Work made carefully,
by people who care.
Cursive is a design studio in the sometimes sunny Portland, Oregon. With sharp thinking and a stubborn unwillingness to phone it in, we build brands by hand.
Why "Cursive"
Cursive handwriting is one of those things the world decided it didn't need anymore. Too slow. Too impractical. Too imperfect.
The same thing is happening in design. Speed is replacing craft. Templates are replacing thinking. The tools keep getting faster, but the work keeps getting flatter. We started Cursive because we're not willing to make that trade.
The name is a reminder—to us and to our clients—that the things worth having are usually the things that take a little more intention. That doesn't mean modern tools and AI aren't welcome here. They are. But they're tools: they help us execute the vision. They don't get to set it.
The best work still leaves fingerprints.
What we believe.
Sweat the small stuff
We don't take shortcuts. Every color choice and kerning pair matters. The details are where trust is built.
Style is informed by strategy
Beautiful work that doesn't solve a problem is aimless decoration. We figure out what the work needs to do before we decide what it should look like.
Straight shooters
We're not yes-people. (Though for the record, Yes Man was criminally underrated.) We'll push back when it matters and tell you what we actually think.
Start-to-finish standards
Good design doesn't stop at the pretty part. We care as much about how it's built as how it looks — scope, structure, systems, the unglamorous parts.
Small on purpose.
That means you work directly with the people making the work. No playing telephone, no junior designers learning on your dime. When you hire Cursive, you get Cursive.
Being small also means we're selective. We take on a handful of projects at a time so we can give each one the focus it deserves. If we say yes to your project, it means we genuinely believe we're the right fit. And we're all in.
We work best with founders, creative leads, and marketing teams who care about quality and are ready to invest in work that lasts: people who want a partner, not a vendor.
Made in Portland.
We're based in Portland, Oregon, but we work with brands everywhere. There's something about this city that shapes everything we do. The graffiti, the moss-covered sidewalks, the stubborn independence. It's in the work, even when the client is 3,000 miles away.
Common questions.
How long does a typical project take?
What's your pricing like?
Do you work with startups?
Can you work with clients outside of Portland?
What if I'm not sure what I need?
Want to work together?
We'd love to hear what you're building. Reach out and tell us your story.