Wells Collins didn’t initially plan to focus on lettering, but early on he was told he didn’t land a job because his portfolio leaned too heavily on script work. That feedback stuck with him, not as a setback, but as a push to expand his range and showcase more variety in his style. These days he’s made a name for himself with organic, hand-lettered wordmarks and logos that channel personality, craft, and clarity in equal measure, and he’s having a blast doing it.
Based in Denver, Colorado, Wells brings more than 15 years of design experience to the table, including time in Atlanta’s agency world and a stint as creative director for an investment firm. For the last four years, he’s been a full-time freelancer and loves every minute of it.
“Dribbble has been a huge part of that,” he says.
From Atlanta Agencies to Independent Illustration
Wells got his start working as a web designer for a PR agency with a creative arm. Around that time, he discovered Dribbble and began posting his work, inspired mainly by designers like Brian Steely and Jon Contino.
“Jon Contino is a master of rough, hand-drawn illustration and lettering. He was my original inspiration to get off the computer and start drawing again. Design doesn’t have to be all digital.”
Regularly posting on Dribbble was not just a way to experiment. It quickly became a habit that Wells wouldn’t shake. From testing ideas to pushing his design boundaries, it was where he began to hone his craft.
“It felt like a competition, but in a good way. I challenged myself to come up with a new lettering style every week just to keep things fresh,” he says. “Even if the project wasn’t for a client, I’d post it, just to flex that creative muscle.”
Putting in the Reps that Make the Work
Relentless iteration is still central to Wells’ process today. He swears by the sketchbook and treats the first few pages as necessary throwaways.
“Those early ideas are just low-hanging fruit that everyone thinks of,” he laughs. “It’s not until page five or six that something interesting starts to happen. That’s when the letters stop looking like letters and start looking like shapes.”
He credits this approach (part obsessive sketcher, part pragmatic problem-solver) as the key to developing his recognizable yet adaptable style. And while he doesn’t believe in having a signature aesthetic, clients often seek him out for exactly that: custom wordmarks with warmth and texture, logos that balance boldness with detail, and visual systems that feel both crafted and effortless.
His project for Milk Street Kitchen, for example, wasn’t selected by the client, but the work resonated far beyond the original brief. “I designed a wordmark that looked like spilled milk. They didn’t go for it, but that post got me a bunch of new work and people still reference it today.”
Showing the Work You Want
If there’s one piece of advice Wells offers up freely, it’s this: “If you don’t have the kind of work you want to be doing, just make it up.”
It’s a mindset that’s served him well. Early in his freelance career, Wells wanted to break into brewery branding. “So I created a brewery concept and posted it. The next year, I started booked my first brewery clients, and since then, I’ve worked on over ten can designs.”
Dribbble’s ability to showcase both process and polish has also been a game-changer. “It’s one of the few platforms where you can really show the legwork from your first round ideas to your alternate directions. That transparency goes a long way and helps clients see the whole picture. They get value out of seeing the creative process.”
Inspiration in Unexpected Places
Wells is deeply intentional about keeping his creativity sharp. He regularly explores “manufacturing creativity” and treats it like a muscle: something that can be built, not just waited on.
“Sometimes I burn bright and then burn out,” he admits. “So I pick up side hobbies to reset. Lately, that’s been photography and designing mid-century chairs in SketchUp. It’s fun to think like a product designer for a minute.” His hobby used to be “doodling,” but now that he has turned illustration and design into a career, his hobbies often evolve into new design-adjacent skills, something he may need to draw on in the future.
He also leans heavily on moodboarding and working across different industries to keep things dynamic. “There’s always something to learn from a new client. That curiosity keeps things from getting stale.”
Clients, Credibility, and the Value of Visibility
For Wells, as a freelancer, Dribbble remains one of the most effective ways to attract clients who are serious about good design. “There’s a level of respect for the platform,” he says. “Everyone knows it as a big step up from the other design marketplaces out there.”
And it’s easy to filter out unserious leads; he simply ensures that he schedules calls early on. “It’s the quickest way to tell who’s invested. I’ve always said I’m somewhere between a freelancer and an agency, and the clients I want to work with get that.”
Looking Towards the Future
Wells has no plans to slow down. He’ll continue to use Dribbble as his primary platform for visibility and inspiration, and he encourages other designers to do the same.
For designers hoping to differentiate themselves, he offers a few closing thoughts:
- Make up the work you want. Don’t wait for a client to hand you your dream project.
- Don’t just post the final logo. Show the process. Show the mess. Show the rounds.
- Start as a generalist, then specialize. You’ll know when the time is right to niche down.
Above all, Wells will always believe in putting in the reps to get results. While talent certainly matters, it’s consistency that compounds and reaching those 10,000 hours will come a lot sooner than you think. In a world of fleeting attention spans, thoughtful designs like Wells’ remain a standout.
👋 Get in touch with Wells for your next project!
About the Author: Olivia Hoskin is a freelance writer with a background in tech and marketing. A true design fan at heart, you’ll find her writing about the latest industry trends, technologies, and the inspiring endeavors of fellow creators. She’s a champion of remote work, a lover of responsible technology, and a fitness geek and enjoyer of the outdoors in her spare time. Find her at oliviahoskin.com.
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