My interest in the visual language of livestock branding began when I arrived in Reno, Nevada in 2017 while starting a Graphic Design Program at University of Nevada, Reno as an Assistant Professor. After walking by an old cattle brand hanging in an antique shop in downtown Reno, I wanted to find out more about the history of cattle brands, including the meaning behind the letterforms and iconography. Research began at The Nevada Historical Society and a visit to UNR’s School of Agriculture collection of branding iron artifacts captivated me to deepen my research on the subject.

In designing a font and symbol system based on this visual standard—as best codified in publications like the Nevada Brand Book (original dated 1924)—I opted for a style that was unique and contemporary. Ranchstyle takes the vernacular from cattle rancher’s brands of the old west, digitizes it, and brings it into the contemporary world as a vivacious spunky typeface. The letterforms mimic bent metal and have the fluidity that follows such a material.