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Prom Night Fist Fight Turns 100

I just posted my 100th Prom Night Fist Fight entry. For whatever reasons, our western culture often places added emphasis on events occuring at intervals of 100, thus, a celebratory post.

What began as a digital sketchbook way back on 03/04/2006 has become one of my more favored artistic outlets (much to the dismay of other outlets that are getting very little love right now. I’m looking at you Notes to Self.) I’ve learned a few things along the way and have hopefully grown as a craftsman through my posting there. When I started PNFF (as the cool kids call it):

  • I was just making the transition from using Corel Draw (I know, right? No, YOU shut up) to attempting to learn to use Adobe Illustrator. Wicked learning curve, but now I use Illustrator for approximately 85% of my work day and it’s my go-to app for creating just about anything digital.
  • I had limited interaction with more thoroughly-thought-through typography or grid systems for content layout. While I’m still very much a beginner with both (a quick perusal of Grid Systems: Principles of Organizing Type and other resources keeps me humble and hungry to learn) I feel like the explorations on PNFF keep those principles at the forefront of my mind.
  • I got to see one of my main typographic and design mentors, Mike Cina, begin using Revolver (the image rotation script developed specifically to make PNFF easily-update-able) on his site True is True. It still makes me smile.
  • With the help of a dotcomrade, I learned a little more Javascript and finally figured out how to get the old show-and-hide trick working smoothly on the web. It’s the little things. And with the help of the fine folks at Tubatomic Studio during my time in-house with them, I got to learn some more PHP (which is quickly becoming an extremely nerdy obsession) and develop the multi-use Revolver.
  • Not bad lessons to be gleaned from one ridiculously-monikered domain name and some free time during my lunch breaks to visually flesh out a few of the odd creative sparks that float around in my head. Thanks for playing. Here’s to 100 more fist fights.

    Thu 11.30.06 (6 comments)

    Tagged: An Entry

    Quote, “Steven Seagal now can add “Energy Drink formulator” to a list of talents that already includes veteran actor, singer/songwriter, guitarist, and Aikido black belt.” Steven Seagal’s Lightning Bolt Energy Drink, Cherry Charge and Asian Experience. What I’m shocked by is that he has somehow synthesized the entirity of the Asian cultural experience into one tiny can that’s available at your local 7-Eleven. (thanks Simmy)

    Thu 11.30.06 (3 comments)

    Brrr. Yesterday it was 80° in Dallas. Today it is 30°. It feels like 19° and I LOVE IT.

    Thu 11.30.06 (5 comments)

    I like the video for Regina Spektor‘s new tune Fidelity. A tad cheesy towards the end, but the overall art direction is clever and some of the shots are stellar. Oh, and the song’s fun, too.

    Thu 11.30.06 (3 comments)

    Complex origami sculptures and creations from Origami Joel on Flickr. All the masks are interesting, this lamp is nice, and this piece is crazy tiny.

    Thu 11.30.06 (0 comments)

    Hold all my calls, I’m blogging.

    Thu 11.30.06 (1 comment)

    Now THAT is a sketchbook. 4000 sheets of recycled paper bound in black buckrum; for sketching or use as a seat or a side table.

    Thu 11.30.06 (0 comments)

    I agree with Nixon that I don’t really want to reach for any “mountain spring water” from this San Francisco Zoo vending machine.

    Thu 11.30.06 (0 comments)

    A federal judge says the Treasury Department is breaking the law because all bills are the same size and therefor, ostensibly, indistinguishable to blind and visually impaired people. First the Treasury Dept. Next the internet. Widespread accessibility to just about everything for people with disabilities will become a big deal in the next few years.

    Wed 11.29.06 (3 comments)

    Johnny-Five.com No further commentary needed.

    Wed 11.29.06 (0 comments)

    Comic book illustrator Dave Cockrum died Sunday (poetically enough) wearing Superman pajamas and covered with a Batman blanket. He’ll be cremated in a Green Lantern shirt. Cockrum helped make the X-Men popular in the 70′s, and his influence on comics and my childhood can’t be underemphasized. (Oddly enough, he and his wife had retired to a little town called Belton, SC, which is about 10 minutes from the house I spent said childhood in.) Sad to see him go.

    Wed 11.29.06 (0 comments)

    Penguin is releasing six classic books with blank covers so readers can create their own, then submit their cover interpretation to an online gallery. This is one of the more brilliant user-generated-content moves I’ve ever seen. And I will be buying and drawing on copies of Crime and Punishment and Magic Tales at some point.

    Wed 11.29.06 (7 comments)

    Jeffrey Zeldman ponders whether Safari is better than Firefox. People, I tried. I honestly did. I tried to use Firefox. It’s just… not… pretty. And why does it render text so poorly?

    Wed 11.29.06 (10 comments)

    “It is only possible to succeed at second-rate pursuits – like becoming a millionaire or a prime minister, winning a war, seducing a beautiful woman, flying through the stratosphere or landing on the moon. First-rate pursuits – involving, as they must, trying to understand what life is about and trying to convey that understanding – inevitably result in a sense of failure. A Napoleon, a Churchill, a Roosevelt can feel themselves to be successful, but never a Socrates, a Pascal, a Blake. Understanding is ever unattainable. Therein lies the inevitability of failure in embarking upon its quest, which is none the less the only one worthy of serious attention.” Malcolm Muggeridge

    One of the more underrated bands of the 90′s (and unfortunately pigeon-holed as “that band with the bee video”), Blind Melon, is back together with a new singer and new songs. Interesting. These sorts of things never seem to work out well, but I’m hopeful.

    Tue 11.28.06 (3 comments)

    Your daily dose of awesomeness.

    Tue 11.28.06 (2 comments)

    Ridiculous Holiday Gift Suggestions

    I can’t help it. I’m just pulled in by their ridiculousness. (If you really want to know what I want for Christmas, look no further than my Gifttagging page.)

    The rundown:

  • Henry the Talking Gnome. This 6″ plush gnome that records up to 12 seconds of audio and repeats it back in a little off-kilter gnome voice. Yes, please.
  • Cole & Son Woods Wallpaper. Cole & Son has a tradition of producing wood blocked wallpaper that goes back to 1875. Today they produce both wood blocked and handprinted wallpaper. If ever I went the wallpaper route, this would be the choice.
  • Eva Solo Breadbox. How can a breadbox possibly be awesome? Like this.
  • Wee Ninja. The sheer fact that this item is viewable most likely means you’re most likely about to die. Wee-ily. But deadly-ily.
  • Type Selector Pantone-style fan guide. It contains 226 fonts from all the major type libraries and each entry features special characters and includes a passage of dummy text to see what it looks like in action.
  • Gothic Dinner Plate Set. The juxtaposition of the detailed Victorian patterns on plain old melamine is nice. I will make and sell plates sometime soon. I must.
  • Stokke Gravity Chair. Quite possibly the coolest recliner that has ever existed in the history of seated positioning. No price – potentially scary. $2000+shipping – not bad. (via Derek Nelson)
  • Tue 11.28.06 (6 comments)

    Tagged: An Entry

    The Sartorialist is inadvertently drawn to the guy that heads Ralph Lauren’s vintage department. Love the style. LOVE THE SARTORIALIST.

    Tue 11.28.06 (2 comments)

    Photos of animals in the womb. Fascinating stuff.

    Tue 11.28.06 (0 comments)

    The Apple Blog has 10 OS X Apps You Might Not Know About But Should. I will be partaking of SpamSieve and Wallet soon. Handy, handy stuff.

    Mon 11.27.06 (0 comments)

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