The business card, from Versailles to Microsoft Word
“Art is not an object but experience. To be able to perceive it we need to be receptive. Therefore art is there where art meets us now.”
— JOSEF ALBERS
This time we’re colliding Red Wing boots, 52 obsessions, rebranding Superhuman, Grand Theft Auto and mapping the next era of the internet. Please skip around, read what you want to. Find something interesting in your own internet travels? Send me a link
—JH
Article
By Paul Johnson.
10 curious links that would have killed the cat
🎨 [Re]branding Superhuman (and Grammarly and Coda). “It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s an unbelievably complex identity system.” Smith & Diction are one of the best in the branding game so it’s no surprise that this BTS is a pretty fun read.
Medium ∙ Article
🌞 Speaking of branding: Collins’ identity for Sun Day features an (intentionally) incomplete logo. Signifying a climate inflection point, Sun Day’s visual identity communicates the feeling of sitting the sunshine.
It‘s Nice That ∙ Article
🤔 50 Design Ideas You Really Need to Know. I’m a few chapters in. The concepts covered stack nicely. Perfect to keep on the corner of my desk and read a couple 4- to 5-page chapters between things.
Amazon ∙ Book
5️⃣2️⃣ Designer Thomas Moes will have 52 obsessions. Once every weekish he’ll publish a new page about one of his obsessions. He’s up to 16 so far. Really enjoyed reading and looking at his latest on the view out his window.
Thomas Moes ∙ Blog
👀 The BBC visits the Grand Theft Auto office right before launch in 1996. What a time capsule.
YouTube ∙ Video
In our era of automation, craftspeople still guide the whole process.
🥾 A look inside Red Wing’s boot factory. For all 120 years of its operation, Red Wing’s been making boots in Red Wing, Minnesota. Settle in for 18 minutes of mesmerizing dedication to process.
YouTube ∙ Video
🌎 How did the world get so ugly? “If you want to understand any society, don’t listen to what it says about itself. Look at what it creates.” Whoa.
YouTube ∙ Video
💼 A short history of the business card, from Versailles to Microsoft Word. “The first thing I ever designed was a business card. It had a hot pink cheetah print border, and I made it in a Barbie video game. It listed my name and occupation, which, at the ripe age of 8, I decided should be ‘graphic designer.’ ”
The Malin Journal ∙ Article
✍️ It’s insulting to read your AI-generated blog post. Speaking personally, I’m not interested in coaching ChatGPT into being a writer. I want to be the writer. I could stand to grow as a coach—but for me, thanks very much.
Pablo Enoc ∙ Article
⚙️ When design drives behavior. From one of the founders of Basecamp (we use it): “The most interesting designs to me are when design changes your behavior. Take the power reserve indicator on the A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 watch.” Fascinating and insightful.
Jason Fried ∙ Article
in Greenville, SC
🗓️ The final session of PathCamp is coming up on November 20. That’s one week before Thanksgiving.
We’ll take you inside the Lab at Pathwright to show a huge update to Home and a new feature called Cover Pages. It’ll be an exclusive look we haven’t shared anywhere yet.
This is the perfect session to bring anyone who works with you on course design or branding to—they won’t want to miss it.
It’s turned chilly here at HQ. Yesterday’s team meeting kicked off with swapping fire pit recommendations. As I look out the window next to my own work spot, I see my neighborhood’s 100-foot trees full of red and orange leaves. I’m enjoying it before the inevitable fall storm blows them all off.
I’m taking more walks while those leaves are still here. Also working through my Letterboxd watchlist on the chilly nights. Just made my kids watch Holes—it still slaps. Have any recommendations I should get to?
High five,
Justin Hall
Editor, Partner at Pathwright