Through Lines 290

Early in my career (another life really), the company I worked at was doing a lot of work for Canada Post so I got to see firsthand what would go into producing new stamps. Those little rectangular pieces of art require so much care and consideration to get right, something that I think has stayed with me and influences how I work.

Art & Design

  • Culture can give birth to something that hasn’t been seen, hasn’t been appropriated, hasn’t been followed to death. Naz nails what the real untouchable place when it comes to how LLMs are invading creative work. I would add too that culture is where we (collectively) get to decide where and how to engage as well.
  • The real work is no longer in producing output, but in determining what should exist in the first place. When it comes to so much of what AI tools enable, I feel like the vast majority of that output does, and will not, pass muster.
  • Darius Ou and Benson Chong’s 3d printed book, Manual, is printed in a single sequence with no post-processing or assembly. Wild.
  • The Riso Club Archive catalogue covers the first 100 issues of Risotto’s still-going-strong monthly Riso postcard club. I have the first 60-ish issues and it’s endlessly delightful, so of course I had to pick up a copy for myself.
  • Mezzotint printing as demonstrated by engraver Yamashiro Ami is not one I’m very familiar with, but the meditative, full-body involvement throughout the process is quite calming to watch and clearly requires an immense amount of patience and practice to get right.
  • Look at Tugboat Printshop's woodcut prints. Look at them!
  • An introduction to Harvey Lloyd Screens, the iconic printmakers that shaped half a century of the UK’s contemporary graphic art.
  • It’s been ages since I’ve visited the Letterform Archive and I need to fix that when I return from Japan. There’s a wealth of treasure sitting there, especially the Emigre Archives that I think might help push a couple projects along.
  • …the beauty of art and creation lies in that slowness. AI doesn’t belong in zines, period.
  • Build your own Eames House. Um, yes please.
  • See also, studio goals. Damn Gabriella…

Type of Note

  • Erik van Blokland’s Action Grotesque covers all the bases for me, but where it really shines is in its unique ability to retain readability at a minuscule 5pt size.
  • New Cordial is a redesign of the Art Nouveau styled Cordial. It expands upon its earlier release by Riccardo Olocco which has been unavailable for more than a decade and brings extended character and language support to boot.
  • Maria Ramos has made something quite captivating in Sastre through its mixture of characteristics: sturdy, generous proportions, and unconventionally beautiful. Although it might blend in at smaller sizes, its true character is revealed the larger it gets.
  • After several years, Enfilade has graduated from Future Fonts as a fully realized idea by James Todd. 60 styles and a unique set of optical sizes, it might be James’ masterwork, and I’m thankful I already have a license for it.
  • Gradine builds on a single foundational skeleton, crossing a myriad of fluid visual styles from classic, blackletter, and all the way to expressive script forms — including more unconventional extended language support.
  • The six weights of FT Athletic is kind of exactly what you might think it is, but becomes a bit more intriguing through including both proportional and monospaced versions.
  • Queenie from Sudtipos is bubbly, almost psychedelic fun. The fist glyph though is chef’s kiss.
  • I’m not sure what’s going on with Ferro from Plain Type, but it’s experimental and weird and I’m here for it.
  • And then even more like Halvar Mono (swoon), Datatype, System, Teletext, Recorder, Analog Mono and probably a million others.

One More Thing

  • They’re not for everyone, but having experienced a newly reformed and reinvigorated Rush live for the opening night of the Fifty Something tour in Los Angeles. Given the consistently positive reviews of the first four shows, especially from Rolling Stone (nights 1, 2, 3, 4), I promise you wouldn’t regret seeing them do their thing. You might even become a fan, especially once you see just how genuinely happy these guys are to be playing together again.

I’m about to head off on an exciting trip to the other side of the planet next week. I’m excited and nervous in equal measure because Japan is perhaps the most unfamiliar place I’ve ever had the chance to visit. It’s the home of Riso and my favorite whisky distillery, Suntory (I’ll never turn down a dram of Yamazaki). Mostly though I’m looking forward to immerse myself in its rich history, many beautiful temples — and from what I’ve heard, delightfully friendly people. Arigatō gozaimasu to Colly for his delightful Japan travel diaries.