Studio Notes #53

Hey there, Buddies. Here's issue #53 of Studio Notes™—quick bits delivered to you each Friday. 

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Captivating scenes from Marina Minis. The artist meticulously handcrafts miniature diorama "sets" and lights them like a film stage. The level of detail and the mood they create is tremendous. Little things that look like believable, life-sized things are always so impressive.

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I was obsessed with Tron since it came out in 1982. I even took a blue marker to the indentations of my hockey helmet and a Frisbee and pretended I was on The Grid when I was 8-years old. The nerdy nostalgia for early computers, lo-res games, and analog synths is real. I equally loved Tron: Legacy, and it was because of that film that my son Jack and I have had a bond about Tron in general ever since. So, tonight, the whole family went out to see Tron: Ares in 3D IMAX. We were nervous having seen some of the early reviews. But Tron movies have never been great critical successes. They fill a "feeling" of digital geekery and tech that's not exactly universal. I can say, without spoilers, that I really really enjoyed Ares. It has plenty of subtle and not-so-subtle connections to the previous films, but also branches out on its own with incredible visuals and score. Highly recommend seeing this in 3D IMAX for maximum immersion. Hopeful this one does well so we can visit the grid a fourth time. ★★★★½

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And speaking of Tron: Ares, its director, Joachim Rønning, was just announced to direct an upcoming documentary called Keys of Life. It'll document the life of a C. Bechstein piano that songs like "Hey Jude", Bowie's "Life on Mars", "You're So Vain", Elton's "Your Song", and more were recorded on at Trident Studios in London. A documentary about a very specific instrument from its creation to its mysterious vanishing sounds right up my alley.

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We recently visited the Vermont Country Store in Weston, VT—a place I have many memories of growing up nearby. The place is a time machine! Some of it untouched for decades, except for the goods it sells, of course. But something worth noting if you're ever in the area of Southern/Central Vermont: The store is an absolute goldmine for vintage typography. Posters and signs hang on the walls throughout the massive store, often great examples of wood block type from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It's worth the visit for that alone if you're into historic lettering.

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What are you working on?

Still chipping away at Clauthbound and started on adding a sizable collection of extra glyphs that fit in with the style of the letters. Common typographic symbols as well as some classic icons that could feel right at home being foil stamped in a clothbound book cover along with the text. Going to make this a bit more expanded than usual!

Have a great weekend, friends.

Cheers,