Some Type of Woman: Haima Abdul Vahid of @haima.vahid

Meet Haima! An Indian woman, based in Dublin who loves to share the creative process of her lettering on Instagram by posting tutorials and beautiful hand drawn type.

Haima creates positivity by lettering motivational and empowering quotes, while building awareness about current socio-political atmospheres around the globe. 

You can find more of Haima's work on her IG @haima.vahid. She's currently working on her soon-to-launch website: www.haimavahid.com.

I took the opportunity to send over a few questions to Haima, for her speak on her insights and experiences as a creative.

WoT: Name 1 or 2 creatives that inspire you. What about their work breathes inspiration into you?

HV: There are so many incredible artists out there who have inspired me in different ways. @marvellachalks is one of my favourites. She is a chalk and lettering artist, and I love her works and how she never shies away from voicing socio-political matters through her art. I am also a big fan of @thegraytergood. Her works and Instagram captions are super refreshing. Her consistency has always inspired me, and she has valuable tutorials on her website about lettering and related topics.

What do you do to stay creatively motivated?

 

I seek inspiration from other creatives. I know it sounds cliche. However, we always hear that "every artist was first an amateur." For me, to see how that growth took place is another level of motivation. So, I pick one fantastic artist and spend a day or two scrolling through their Instagram profile. But rather than analysing their recent works, I scroll way back to how they started their creative journey, after which, I read their blogs and listen to their interviews or podcasts. In short, I dedicate a few days to explore the journey of one artist. This habit has always helped me get back on track.

 

 

Do you have a signature style? Can you speak to how you got to realize it as your own?

 

My earliest memory of lettering is when I made cover pages for school projects for my friends. Of course, then I had no idea of what I was doing. I tried different styles to explore what works best for me. I tried lettering funky quotes, giving chic colours and played around with illustrations. They did get good responses, but it wasn’t my style. I enjoy lettering quotes that are empowering and socially relevant. My style focuses primarily on lettering, with balanced layouts, gritty textures etc; although I would love to add illustration, which sadly isn’t my strong suit.

 

Who is your dream client?

 

I am a big fan of Disney Animation movies, and I have always fancied the lettering of movie titles and end credits. Especially the most recent films like Soul and Coco. It would be beyond dreamy to be a part of such projects!

 

What's next for you in your career?

 

In my dreams, I am that lettering artist who does everything lettering related! (But that's just my dream) I am planning to explore cards and chalkboard lettering in the next few years. And yes, in the long run, a lettering mural is definitely on my to-do list.