It’s Always Sunny With Portland Designer Duo “Always With Honor”

Portland, Oregon-based designers Elsa and Tyler Lang might come from wholly different backgrounds, with Elsa born in Colombia, while Tyler was born in Vermont, but their shared passion for design and illustration has brought them together, both professionally and personally. Their design and illustration studio, Always With Honor, has been building visual systems and brand identities for over a decade, adding a splash of warmth, optimism, and a sense of wonderment to their surroundings.

Born in Colombia and raised in the Sunshine State, Elsa spent her childhood exploring her abuelo’s mango farm, and sneaking off to play soccer with her cousins. The visual influences of Elsa’s tropical upbringing are reflected in her use of color and pattern, and her love of folk art and spicy foods — all sources of great inspiration.

“There isn’t a lot of creativity on my mother’s side; they’re small-town farmers, and art is about the least important thing to them,” said Elsa in an interview with The Great Discontent. “On my father’s side, there’s much more creativity in the traditional sense, but he wasn’t in the picture after I was 10. That said, art and design has always been a part of that culture. Pre Columbian art is everywhere, though no one really sees it as art. It’s almost as if it’s just a part of the fabric of the country. I grew up exposed to it every day, but didn’t necessarily think it was special; it was just there, in the background. But as I get older, I can see that it was likely an influence.”

Tyler, on the other hand, discovered the wellspring of joy and inspiration that comes from being amongst nature and wildlife in Vermont, while exploring the many trails on his grandparents’ property.

“I’ve been into art as long as I can remember,” he says. “I’m not sure if that’s related to growing up in Vermont, though, I do think my family had an influence. My dad’s side of the family is artistic—his aunt would create different handmade Christmas ornaments every year, and give one to us. One year, she bought an old, broken piano and tore it apart to make little creatures out of the piano keys. They were the coolest things.”

We highly recommend you follow their Instagram page for a pop of sunshine.