and “the next big design trend.”

Nick will discuss the genesis of the project, its growth, and what’s next. As more and more people have started creating fauxsaics of their own and as the demand for workshops and classes increase, he ponders how the series can evolve into a space beyond Instagram.

Nick Misani is a freelance designer and letterer based in New York City. He started his formal training by studying architecture and industrial design in Italy, where he was born. After a brief period studying and working in Japan, he relocated to the United States and obtained an MFA in Communications Design from the Pratt Institute in New York City. Nick has worked as an in-house book cover designer at Penguin Random House under Paul Buckley and, more recently, as the senior designer at Louise Fili Ltd, where he reveled in vintage lettering for three years. In addition to period typography, Nick is passionate about decorative arts and old crafts—especially when reimagined in contemporary, unexpected ways.

His work has been featured on a variety of online and print publications including Print Magazine, Fast Company, The Dieline, Wired, Quipsologies, Adobe, and Designboom. In 2014, He was named a Young Gun by the Art Directors Club and has received recognition from both the Type Directors Club and the AIGA.

Dojo: Set in Stone: How Typographic Faux Mosaics Launched Nick Misani’s Freelance Career