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Writing & research for graphic designers
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you find me at a conference sitting alone as other
designers point and whisper, “Oh, yes, it’s true. He
has a secret thing for the chunky type.”
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section 2
surveying the diciplines
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Lubalin was neither modern
nor post-modern, he typifies
the ecclectic approach to graphic
design, with a nod toward the
decorative in past styles from
Victorian and Art Nouveau
preiods. Here are some that he
and other designers created
under his art direction.
Sean Adams Talks about Blogging
Partner, Adams Morioka
Your blog posts on BurningSettlersCabin.com are often under
300 words. Why?
Simply, people don’t read long posts. If I need deep information, I’ll
go to Design Observer. I consider Burning Settlers Cabin the easy-read
version of DO. I also have a full-time job and teach, so I don’t have
time for 2,500-word posts.
How many times do you rewrite your blog posts?
Rarely. I might go back and fix a grammatical or spelling issue, but the
posts are closer to stream of consciousness than actual writing (as you can
plainly read). The point of the blog was to provide me an opportunity
to talk about things that interest me and state my personal opinion. If
someone dislikes a post or disagrees with a political stance, that post
will be replaced with another one within a day or two. I find it works
best for me to not overthink or overwrite a post.
What triggers a blog idea?
I’d like to say that I scour the library, or drive through Los Angeles
searching for interesting ideas. But that would be a lie. If my brain were
to be scanned, I believe it would prove that I have a giant iPhoto album
in place of cognitive processes. The blog gives me a chance to do something
when my mind is stuck in a Saul Bass, Hawaii 5-0, or Tomorrowland cycle.
I do my best to rotate the themes such as graphic design, film, or history
on a daily basis. This helps to focus the idea. Today is a film day; I’ll talk
about A Summer Place. The issue for me is not a lack of ideas, but a surplus
of bad ideas.
Your posts are always in the first person. Have you every written in
the second or third?
No, that would be like having a conversation and using the third person
when discussing myself. The blog is my voice. As stated on DVDs, the
opinions stated do not reflect the view of the management. As I am not
God and omniscient, first person is appropriate when I am yammering on
about my views.
What is the most satisfying part of blogging?
I don’t approach the blog concerned about increasing readership. If I
did that, I would end up posting innocuous ideas that wouldn’t offend
anyone, just like network sitcoms. It gives me a venue to talk about
anything I want and say whatever I believe. That sounds like the basis
of good democracy.
PART SEVEN : BLOG
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Writing & research for graphic designers
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In writing his Burning Settlers
Cabin blog, Sean Adams
locates informational and
ecclectic visuals to illustrate
his routinely short posts.
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Why do you blog?
I blog for three reasons: one, to work through and test out theories or
concepts that I’m wrestling with in my “official” stories (“official” meaning
the ones I get paid to write); two, I use my blog as a way to promote events
and other real-life happenings that I’m either speaking at or helping to
organize; three, I write to share little snippets of the world that I encounter
and I want to pass along because they’re beautiful, or funny, or poignant, or
weird. There’s definitely plenty of weird on my blog.
Do you prefer blogging to other forms of writing?
Besides tweeting, if you can count that as a form of writing, it’s absolutely
my favorite. There are many (many) merits to writing for print publications,
of course. But there’s nothing better than hitting Publish, dropping the
link onto Facebook and Twitter, and watching the story find its way into
the world. I love the instant reaction I get from my readers, and how they
express delight or disappointment for my story. And I love watching the
trail it leaves as it gets passed along from one person to another. It’s pretty
amazing that writers can track all that now.
Why do you call your blog
A Walker in LA
?
Believe it or not, my blog has been recently renamed. I started it with
the name Gelatobaby when I launched it, which was supposed to serve as a
reminder of an incredible trip to Italy that jumpstarted my writing career.
But over the years I went through many personal changes: getting rid of my
car, walking more, shifting toward being interested in cities and transpor-
tation—and all of those found their way onto the blog. In a way, the blog
opened up a whole new world of writing for me. So I wanted to come up
with a new name that fit the writer I am today. Plus, since my last name is
Walker, I now have some powerful brand synergy!
What prompts an idea for
A Walker in LA
?
I started my blog to explore ideas that I didn’t get paid to write. Most
often, a post comes from something I see on the streets while walking in
Los Angeles. What usually happens is I see something out in the urban
… there’s nothing better than hitting Publish, dropping the
link onto Facebook and Twitter, and watching the story find
its way into the world.
Alissa Walker Talks about Her Favorite Form of Writing
Alissa Walker is a writer and USC Annenberg Getty Arts Journalism Fellow.
environment, snap a photo with my iPhone, come home, and stare at the
photo and wonder, “Now, why is that?”
Does your approach to writing change in the blog format?
I have a special blog voice that is far more accessible and conversational
(and dare I say funny?) than my other writings. I feel like I can really be
myself on my own blog. I can play around with language, I can make
inappropriate jokes—I can take risks here because it’s my place.
Do you believe the blog form will lead to something else?
So many people are already saying that the blog is dead; that Tumblr and
Twitter and whatever else have killed it. But I don’t see blogging going
anywhere. I still stumble across the most wonderful stories by writers I’ve
never heard of before. What I’d like to see is a system for paying for great
stories, maybe like Amazon’s Kindle Single program or like iTunes, where
you could sell your best work for a dollar. I’d like to be able to make money
on my own blogging, but I feel like selling advertising isn’t right for me.
PART SEVEN : BLOG
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