Pen and Link

Thsrs

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Ernest Hemingway once wrote a story in six words, and claimed it was the best thing he ever wrote. None of the words was more that two syllables long.

If you’d like to write like Hemmingway, try “Thsrs”. It’s a thesaurus that only returns shorter, simpler words.

Finding Value in a World of Free Stuff

200809122054.jpgThe modern internet is little more than two decades old, but we’ve adapted fast. Concepts that might have seemed preposterous a generation ago – instantaneous global communication, for example, or Google searches – have quickly become a part of everyday life. It’s been a remarkably smooth transition, for the most part.

But for people who create content, things have been a little bumpier. Artists, writers, musicians and other creative types have found that we need to rethink the rules for what we make. Our audience has new expectations. Digital content is immediate, abundant, easily archived and shared, and pretty much everyone wants it for free.

But what is free content worth? What, for example, is Pen & Link worth? I’ve been thinking about this a lot.

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Colored Pencils as Reviewed by a Computer Magazine

This cracked me up. Then again, I’m a geek.

Nicole Gastonguay

200809121424.jpgRemember the shock of seeing your third grade teacher in the supermarket … with her husband? This was how I felt when I discovered that Nicole Gastonguay, the graphic designer at Walker and Co. who so carefully crafted my Backbeard and Lion’s Share books, has a life of her own. She sews Salisbury steak. Also, hot dogs and spray can cozies. Who knew? Be sure to check out her gallery.

How They Made HBO In The Old Days

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Recently, I was talking to my illustration students about what it was like back in the dark ages, before Photoshop and Illustrator ruled our world. One of my students asked how they managed to do the all the stuff they did before they had computers. I could think of no better example than this video, a making-of featurette on the “new” HBO TV intro from 1983.

(Read more…)

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