Entry 8 (on trying to make tutorials)

I have been trying to make type design tutorials for a few days now. I planned some stuff out (poorly) and just went for it. I did the "intro" video like 11 times... each totaling to around 45 minutes. It is not easy to do tutorials. The middle school kids I make fun of are actually very talented I realize.

So I am going to start over. I think I need to write a script that I loosely follow or something. Maybe even make presentations or something... I'd really like to depart my knowledge but my knowledge is a little flawed, im not an expert... I don't really understand everything. So more or less its kinda peer to peer learning. But thats okay there is no power dynamic that way I think. Its just important to me that during this time where schools are closed and the future is uncertain we don't lose our curiosity in being creative. During the 2008 crisis I went to school for applied mathematics because I was afraid being an artist would cause me and my family to starve. I'm sure there are a lot of young people in that very boat right now. And look, no one knows the future... but I do know that historically, creativity has been VITAL to getting people out of a crisis.

Alright so why is knowing how to make a typeface important? Well, did you know the roman's had graffiti? I bet you didn't, but you did know they had Plato and Cesaer. The ruling classes' account of history always gets preserved. The people's account often gets erased and forgotten over time. There are soooo many talented young creatives out there who need a stable learning environment, I would like to help and provide at least one.

Entry Seven (on the virus):

I am working from home which is a very lucky situation to be in. I do feel that I will most likely get laid off soon because I'm on contract. Work hours have completely blurred for me. I feel like I am never working and always working. I am working to keep businesses I do not believe in relevant and cool while people are descending into economic despair. This feels very wrong. So I think I am going to work as little as possible. I'm not sure what I will do about money (I have very little of it). But I have always been poor. Luxury is a scam.

Instead of working for the corporation that will eventually betray me. I will begin to work for my community. I'd like to provide a free typographic education during the virus. The virus will eventually end and many of us will find ourselves ripe with opportunity. Musicians will have made albums, fine artists will have made bodies of work, writers will have books and movies, photographers will have still life portfolios, architects will have new plans for buildings. We can all support each other during this and begin to work within our own group. Its obvious that the corporate world has divorced themselves from us, but we need to divorce ourselves from them.

Typography is how we visualize communication. We will always need to communicate.

Entry Six (On Friendship)

The idea of professional networking was probably made up by a total psychopath. Professional networking is just a very formal way of describing friendship that starts because you are interested in what someone does and want to talk to them about it.

If I were to teach a class on networking (which would be an insane thing to do) I would teach the students how to be very good interviewers or journalists. In the same way that journalists can recognize when something is and isn't newsworthy a person in need of networking should be able to distinguish when someone is and isn't worth getting to know. Way too often we are lead to believe that because so-and-so has [blank big corporate position in the world] they are worth meeting. Untrue! I have begun to reach out to people whose work is interesting to me and sending them interview questions. Some common things I ask people:

-did you have a creative childhood?
-what is your workspace like?
-what was your process behind [insert project here]?

I also ask people for advice. This is the best way to get to know people within my field.

Networking events are so weird. ew

Entry Five (on money)

I never want more than I need. I never want to be rich. I never want to make a decision based on whether I'll be wealthier for it or not. Even though I'm poor, and my family is poor, I do not want to have to live in fear of the lifestyle of a "poor" person. I want to have 1 dollar in my bank account and feel happy all day. I want to accept work that improves the world/my world. I do not want to accept work that improves my ability to express myself with brands. I want to be the creator of as many of my commodities as I can be. I am a designer: i have the power to design and make the cups I drink out of, I have the ability to design and make the clothes that I wear, I have the ability to design and make the shiny jewelry I like, I have the ability to make curtains, fabric, throw pillows, a couch if I try very hard, a table if I ask Noah's dad to help, I can paint my own nails, I can cook my own five course meal, I can make my own shampoo (if I try), I can travel for free with my imagination.

All I need is money to have a house, enough underwear, utilities, food, a bus pass, and health insurance.

I can be the creator, ad agency, store, shopgirl, designer, and hypewoman of all of the earthly commodities I desire.

I can desire less so that I can be a freer person.

I won't be fooled by the people around me who express their value with nike shoes. Or a fancy job doing mock ups for nike.

I will never need a phone or computer that is newest/cutting edge because I understand moore's law and also worked on a campaign for new phones that are no better than the old phones.

I will make more things with software that is free or cheap, or no software at all. Fuck you adobe, I will not rent from you forever.

I will seek educational experiences that are not tied to an institution that pays their educators nothing while I pay them everything. I will just email those educators myself and ask questions.

I will try to grow my own food from seeds.

I will go on walks for entertainment.

I will not live a life dependent on having more, I have enough now.

There is only one thing in the world that is capable of stirring and altering minds to the same extent, and this is the coherent expression of thought. That is man’s chief miracle, unique to man. There is no explanation whatever of the fact that I can make arbitrary sounds which will lead a total stranger to think my own thought. It is sheer magic that I should be able to hold a one-sided conversation by means of black marks on a paper with an unknown person half-way across the world. Talking, broadcasting, writing, and printing are all quite literally forms of thought transference, and it is this ability and eagerness to transfer and receive the contents of the mind that is almost alone responsible for human civilization.