The Roundup: May

It’s roundup time once again! This month it’s a short list because I’ve been away and trying to focus on doing some internal soul searching. But everything on this short shortlist is well worth a read if you’re in need of insight or inspiration.

Short reads

Forget Tiny Houses—Try Miniature Sculptures

This video interview with Kath Holden, who transforms the world around her into immaculately rendered miniatures—a departure from the enduring trend of creating Victorian dollhouses or other period-inspired miniatures, brought me a lot of joy this month.

“On my way!” vs. “omw”

“Apple’s default auto text replacement of omw to “On my way!” may seem innocuous, but this feature actually invokes an existential crisis for many members of the internet generation.” Maarya Abbasi unpicks the dangers that lie in the design of defaults.

Literary Paper Dolls: Franny

Julia Berick of The Paris Review has paired up with illustrator Jenny Kroik to produce “what us bookworm-clotheshorse child-adults have always wanted: literary paper dolls”. The first in the series is J.D. Salinger’s Franny, and let me just say I’m more than a little bit excited.

Long reads

Tasting East London Through Its Fast Food Typography

I love anything that asks me to look at the world around me, particularly things I’m familiar with, a little bit differently. So this exploration of a neighborhood I used to live in through its letterforms piqued my interest and I’m so glad it did because it’s opened up a whole new world of signs to me.

“Be yourself” is terrible advice

““Be yourself” is the kind of empty self-help mandate uttered by such disparate artists as Audioslave and Oprah; something that that is typically (and ironically) advised before coming into contact with strangers” says Leah Finnegan.

Technology Is as Biased as Its Makers

From exploding Ford Pintos to racist algorithms, all harmful technologies are a product of unethical design. Yet, like car companies in the ’70s, today’s tech companies would rather blame the user.

The Creative Future Report

Adobe’s 99U asked more than 3,600 creatives what excites them, what scares them, and what they need in order to do their best work. Here’s what they found ft. some fun graphics.

Judith Kerr on fleeing Hitler, working at 94 and ‘The Tiger Who Came To Tea’

After the incredibly sad passing of one of my favourite childhood illustrators and authors Judith Kerr, I wanted to share one of my favourite interviews and articles about her from the FT where she spoke to Simon Kuper about her family’s escape from the Nazi’s, and it’s impact on their life and her work.

Eye Candy

@norakrug

This month Nora Krug (whose illustrations I adore) was chosen as this year’s Moira Gemmill Illustrator of the Year, and as Book Illustration Prize Winner by London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. So I felt there could be no better time to share her work with you all in case you’ve not encountered it before. FYI most of these images aren’t actually from her instagram.

@kmsalvagedesign

Kristen Meyer’s collages and multimedia artworks are meticulously put together. Her ability to bring order to chaos and create art within fixed bounds is incredible.

Natalie