Lettering Artist, Type Designer, & Calligrapher

Lettering Artist, Type designer, and Calligrapher specializing in custom calligraphy, lettering, and bespoke commissions that elevate brand identity, stationery, and personal projects with a deep emphasis on letterform artistry.

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Blending handcrafted elegance with modern design

Dedicated to creating bespoke designs with intention and purpose. Through a thoughtful blend of historical lettering traditions and contemporary design sensibility, her work elevates brands, celebrates unique moments, and delivers tailored solutions that honor each story.

About Me

Aspacía Kusulas is a lettering artist, type designer, calligrapher, and educator based in Los Angeles and Mexico City. With a background in graphic design from Universidad Iberoamericana (Mexico) and type design studies at Type@Cooper, she merges historical influences with modern aesthetics to create distinctive letterforms.

Her practice is rooted in craftsmanship, specializing in custom calligraphy, lettering, and letterpress printing for brand identity, publications, and bespoke commissions. Through KOUS, the design studio and educational platform she co-founded, she shares her passion for the written form—offering workshops and resources that celebrate both historical techniques and contemporary applications. Constantly evolving her practice, she finds inspiration in the intersection of design, typography, and the human touch.

About Me

09_Seal_of_Los_Angeles_County,_California

My Services

Weddings & Social Commissions

From hand-addressed envelopes to fully bespoke wedding suites, every piece is crafted with precision and artistry to enhance your special occasion.

Corporate Commissions

Refined calligraphy and design solutions for businesses and institutions. Whether it’s a custom logo, sophisticated branding, on-site calligraphy for activations and events, or expertly crafted calligraphy for certificates and executive stationery.

Calligraphy & Art Commissions

Handcrafted calligraphy artworks that bring meaning and artistry into your space. Available as bespoke commissions tailored to your vision or as carefully curated pieces from my collection.

Private and Public Lessons

Offering private and group calligraphy classes tailored for individuals, social gatherings, and corporate teams.

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Calligraphic Styles

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Meeting Aspacía and witnessing her incredible talent has truly been a blessing in planning my wedding. From day one, she understood exactly what I wanted. Turning my vision into reality and seeing how effortlessly she brought my invitation design to life was an incredibly satisfying experience. My family and friends can’t stop raving about how beautiful our wedding invitations are! 😍

You won’t regret hiring her exceptional calligraphy, design, and event services. She is a wonderful person with a strong professional ethic.

Keren Salazar

Aspacía is a highly engaged, motivated and talented Creative. Her work shows thoughtfulness, great attention to detail, and a level of creativity that is at once boundary-pushing, but also thoughtful as it relates to brand consumer audiences.

I’ve had the privilege of working with Aspacía over the course of the last 10+ years in my positions at several global PR and communications agencies, leading iconic brand campaign launches. From a portfolio of P&G home care, family care and baby care; to Diageo spirit brands; to McCafe at Home; and several branded entertainment and skate culture campaigns – when I called upon Aspacía for projects, I experienced unwavering commitment to the timely delivery of error-free creative work from baseline design needs, through to more esoteric conceptual creative work for a multitude of experiential and activation projects. From a personality perspective, Aspacía represents a senior Creative team member that isn’t afraid of getting her hands dirty (her “no task too small, no task too large” attitude is commendable).

Her keen eye for design is simply show-stopping elegance. She’s established herself as a dedicated, loyal, hard-working partner, and the effort she dedicates to her craft shows in every project within which she is integrated.

Lisa Ruiz-Rogers

I am happy to recommend Aspacia Kusulas calligraphy services. I had a very last minute job and no fewer than 10 calligraphers were unable to do my job (a poem known as an Oríkì for my friend’s birthday). Aspacia was not only able to complete the project, it was done elegantly on very lovely paper and her choice of ink complemented the paper and the occasion perfectly. My friend loved it and framed it to hang in a place of honor in his home. I would not hesitate to recommend Aspacia.

Laurie Johnson

I met Aspacia last year when I signed up for a copperplate class. I was impressed by her knowledge and creativity. I reached out to her this year for my wedding place cards. She delivered a beautiful product in a timely manner. She communicated very well at all times and I can highly recommend using her services.

Blog

The Story Behind KOUS: A Studio Rooted in Craft and Community
KOUS didn’t begin as a business plan. It started almost by accident, through a simple invitation from my best friend in my hometown to teach a calligraphy workshop.
Read More: The Story Behind KOUS: A Studio Rooted in Craft and Community
Vernacular Letters: Capturing the Soul of Cities Through Lettering Inspiration
Lettering is more than aesthetic; it’s language made visual, and each culture, each city, has its own graphic voice.
Read More: Vernacular Letters: Capturing the Soul of Cities Through Lettering Inspiration
Mindful Calligraphy: Breathing, Body Awareness, and the Flow of Lettering
Calligraphy practice is often seen as a purely visual and technical art, but at its core, it’s also deeply physical and sensory.
Read More: Mindful Calligraphy: Breathing, Body Awareness, and the Flow of Lettering

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Get the latest on upcoming classes, events, and creative news.

In the Press

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@aspacíakusulas

Thrilled to share along amazing speakers at @aigal

Asemic writing

Happy to announce to be part of this wonderful exh

Color!

Back in February I had the joy to attend Letters,

Brand activations – Embroidery

On-site Calligraphy

On-site embroidery for brands like Miu Miu, creating bespoke designs during special events. From client gifts to custom embellishments on purchased garments, each stitch is crafted with precision and style. This service offers a tactile and lasting personalization experience, turning every piece into a unique statement that reflects both the brand’s elegance and the customer’s individuality.

Brand activations – Painting

On-site Calligraphy

Custom painting on perfume bottles, wine bottles, and packaging, combining fine hand lettering or engraving with detailed illustrations. Each design is tailored to the brand’s vision, adding color, texture, and artistry to create a truly one-of-a-kind piece. From delicate florals to bold motifs, every stroke enhances the product’s aesthetic and delivers a unique, collectible keepsake for clients and guests.

Brand activations – Engraving

On-site Calligraphy

Personalized engraving services for brands such as Jo Malone, Miu Miu, Penfolds, among others, creating bespoke designs on perfume bottles, wine bottles, wood, metal, and other surfaces. Each piece is carefully hand-engraved to reflect the brand’s aesthetic, offering clients and guests a unique, lasting keepsake. From refined monograms to custom messages, every detail is crafted to elevate the product and create a memorable brand experience.

Brand activations – Calligraphy II

On-site Calligraphy

Custom lettering experiences tailored for brands such as MCM, Moncler, and Tom Ford, using a variety of techniques and surfaces — from elegant leather personalization to premium packaging. For the Love Strawberries event, a unique strawberry-based ink and takeaway kit was created, offering attendees a memorable, sensory experience. Each project blends creativity, craftsmanship, and brand storytelling, with lettering styles adapted to match each client’s identity or event.

Brand activations – Calligraphy

On-site Calligraphy

Live calligraphy experiences created for renowned brands such as Louis Vuitton, bringing a personal and memorable touch to client events. From holiday celebrations to Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day activations, each piece is crafted on-site using elegant pointed pen calligraphy or expressive brush lettering, offering guests a unique, customized keepsake.

Minted Sationery

Branding & Lettering (Corporate)

A collection of greeting cards designed for Minted, featuring expressive lettering and calligraphy across seasonal and everyday themes. Most designs celebrate the holidays, while others reflect a range of sentiments. It’s an honor to contribute to such a vibrant creative community. To view more designs or purchase stationery or art, visit here.

Chalk Wall

Branding & Lettering (Corporate)

This commissioned piece features the phrase “Have the courage to live the life you want to live”, hand-lettered in a mix of expressive script and classic Roman letterforms. Designed for a client’s home, the artwork was created as a daily reminder to live with intention and bravery. The layout combines contrast, decorative flourishes, and stylistic variation to bring rhythm and personality to the words, transforming the chalkboard surface into a meaningful visual anchor within the space. Both functional and artistic, this piece reflects the power of lettering to shape the atmosphere of a home.

Caralampio

Branding & Lettering

Playful and colorful lettering for Caralampio Beer, designed with fluid, liquid-like letterforms to evoke the tones of the beer and celebrate friendship in a fun, approachable way.

Moi Magazine

Branding & Lettering (Corporate)

Title lettering for MOI magazine (Mexico), created for an article exploring family patterns and loyalty. The design aimed to reflect themes of tradition through custom Copperplate script, adapted for editorial readability with subtle stylistic variations.

USPS Post Card

Branding & Lettering (Corporate)

Postcard design for USPS by AIGA Los Angeles initiative to encourage mail-in voting. Selected alongside a group of talented designers to create a piece that would inspire civic participation through design. The artwork featured brush and freestyle lettering inspired by 1950s Americana, a tribute to mid-century optimism and the power of the written word.

Adobe Creative Jam

Branding & Lettering (Corporate)

Typographic treatments and title designs for Adobe Creative Jam’s holiday episode, an online event series. The graphics captured a festive spirit while maintaining Adobe’s creative tone, used across section titles and transitions throughout the virtual experience.

Java House Mural

Branding & Lettering (Corporate)

Hand-painted mural for Hava House’s pop-up store, designed to highlight the authenticity of their coffee. Set against a black background, the mural combines white lettering in a variety of styles with coffee-inspired illustrations to create an engaging, handcrafted atmosphere.

Iampeth

Branding & Lettering (Corporate)

Logo selected as the visual identity for the IAMPETH conference in Omaha. Its flourishes reference the city’s historic railroad tracks, blending calligraphic elegance with local heritage to capture the spirit of place and craft.

Papermum Press

Branding & Lettering (Corporate)

Logo and limited brand applications for Papermum Press, a letterpress studio rooted in the history of type and a meticulous approach to craft. The identity reflects their dedication to detail, with select uses across packaging, stationery, and social media.

André Hazes

Branding & Lettering (Corporate)

Logo design for Dutch artist André Hazes, created for his tour identity. The concept blends a vintage aesthetic with visual elements inspired by his personal tattoos, resulting in a bold, memorable mark used across stage design and tour merchandise.

M&A

Branding & Lettering (Corporate)

Branding for Menta & Albahca, an organic store offering natural, local, and sustainable products alongside wellness education. The identity expresses its ethos through watercolor textures, leafy patterns, and a vibrant palette, applied across packaging, recyclable containers, tote bags, digital platforms, and workshop materials.

Kous

Branding & Lettering (Corporate)

A comprehensive branding project centered around a custom logotype that is bold, minimal, and versatile. Designed to support KOUS’s expansive world of words, calligraphy, and analog tools. The visual identity balances neutrality and sophistication, reflected consistently across packaging, printed materials, and educational resources.

Kukka

Branding & Lettering (Corporate)

Kukka is a custom brand identity for a flower shop, rooted in the organic movement of plants and calligraphic strokes. The logo captures a sense of fluidity and growth, while a clean, modern layout allows the vibrant colors of flowers to take center stage. Supporting elements like hand-drawn patterns and neutral tones provide versatility across applications, from packaging to signage.

Scrolls and Awards

Branding & Lettering (Corporate)

Formal recognitions created for corporations, institutions, and civic entities such as the County of Los Angeles. Each piece is meticulously written by hand using traditional or contemporary calligraphic styles, and may include techniques such as gilding, illumination, or custom ornamentation. These works are designed to honor achievements with elegance, attention to detail, and a deep respect for the occasion they commemorate.

Illustrated Letters

Calligraphy & Art Commissions

A curated selection of illustrated letters and experimental calligraphy pieces, showcasing a variety of styles, tools, and techniques. From traditional letterforms to playful interpretations, each work explores the expressive potential of the written word.

Place Cards & Menus

Wedding & Socials

A continuation of the curated place card collection, this selection expands to include menus designed for a variety of celebrations.

Place Cards

Wedding & Socials

This collection features personalized place cards created using both traditional and unconventional materials—from fine paper and handmade tags to engraved crystal domes, marble tiles, and even natural leaves. Each piece is designed to complement the event’s aesthetic while offering guests a unique, memorable detail.

Envelopes II

Wedding & Socials

This extended collection of envelopes for a variety of weddings, each designed with attention to tone, texture, and detail.

Envelopes

Wedding & Socials

A curated selection of wedding envelopes showcasing a variety of styles, formats, and finishes. From formal layouts with classic Copperplate to playful modern scripts, each envelope is tailored to reflect the tone of the celebration it announces. Some feature custom illustrations, delicate flourishes, or decorative stamps, others highlight color palettes, paper textures, and thoughtful composition. Whether minimalist or ornate, each piece elevates the first impression and sets the stage for the event to come.

Category: Custom invitations

J&R Wedding Suite

Wedding & Socials

Created for a relaxed forest wedding, this suite reflects Jill and Robert’s modern, down-to-earth style. Featuring casual modern calligraphy and soft tones of light blue and green, the invitations and day-of pieces were letterpress printed on crisp white cotton paper. Kraft envelopes added a rustic touch, perfectly complementing the natural setting. The result is a thoughtful blend of simplicity, warmth, and elegance, grounded in nature and crafted with intention.

Category: Custom Invitations

G&M Wedding Suite

Wedding & Socials

Designed for a romantic celebration in the vineyards, this custom suite blends modern calligraphy with a warm, organic palette. A tailored illustration of the venue sets the tone, while taupe and burgundy hues paired with gold calligraphy evoke the richness of the landscape. The combination of elegant lettering and grounded color creates a refined yet relaxed feel, capturing the essence of Gaby and Manuel’s vineyard wedding with thoughtful, handcrafted detail.

Category: Custom Invitations

Amora’s Baby Shower

Wedding & Socials

This bespoke baby shower suite was created to celebrate Amora and her parents with warmth, charm, and a touch of boho elegance. Featuring a soft watercolor illustration and custom calligraphy in The Path style, the design blends delicate details with thoughtful craftsmanship. The invitation was wrapped in a translucent vellum cover, finished with a silk ribbon and wax seal—adding texture and intimacy to the presentation. A celebration of new life, expressed through tender color, layered materials, and handwritten beauty.

Category: Custom Invitations

G&D Wedding Suite

Wedding & Socials

This invitation suite was designed for an intimate celebration at the iconic Hotel Bel-Air. Featuring a custom illustration and refined calligraphy, the design strikes a balance between simplicity and elegance. Printed in classic black letterpress on crisp white cotton paper, the tactile quality and minimal palette reflect the timeless aesthetic of the event. Every element was tailored to reflect Gwen and Doug’s understated yet sophisticated style.

Category: Custom Invitations

K&C Wedding Suite

Wedding & Socials

Designed for a timeless celebration set in a villa in Italy, this wedding suite captures the elegant, traditional essence of Keren and Cesar’s special day. Inspired by the soft olive tones of the landscape, the classic architecture, and the romantic atmosphere of the location, each detail was carefully considered to reflect the couple’s vision. Calligraphy was featured throughout, from the formal invitation to the vow books, signage, and day-of pieces, bringing a cohesive, handcrafted touch to every element. The result is a refined and heartfelt suite rooted in tradition and natural beauty.

Category: Custom Invitations

A Woman is Like a Teabag

Art Piece

This illustrated piece brings to life the iconic quote attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt: Hand-drawn lettering forms the shape of a teacup, blending illustration with expressive Roman letterforms. Set against a bold black, the composition uses visual metaphor and handwritten texture to celebrate feminine resilience and quiet strength.

Medium: Gold Watercolor, gouache & color pencils
Dimensions: 20×26”

Recipe for a Good Letter

Art Piece

This piece features the text Recipe for a Good Letter by Amos Russell Wells, rendered in elegant Copperplate script. At its heart is a highly flourished capital letter, a modern interpretation of the illuminated initial, reimagined through contemporary calligraphy. The composition is set against a textured sumi ink background, with delicate accents of gold leaf adding light and depth. The interplay between classical form and expressive flourish pays homage to the handwritten letter as both message and art form.

Medium: Sumi ink & Gold Foil
Dimensions: 20×25”

Comienzo

Art Piece

Created for a virtual exhibition in Mexico, this piece explores the cyclical nature of creation through a visual wordplay rooted in the Spanish phrase “Todo comienza escribiendo” (“Everything begins by writing”). Fragmented and rearranged across the composition, the phrase unfolds in multiple iterations. Disrupted, reassembled, and reimagined, emphasizing process over perfection. Inspired by the Roman lettering, particularly influenced by the work of Michael Killian, each line carries its rhythm and weight. The composition is complemented by diluted sumi ink marks and subtle touches of foil, adding movement and texture that echo the layered construction of language and thought

Medium: Sumi ink & Gold Foil
Dimensions: 20×10”

Oriki Poem

Art Piece

Inspired by Oríkì, the traditional praise poetry of the Yorùbá people of West Africa, this piece explores the musicality and layered meanings of a cultural form rich in alliteration, rhythm, and reverence. Oríkì poems celebrate lineage, personal identity, and ancestral power through evocative language and sound. Rendered in modern calligraphy, the work transforms oral tradition into a visual experience, with each stroke echoing the cadence and intensity of spoken praise. The composition merges script and spirit, honoring the poetic roots while reimagining.

Medium: Gold shimmer walnut ink
Dimensions: 12×18”

Fifty Ways to Say Fifty

Art Piece

Created to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Society for Calligraphy in Southern California, these pieces explore the number 50 through multiple calligraphic interpretations. It combines expressive Copperplate numerals drawn with a pointed pen and the word fifty written fifty times using a ruling pen. Each variation celebrates the richness of calligraphic expression and the enduring spirit of the Society. This work was exhibited as part of the anniversary events held throughout the year.

Medium: Sumi ink & gold metallic watercolor
Dimensions: 10×10”

Time

Art Piece

This piece reflects on our complex relationship with time. How often we move too fast, caught in routines that leave little room for presence or pause. In a world that values constant productivity, we become captives of urgency, forgetting to simply be. Through the varying pace and rhythm of each handwritten letter, the work invites a different tempo, one that resists external pressures and honors an inner, personal flow. The calligraphic gesture itself becomes a meditation on slowing down and reclaiming time on our own terms.

Medium: Gouache
Dimensions: 285×24”

Lenguaje

Art Piece

This piece features a quote by Andalusian author Antonio Gala, written in Visigothic script inspired by the regional calligraphic traditions of southern Spain. The capital letter is an original design, referencing the anthropomorphic forms found in historical manuscripts. Ornamental motifs and fine detailing evoke early Iberian aesthetics, while the color palette draws from the intricate mosaics of the Alhambra, echoing their earthy and green tones. Gold leaf accents add a luminous touch, highlighting key elements and bringing a sense of timeless beauty to the composition.

Medium: Gouache & gold leaf
Dimensions: 15×15”

In my life

Art Piece

This calligraphy piece is a visual interpretation of the beloved Beatles song “In My Life.” The lyrics are meticulously written in the shape of a heart, using both traditional Copperplate script and modern calligraphy styles. The combination of historical elegance and contemporary flair enhances the emotional resonance of the text, creating a heartfelt tribute to memory, love, and timeless connection.

Medium: Sumi ink & Gouache
Dimensions: 24×28”

Wanderlust

Art Piece

This artwork features the names of world cities written in expressive calligraphy using a ruling pen. The bold, gestural strokes create dynamic movement and rhythm, giving the piece a distinctly modern and urban feel. Each letterform is unique, reflecting the energy and individuality of the cities themselves.

Medium: Sumi ink
Dimensions: 24×28”

Transcending Scripts: Deconstructed Humanist Alphabet Art Project

Art Piece

“Transcending Scripts” is an innovative art project that delves into the realm of deconstructed language and challenges the myths that surround the origins of writing. The project is inspired by the Lettrist movement’s celebration of breaking marks, combined with Jacques Derrida’s exploration of language deconstruction in “La Grammatologie.” By investigating the intricacies of the Latin alphabet’s 14th-century structure, the project reimagines letters and their inherent meaning through a process of deconstruction and reformation. This work was exhibited at the HMCT of Art Center College of Design as part of the Quasi-Experimental Writing Systems Exhibition

Medium: Acrylic & Acrylic ink
Dimensions: 24×24”
There is a video on Youtube of the exhibition here
You can see the works of the exhibit on this website

Illuminated Scripts Book

Art Piece

This book features a full alphabet, with each letter individually illustrated and inspired by medieval illuminated capitals. Carefully hand-drawn and embellished with intricate patterns, flourishes, and historic motifs, each letter becomes a unique ornamental piece. Each letter showcases the blend of tradition, color, and ornamental detail.

Medium: Gouache & Gold metallic watercolor
Dimensions: 8×10”

Family Tree

Art Piece

Bespoke family trees designed to honor ancestry through calligraphy and watercolor illustration. Each piece is carefully crafted with hand-painted foliage and floral details, symbolizing growth, connection, and legacy. Names and significant family information are written in a combination of Copperplate and Roman letterforms, blending elegance with clarity. These personalized artworks are created on high-quality textured paper and can be tailored to reflect the unique structure and story of each family.

Medium: Walnut Ink, gouache & watercolor
Dimensions: 20×28”

Hearts & Arrows

Art Piece

A contemporary interpretation of a 19th-century script alphabet, this piece pays homage to historical penmanship through a modern calligraphic lens. Each letter is adorned with decorative strokes that mimic entry and exit flourishes, guided by arrow- and heart-shaped terminals. The use of two ink colors enhances the visual rhythm and allows each letterform to stand out within the composition. Created on textured paper, this alphabet study becomes both an instructional map and an ornamental display, celebrating the elegance and movement of traditional pointed pen calligraphy.

Medium: Gouache & gold rose metallic watercolor
Dimensions: 24×20”

Acceptance

Art Piece

Calligraphic artwork based on a text by philosopher Mónica Cavallé, reflecting on the human experience of suffering, self-awareness, and inner transformation. Written in English, the text unfolds across the surface in a dense, expressive rhythm, using sumi ink and gold ink on textured, handmade cotton paper. Executed with a folded pen, the strokes balance control and spontaneity. The word “acceptance“, highlighted in gold, emerges as a luminous axis—both a visual anchor and the central theme of the piece.

Medium: Sumi ink & gold metallic watercolor
Dimensions: 20×26”

Don’t be beautiful

Social, Corporate

This one-of-a-kind calligraphy piece showcases Don’t Be Beautiful by Nikkita Gill, written in flowing Copperplate script with delicate flourishes. The lettering is crafted using custom taupe gouache ink, creating a warm, sophisticated contrast against the textured paper. Subtle watercolor washes add depth and movement, while hand-applied gold leaf along the edges brings a luminous accent. The overall aesthetic is timeless and poetic, with an ethereal balance between the flowing script and the organic textures of the artwork.

Medium: Guoache Ink, watercolor & gold leaf
Dimensions: 19X8”