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When the first commercial typewriters hit the market in 1874, they quickly became an essential tool for writing and communication. However, its inventors—Christopher Latham Sholes, Carlos Glidden, and Samuel W. Soule—probably never imagined that their machine would be used to make visual art more than 150 years later. Using his collection of over 100 vintage typewriters, London-based artist James Cook creates intricate, one-of-a-kind artworks made entirely from thousands of hand-typed letters and symbols.
From dense cityscapes to remarkably detailed portraits, Cook’s typed artworks often resemble ink or charcoal drawings—until you look closer. Every shadow, line, and texture is formed from meticulously layered characters, some typed with a light touch, others with greater pressure, creating subtle variations in tone and depth. Cook even includes hidden messages within his intricate inkscapes, including words and phrases that relate to the scene.
In a recent piece depicting the Golden Gate Bridge, Cook spent three weeks meticulously typing every detail using red and black ink. The words “Golden Gate” are subtly embedded in the water, while @ symbols, dashes, and punctuation marks are cleverly used to render the cars, boats, and architectural elements of the bridge. This is just one example of how the visionary thoughtfully transforms text to images.
Cook has been creating art with typewriters for nearly a decade. Though each piece can take weeks to complete, the prolific artist has produced over 300 works to date. His craft requires remarkable patience, unwavering focus, and a steady hand—and it’s mesmerizing to watch him bring each image to life in his Instagram videos.
We recently caught up with Cook to find out more about his process and influences. Read on for My Modern Met’s exclusive interview and find more of James Cook’s work on Instagram.
When did you first start getting interested in typewriters and do you remember your first model?
My interest in typewriters began completely by chance back in 2014, during a school art project where we were asked to research artists who used technology in creative ways. Through that research, I discovered Paul Smith, an American artist who lived with cerebral palsy and created extraordinary artworks using a typewriter. As a child, Paul was given a typewriter by his parents. Because of his condition, he couldn’t hold pens or pencils, and like any parent, they wanted to help him learn to write. The mechanical control of a typewriter not only allowed him to do that with precision, but also unlocked a way for him to express himself artistically. I found his story incredibly moving and inspiring, and it sparked the idea to try it for myself.
I didn’t own a typewriter at the time, but while walking through the high street in Braintree, visiting every charity shop I could find in the hope of picking one up, an elderly couple overheard me talking to my dad and kindly 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 basics of how to create art with a typewriter. I used it to make around 50 artworks before it finally gave up on me. These days, it is held together with cable ties and bits of pencil jammed into key areas to keep it working, but I’ll never throw it away.
What challenges did you face when you first started “drawing” with a typewriter?
There’s no undo button, so if you make a mistake, it’s permanent. Undoubtedly, typing portraits of people is the most challenging compared with typing cityscapes. You are trying to capture someone’s likeness, and so one small mistake can spell disaster and all of a sudden, four days of typing goes straight in the bin. Alternatively, it’s much easier to hide your mistakes with detailed cityscapes…in fact, I regularly make mistakes in my artworks, I just try not to point them out to people!
The other challenge of typewriter art is stamina. Typing for hours is physically demanding in a way people might not expect, especially when you’re trying to be precise and intentional with every keystroke. In many ways, typewriter art is my meditation. I find it incredibly relaxing and rhythmic. I think this comes across in my videos on Instagram where people can see the typing process. It certainly has an ASMR quality to it.
One drawing can take me anywhere between three to four weeks to type and contain more than 1 million individually typed letters, numbers, and punctuation marks all puzzle-pieced together. As my work has developed, they have become more complex and detailed. When I started out, I could type on average 50 artworks per year. Now I would be lucky to type anything more than 20 artworks.
How has your artwork evolved since your very first piece?
My first piece was of the Woolworth Building in Manhattan. At the time, it felt ambitious, but looking back now, it was a fairly simple effort. I’ve come a long way since then, technically, stylistically, and conceptually. I now conceal hidden typed messages in my artwork for viewers to find which might tell them something meaningful about the artwork. I have also dabbled in using color ink ribbons to capture full color cityscapes like Evening in Times Square, which is one of my most recently completed artworks and is one of the most successful pieces of the year, having been seen by more than 31 million people on Instagram. In 2024, I celebrated a decade of creating typewriter art with an exhibition, Ten Years Typing. It was a retrospective of all of my best works. It was a real surprise to showcase all of my works and to visibly see how my work has improved in 10 years.
You often depict large, busy cityscapes in your work. How do you even begin to tackle all that detail with a typewriter?
It starts with research and reference. I often use my own photography, but for complex scenes, especially aerial views, I sometimes rely on tools like Google Earth, Street View, and 3D building data. I’ll then build a custom composition in Photoshop, sometimes stitching together multiple photos to get the right perspective to depict aerial views near-impossible to capture from the lens of a camera. Once I’m happy with the layout, I’ll test it by lightly tapping out the framework of the scene using a dry ink typewriter ribbon. That gives me a faint sketch to work from without committing too early. Then I switch to a fresh typewriter ribbon and begin layering, keystroke by keystroke, until the artwork comes to life.
Do you think the limitations of the typewriter—like fixed characters and spacing—help or hinder your creativity?
I actually think the limitations are what make it so exciting. You have to work with a fixed set of tools, albeit the 45 keys of a typical typewriter, and that forces you to think differently. I’ve had to invent my own ways of shading or mimicking textures using only what’s available on a keyboard. That challenge keeps me engaged and makes every piece feel like a puzzle. It’s also incredibly satisfying when something that should be restrictive ends up pushing your creativity further. I use the typewriter like an etch-a-sketch which is a toy I can assume a lot of kids had growing up. So instead of typing line-by-line like a human-printer, I will move the typewriter carriage to different positions on the page allowing me to type out subjects in a less restrictive way.
Are there any keys or characters that you like the most?
Definitely. I’ve learned which keys are most effective for certain textures. The “@” symbol is brilliant for soft shading when overlapped. Brackets “()” are great for tiny curved forms like the pupils of people's eyes. For brickwork, I often use capital “I” for mortar lines and underscores “_” for the bricks. Every key has its own character, and learning how to combine them for the right effect has become second nature to me. When I started out back in 2014, I would print out artworks by Paul Smith and study them under a magnifying glass to better understand how he tackled certain subjects or material textures, be it fabrics, water, grass, reflections and along the way, I have developed my own techniques as well.
How many typewriters do you currently own, and do you have a favorite?
I’ve now collected over 100 typewriters, and they all serve different purposes. Some are ultra-portable and come with their own carry case, such as the SilverReed brand. Therefore, they come with me on location, like for projects abroad in Las Vegas or The Ritz in London. I recently took a bright yellow portable SilverReed with me to the premiere of the latest Mission: Impossible film. I was asked to type the movie poster on the red carpet which was an absolute blast, but my favourite and most reliable is the Olympia SG3 from 1963. It’s the workhorse of my studio. I use it almost daily, and it has never let me down. I work between my studio in London and my home in Braintree which is 50 miles away, so depending on whatever the reason is, I commute with my Olympia typewriter on a regular basis and it will easily travel a 100-mile round trip three to four times each week easily.
Do you maintain or restore vintage typewriters yourself?
Typewriters are incredibly robust, so there’s usually very little maintenance involved. Aside from changing the ink ribbons once I’ve finished a drawing, they just keep going. I’m sure some collectors wince at the condition of my machines—many of them are a bit grubby and well-worn—but I’ve always believed typewriters are meant to be used, not displayed behind glass.
On average, I buy around 70 typewriter ribbons every three months. I probably use them more than anyone else on the planet. This is what I do every day, and I don’t know many people who can say the same.
What’s the next big challenge or goal you’re working toward as a typewriter artist?
I’ve just wrapped up my book project, Authors in Type, which features 50 typewriter portraits of some of the greatest writers in history. Each piece is filled with hidden messages about the author’s life and influences. It’s due for release in 2026. Beyond that, I have a few goals I’m keeping under wraps for now, but they’re the kind of projects that could take things to a whole new level. I’m always looking for ways to push the boundaries of what’s possible with a typewriter.
Watch how Cook types out his artworks below.
James Cook: Website | Facebook | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by James Cook.
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