Danielle Smith was born March 18, 1991 in Wellington, and developed her first typeface when studying at Massey University, majoring in graphic design. Her first typeface family, JY Dandy, was sketched by hand and its letters laboriously placed individually for a university project, before being put in to a font-editing program. It was later edited in FontLab, and an italic added. Danielle expects to complete future designs, with Fine being developed as a sister family to Dandy. Outside type, she has a love of hand-made crafts.