UPDATE

I have a small announcement: this blog is moving!

Not to worry, though, it's not going far. You can continue to follow me at sweetmadnessdesign.blogspot.com (just take out the hyphens!). I've already moved all of the content to that site, so please update your bookmarks.

I will be deleting this soon, hopefully.

Why Ohio is Cooler Than You Think

Ohio is the only state in the union with an official rock and roll song. The song happens to be "Hang On Sloopy" by The McCoys, which was released back in 1965. The official resolution passed by the state includes the following clauses:

WHEREAS, "Hang On Sloopy" is of particular relevance to members of the Baby Boom Generation, who were once dismissed as a bunch of long-haired, crazy kids, but who now are old enough and vote in sufficient numbers to be taken quite seriously.

and

"WHEREAS, Adoption of this resolution will not take too long, cost the state anything, or affect the quality of life in this state to any appreciable degree, and if we in the legislature just go ahead and pass the darn thing, we can get on with more important stuff."

This piece of legislation is enough to make me love the state of Ohio.

 from "Songs from Ohio" by Robert of the Radish for the Y! Music Playlist Blog

Ugly fonts make learning easier?

According to Princeton researchers, reading documents in obnoxious typefaces makes our brains work harder to comprehend the information and therefore are more likely to remember it. Maybe our teachers were on to something when every handout was set in Comic Sans...

Everything's better in Helvetica...

even hangers.

 

See more images here.

Baby's Breath

The following is a short story that I recently wrote. It's still in its early stages and may need some editing. 

Standing near the water's edge he zips his jacket and burrows his hands deep in his pockets. The waves rush at the shore and crash loudly as if begging him to jump in. They don't seem to understand why he doesn't, and persistently continue, hoping this time will be different. It isn't.

Let's Mix Science and Religion and See What Happens

Science can be so fascinating sometimes. And not just Bill Nye or Mythbusters science, but the super confusing astrophysics and other sorts of science that I will never understand.

Harry Potter vs. Twilight

I found this online somewhere and just had to share! Sorry, Twilighters.

"The Raven"

Rumor has it that there is a movie in the works about Edgar Allen Poe spending his last days chasing a murderer who kills the same way the characters in his stories do. And that John Cusack will be playing the lead. My favorite actor playing one of my favorite writers? Sounds fantastic.

NaNoWriMo

I am very excited for November this year. Not just because of my birthday, but because it's National Novel Writing Month!

Christian by Choice

‎"...understanding that Jesus Christ dying for my sins spoke to the humility we all have to have as human beings, that we're sinful and we're flawed and we make mistakes, and that we achieve salvation through the grace of God. But what we can do, as flawed as we are, is still see God in other people and do our best to help them find their own grace." 

- President Barack Obama, 9/28/2010

The Meantime

A few weeks ago our Women’s Bible Study threw a bridal shower for a lady from our church. She had been dating a wonderful man from our congregation, and after 40 years of being single she was going to remarry – with her son giving her away and her daughter as her maid of honor. We couldn’t have been happier for her.

As we sat around eating celebratory cake and admiring the blushing bride, one of the older ladies in the group turned to me and the two other young women who were there and said, “We have so many great young people in our church, we need to get them married off! I pray all the time that you all find godly spouses.”

My gut reaction was, “Hallelujah! I’m not the only one praying that I find a nice boyfriend!” But after I got home from the party that night I couldn’t get her comment out of my head. Sure, knowing that someone was praying about me and my future spouse was awesome, but why did I need to get “married off?” What was the rush?

"Alma"

Alma from Rodrigo Blaas on Vimeo.

Beautifully animated. I love this style of video!

Type Cards

A deck of cards all designed using type! So beautiful. See the entire deck here.

Logorama

I'm not even going to attempt to count the logos. So far my favorite cameo is Slurm!

Genius

I love those moments when I'm reading or talking with someone and discover the most fascinating cross over between two subjects that I had no idea could be connected. About a year ago I found a passage in my History of Graphic Design textbook that discussed how Gutenberg's printing press directly led to the story of Dr. Faustus, which I happened to be reading in my British Literature course. Who knew typography and 17th century plays could have something in common? Take comic books and and spirituality, for instance. Before this past week I would have never thought there could be a reasonable connection between these aspects of my life. Yet somehow they have managed to cross paths, and here I am looking at each of them in a new light. And interestingly, it all goes back to genius.

Quote:

"Men who would letterspace blackletter would shag sheep." - Frederic Goudy

That is the correct quote. E. Ginger did the research for “Stop Stealing Sheep”, and she actually spoke to an old lady who had been to the event and heard Goudy say the “s” word. Patrick Ames, then publisher for Adobe Press, loved the quote, suggested it as the title for the book and changed it, for obvious reasons. The book was intended for typographic novices, and those were obviously not deemed grown-up enough for real four letter words. I always thought the title way too obscure, but I do have a collection of model and toy sheep (too small to shag), because lots of friends think it very funny to give me sheep as presents.

- Erik Spiekermann, typophile.com

Common Typographic Diseases

Various forms of dysfunction appear among populations exposed to typography for long periods of time. Listed here are a number of frequently observed afflictions :

Typophilia

An excessive attachment to and fascination with the shape of letters, often to the exclusion of other interests and object choices. Typophiliacs usually die penniless and alone.

Typophobia

The irrational dislike of letterforms, often marked by a preference for icons, dingbats, and—in fatal cases—bullets and daggers. The fears of the typophobe can often be quieted (but not cured) by steady doses of Helvetica and Times Roman.

Typochondria

A persistent anxiety that one has selected the wrong typeface. This condition is often paired with OKD (Optical Kerning Disorder), the need to constantly adjust and readjust the spaces between letters.

Typothermia

The promiscuous refusal to make a lifelong commitment to a single typeface—or even to five or six, as some doctors recommend. The typothermiac is constantly tempted to test drive “hot” new fonts, often without a proper license.

- Ellen Lupton

Quote:

An artist’s only concern is to shoot for some kind of perfection, and on his own terms, not anyone else’s.

- J.D. Salinger

Rockstar Scientist

Flint has this poster on his wall in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. I want it! Tesla is so cool.

Design + Baking

Helvetica cookie cutters! Wish I'd thought of it.

via Beverly Hsu

Brian Jonestown Massacre

I’m a sucker for stop motion film, especially with Legos.

Design Hell

Dear Jesus, please don't let this happen to me.

article at The Oatmeal

Garage

Check out this sweet environmental graphic in a parking garage! via designer Axel Peemoeller.

Beards

via Wondermark

Miniatures

I am so jealous of these dollhouse furnishings.

Sesame Street

Big Bird paints with Chuck Close!