Remembering Ray Cruz
Honoring the life and work of a lettering legend
We recently lost lettering great, Ray Cruz, whose influence can still be seen throughout the design world. Over a career spanning more than 50 years, he helped shape the visual landscape of advertising, publishing, and corporate branding through his iconic fonts and logos.
Ray started his career working alongside the great John Schaedler, before co-founding his own lettering studio, helping to define the look of brands like Dunkin’ Donuts, Blimpie, and Cinemax. I first met Ray at TypeCon years ago—he was friendly, generous with his insights, and clearly loved talking shop with anyone who shared his love of type and lettering.
In addition to his commercial work, Ray was a devoted teacher who believed in learning by doing. He shared his knowledge at Parsons and FIT, generously passing along his technical skill and deep respect for the craft. The design community has lost a true original, but Ray’s legacy lives on in his work, his students, and the letterforms he so passionately shaped.
Rest in peace, Ray,
Ken
typeandlettering.com