Type Hunting 

An on-going archive of found typography. 
Photographed & curated by Jonathan Lawrence.

Peculiar Manicule 

Enter the Day-Glo world of The Peculiar Manicule and explore an awe-inspiring archive of 1960s and 70s graphic design. Witness mind-blowing displays of ink on paper by designers and illustrators, both known and unknown, in four main galleries, Books & Magazines, Ephemera, Typography and Paper Playthings.

Frustrated with Twitter

This isn’t a link; it’s just a quick note on how disappointed I am with exTwitter. It has been an absolute disaster ever since it was purchased. Did it need to change? Absolutely. Did it need to change the way it has? Resoundingly, no. But what has me annoyed right now, you ask? I was going through my old links, and one was to a Twitter thread. Guess what you can’t read any longer unless you’re signed in?

Yeah, I’m not playing that game.

Stationery Ensembles, 1960s 

Hilroy is a Canadian stationery brand, these are all scans from a 1960s catalogue. The illustrations, type & half tone background are a great combination. Enjoy.

How France’s Film Industry Works 

I would love to see something like this in America, though I am certain the idea would get shut down immediately over cries of bias and censorship and socialism and…

Daggerfall Unity 1.0.0 Released 

Interkarma has officially released version 1.0.0 of Daggerfall Unity, the open source recreation of the Daggerfall engine. This has been a years-long endeavor and it’s incredible to see it reach this milestone. Even better is that you can get a copy of Daggerfall for free (legally) so the only barrier to entry is your own interest.

I miss the internet 

Today’s internet feels less like a global community and more like a series of walled gardens, each meticulously maintained to keep out any unpredicted, and thus, unprofitable, elements.

I’m not sure they realize the irony of posting this on Medium, but I identify with the sentiment.

HT Kottke.org

South Pole Signage 

I love that there is a blog like this out there, digging deep into non-stories because it’s geekishly interesting to someone. The internet needs more of this and more of it visible.

Sweden’s Official Typeface 

Sweden now has an official typeface/font, called Sweden Sans. It’s available for download too, if you’re so inclined.

It reminds me of DIN… I’m sure that isn’t just coincidence.

The old link I posted (https://identity.sweden.se/en/design-elements/typography) is 404, so I tweaked it to what you see now.

DnD Back-peddles on New License 

It is refreshing to see a company own up to making a bad call and working to correct the matter so quickly. You can put it down to the bean counters seeing the cost of the backlash, but I’d rather chalk it up to a win for a community that stood up for itself.

Nestflix 

It’s “stupid” projects like this - the ones that are done purely for the love of it - that make me love the internet. There’s no commercial angle to it, it’s pure goofy fun.

Also, I will never forgive the writers of Explosión Gigantesca de Romance for not bringing Chad back after his fake death. Where is their integrity?

In the Valley of the Gods 

Game development is a journey that twists and turns in unpredictable directions, so I understand it getting cancelled. But man... I would have loved to see In the Valley of the Gods release.

Big Thunder Mountain Resort 

Have you ever wondered what’s behind Big Thunder Mountain? It’s the immersive DVC “Little Thunder Mountain Resort” made with MidJourney AI.

There are plenty of problems to be found with how a lot of this AI generated art has been trained, etc.. So so many problems. Still, the thought of a Big Thunder Mountain Resort makes me very happy.

He's also posted versions on Instagram of Pirates of the Caribbean, Wakanda, The Hollywood Tower Hotel, and The Haunted Mansion. I’m saving the pictures for Big Thunder here in case things at the original source go… poorly since I haven't seen them on his Instagram so far.

Vintage Mini Trick-or-Treat Bags 

From the “all things vintage” department. I could swear I got some of these handed out to me when I was a kid. Love that old, cheaply printed aesthetic.

Fan Creates New 2D Mario Game With Mario Maker 2 

I’ve finally finished creating my Super World in Mario Maker 2 and have unofficially named it Super Mario Bros 5. I’ve been working towards this moment since 2015, trying to create a classic Mario game that plays as if Nintendo created it themselves.

I love that this sort of thing is possible if you're determined enough. I only wish I had a Switch so I could actually play the thing.

The Queue 

Right, everyone. I need to be serious for a moment. Because the greatest thing that ever happened is happening right now.

I don't particularly care either way about the Queen. But the queue? The Queue is a triumph of Britishness. It's incredible.

Yep. That's about the most British thing I've heard of.

Movie Magic 

Movie Magic was required viewing for me when it aired on the Discovery Channel from 1994-1997. Each episode would dive into how various effects were achieved and I found it mesmerizing.

The Story of Laserdisc 

I've always been curious about Laserdisc. It was such an oddity that I never understood... then the algorithm plopped this series in my lap.

A fascinating and thorough dive into a niche bit of technology and I'm so glad people are out there making this kind of content.

The Apple Store Time Machine 

The Apple Store Time Machine is a celebration of the places and products that have shaped our lives for more than twenty years. This interactive experience recreates memorable moments in Apple history with painstaking detail and historical accuracy.

Can confirm - I've been around for each of these phases of the store and it really is like stepping back in time. An awesome project and it's obvious Michael Steeber put a lot of love into it. Be sure to also check out his blog post about it.

The Danger of Minimalist Design 

Minimalism as a design choice can be beautiful but this thread is talking about something else: unmotivated minimalism. I've had this conversation several times lately and it was nice to see someone else put their words to it. I don't know what else to attribute it to other than prioritizing spending the absolute least amount of money possible. Whatever the reason, it's a trend I'd like to see reversed.

Descent 2 Cinematic Remake 

Descent 1 and 2 were fairly influential gaming experiences for me so it's exciting to see Jordan Cain is working on remaking the opening cinematic from D2. My heart did a little dance seeing a modern Pyro-GX.

What if Hollywood Studios was completely reworked? 

Speaking of theme parks: from the This Will Never Ever Happen But Absolutely Should Department, Theme Park Lore has an idea of how to almost completely overhaul Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The only part I’m not wild about is the proposed new name.

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe 

The original Stanley Parable is one of the wildest games/narrative experiences I've ever gotten to play. I love it.

The Ultra Deluxe edition is set to release on April 27th (for those that haven't played the game, 427 is a significant number so that's fun) and is a complete remake of the original in Unity along with some extra content. Maybe more? I don't know. I'm just happy to see it's so close to release.

Futureport ‘82 

Yesterday's future, today!

A project dedicated to rendering EPCOT Center's Future World, whether as built, as a concept, or pure fantasy.

Our goal is to keep the ideals and accomplishments of EPCOT alive and fresh in our minds.

There’s no shortage of teams remaking classic games or historic locales but this is the only one I know of taking a swing at Disney’s EPCOT as it was when the park opened in 1982. Absolutely fantastic and I can’t wait to see the World Showcase open up.

Updates and screenshots for the project are regularly posted on their Twitter.

What makes certain films worthy of editing awards? 

I’m an editor. Would you like a thread on *why* the following films are nominated for the best editing @BAFTA?

What makes us fellow editors look at them and go ‘cor blimey’?

What may be the reason that one prevails over another this evening?

Of course you would. 🧵

…yes, of course I would.

Vintage Logos 

Collection of vintage logos from a mid-70's edition of the book World of Logotypes.

Not every design holds up but a surprising number of them do and these were published nearly 50 years ago. It's amazing how some designs pass in and out of fashion while others seem to stand apart from time.

Brickit 

What kind of sorcery is this? Get the app, point it at a pile of Legos, and the app will suggest what can be built with what it sees. My nephews have two gigantic bins full of Legos and I'm itching to see what it suggests.

Blender Studio Announces Project Heist 

This project is inspired by the game cinematics and realtime demos formats, and it’s meant to be a high-visual-impact, action-packed 2-minutes-long animation.

Every project the Blender Studio undertakes is cause for celebration. I can’t wait to see how this one turns out.

World Building in Blender - Ian Hubert 

A great video from BCON 19. As it is, I've watched this two or three times. I could - and probably will - watch it another 10 times and still get something new from it with every viewing. It's awesome listening to someone that's so excited to share what they're passionate about, especially when that person is as skilled as Ian.

Shuffling the Deck

I'm reworking content across my sites to see if I can't make it all make more sense in my head.

  • RobLeeper.com will be for my web work, whether code or design.
  • ThoughtBrewery.com for creativity and inspiration. Y'know, where thoughts... brew.
  • Other places that have yet to take form are still floating in the void.

Instant Lettering 

The mission of this project is to educate and promote the fascination of the now obsolete technology of transfer type—most notably Letraset.

I'm not sure when the site was last updated but the whole idea of cataloging these sets brings a smile to my face. I have fond memories of opening up the Big Gray Cabinet in my childhood home and pulling out the magical sheets of transfer type that were left over from my mom's design days. No flat surface was safe.

The Batman 

Hats off to the team that pulled together the teaser for The Batman. (Though it definitely counts as cheating to have used Nirvana like that.)

Another trailer finally released and my interest continues to grow. Additional points for the clear nod to Edward Hopper's Nighthawks.

In Search Of A Flat Earth 

What makes it so difficult to convince believers of conspiracy theories that they're wrong? A documentary essay by Folding Ideas' Dan Olson that starts as a discussion about those who believe the Earth is flat before taking a hard turn toward darker territory.

Blade Runner: San Francisco 

As mesmerizing as it is horrifying. Terry Tsai took drone footage of San Francisco and put the soundtrack to Blade Runner 2049 over it.

Yeah, this about sums up 2020.

Birth of a Book 

Made by Glen Milner, this beautiful short shows the craftsmanship that went into producing Suzanne St. Albans’ Mango and Mimosa. I have a big soft spot for printed books. Seeing the effort it can take to produce them only makes me love them that much more.

Left in the Dark

I just read "A movie lover's plea: Let there be light" on boston.com and it baffled me.

A large number of cinemas aren't changing out the lens between showing 2D and 3D films. That doesn't sound like a big deal at first glance but it can result in as much as an 85% reduction in the brightness of the image when you show a 2D film through a 3D lens.

Unfortunately, it seems that most studios, cinemas, and suppliers of the projectors are not responding to the allegations, or responding in an evasive manner. The spokesperson for Regal, the largest multiplex operator in the nation, was quoted in the article as saying "Patron response has been overwhelmingly positive toward digital cinema and all of the associated entertainment options provided by this technology." Sure the response to digital projectors has been positive; the picture with digital projectors (when used properly) is incredibly bright and sharp. That wasn't the question, though.

I doubt there's some grand conspiracy. More likely it's laziness that it causing the issue, but man, what a shame.

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