Interview: Typewriter Artist Creates Intricately Detailed Cityscapes and Portraits
When the inaugural commercial typewriters entered the marketplace in 1874, they swiftly became a vital instrument for writing and communication. However, their creators—Christopher Latham Sholes, Carlos Glidden, and Samuel W. Soule—likely never envisioned that their invention would be utilized to craft visual art more than a century and a half later. Utilizing his collection of more than 100 vintage typewriters, London-based artist James Cook produces intricate, unique artworks entirely composed of thousands of hand-typed letters and symbols.
From densely packed cityscapes to astonishingly detailed portraits, Cook’s typed artworks frequently mimic ink or charcoal drawings—until one examines them more closely. Each shadow, line, and texture is constructed from carefully layered characters, some typed with a gentle touch, others with more pressure, resulting in subtle differences in tone and depth. Cook even incorporates concealed messages within his elaborate inkscapes, featuring words and phrases that pertain to the depicted scene.
In a recent artwork showcasing the Golden Gate Bridge, Cook dedicated three weeks to painstakingly typing every detail using red and black ink. The phrase “Golden Gate” is subtly integrated into the water, while @ symbols, dashes, and punctuation marks are ingeniously employed to represent the cars, boats, and architectural elements of the bridge. This serves as just one instance of how the visionary thoughtfully translates text into images.
Cook has been crafting art with typewriters for nearly ten years. Although each piece can require weeks to finalize, the prolific artist has created over 300 works to date. His craft demands exceptional patience, steadfast focus, and a steady hand—and it’s captivating to observe him bring each image to life in his Instagram videos.
We recently connected with Cook to learn more about his process and inspirations. Continue reading for My Modern Met’s exclusive interview and discover more of James Cook’s work on Instagram.
**When did your fascination with typewriters begin, and can you recall your first model?**
My fascination with typewriters began entirely by chance back in 2014 during a school art project where we were tasked with researching artists who utilized technology creatively. Through that exploration, I came across Paul Smith, an American artist with cerebral palsy who fashioned remarkable artworks using a typewriter. As a child, Paul was gifted a typewriter by his parents. Due to his condition, he couldn’t grip pens or pencils, and like any parent, they wished to assist him in learning to write. The mechanical control of a typewriter not only allowed him to accomplish that with accuracy but also opened a path for him to express himself artistically. I found his narrative profoundly moving and inspiring, igniting the thought of trying it myself.
At that time, I didn’t possess a typewriter, but while strolling through the high street in Braintree, visiting every charity shop I could locate in hopes of finding one, an elderly couple overheard my conversation with my dad and generously offered me theirs on the spot. That machine, a lime green 1950s Oliver Courier, became my first typewriter, and I’ve never looked back. It taught me all the fundamentals of creating art with a typewriter. I used it to produce around 50 artworks before it ultimately ceased functioning. Nowadays, it is held together with cable ties and pieces of pencil wedged into key areas to maintain its operation, but I will never dispose of it.
**What obstacles did you encounter when you initially began “drawing” with a typewriter?**
There’s no undo function, so if you make an error, it’s irreversible. Typing portraits of individuals is undoubtedly the most difficult compared to typing cityscapes. You are attempting to capture someone’s likeness, meaning one small mistake can lead to disaster, and suddenly, four days of typing ends up in the trash. On the other hand, it’s considerably easier to conceal your mistakes in detailed cityscapes…in fact, I routinely make errors in my artworks; I simply try not to highlight them to others!
Another challenge of typewriter art is stamina. Typing for extended periods is physically taxing in a manner that people might not anticipate, particularly when you’re aiming to be precise and intentional with each keystroke. In many respects, typewriter art serves as my meditation. I find it incredibly relaxing and rhythmic. I believe this is evident in my Instagram videos, where people can witness the typing process. It certainly possesses ASMR qualities.
One drawing can take me anywhere from three to four weeks to type and includes more than 1 million individually typed letters, numbers, and punctuation marks meticulously assembled together. As my work has progressed, it has become more intricate and detailed. At the outset, I could type an average of 50 artworks each year. Now, I would consider myself fortunate to produce more than 20 artworks.
**How has your artwork transformed since your very first piece?**
My first piece was of the Woolworth Building in Manhattan.