WORKING HANDS: Katsuo Design

As a stationery brand, we are always curious how and what people use our stationery goods for. With this blog series, focusing on the hands at "work" and beyond, we ask five questions about the usage and meaning of the stationery tools to our friends in Los Angeles.

For our fourth post, we had a visit with a LA based graphic designer & art director, Katsuo Design at his studio in Chinatown, Los Angeles.

Katsuo Design is drawing with the brush writer pen.

Katsuo Design has been using Hightide stationeries for a long time!

Katsuo Design has been using the Penco Soft PP notebook in B6 and the Brush Writer for many years. He also uses the '22 Tierkreis planner ('23 version is found here).

Q1. What do you do with the Penco Brush Writer Pen? What do you like about this brush pen?

I love this pen because it feels very smooth when you draw the lines. The most favorite part is that I can easily create unexpected thick and thin organic lines.

Hands drawing a bold black arch design with a yellow marker on paper, with pens on a wooden table.

Here, he is drawing out a design for our upcoming pop-up event
merchandise with Nepenthes New York.

Q2. In our technology driven world, what does it mean to make things by your hand to you?

When there was time we used to write and mail physical post card to people. I get the convenience of email or chat for instant communications but I used to love seeing people’s hand penmanship. Everyone has their own uniqueness to it. Drawing is kind of same thing. What ever the subject matter is, I just love to see the human touch and what is the great thing about art is that there is unseen emotion in the piece.

Designer sketching black line illustrations on paper with a yellow pencil beside a Penco notebook.

Hands drawing black illustrations on paper with a yellow marker, beside a Penco notebook and markers.

Hand holding a yellow pen, drawing black illustrations and lettering on tracing paper at a wooden desk.

Q3. Pencils or Mechanical Pencils?

Love both. When I write or sketch, I prefer pencil. Rounded point flows better. I use Mechanical pencil as well. There are so many great designed ones out there especially rOtring pencils. Love how industrial look they are.

Hand-drawn Hightide logo sketches in black ink on paper, with marker pens, a fountain pen and a pencil case on a wooden desk.

The pen collection of Katsuo Design - Kaweco Liliput fountain pen in silver to Pentel "This is a Pen" pens.

Q4. What’s in your pen case?

I got…. a Penco brush pen, pencils, sharpie (black and red), eraser, ruler, lip balm, small paper clips, thumb drive, and fountain pens. Usual suspect. At home, I have this enamel tray and dump all in there. Haha.

Zippered pouch woven with purple, teal and gold triangle patterns, resting on paper on a wooden desk.

Katsuo Design's pen case – he picked it up in somewhere in Japan.

Q5. What is your most favorite stationery?

It’s almost too precious but the hand made notebook, Emilio Braga, is very nice, Love how much work of art goes into the notebook. So special! Also, I love a good fountain pen. Especially thick point size. Sometimes flow of the pen will take me to whole journey of creating art and design ideas.

Artist at a wooden table drawing with a yellow pencil, surrounded by printed black-and-white illustrations.

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Katsuo Design lives and works in Los Angeles.
He designed our Brooklyn store - Cornershop Brooklyn's logo as well as the recent Nepenthes New York collab event flyers and apparel items.
Check his work here!

WORKING HANDS: Katsuo Design

RELATED PRODUCTS

Soft PP Notebook/ B6

Brush Writer Pen

Kaweco Liliput Fountain Pen/ Silver

Pen/ THIS IS A PEN

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