Achievement unlocked: I made my grandmother’s red velvet cake from scratch tonight. Took a little longer than I planned, since it’s 1:00 in the morning. But it looks like I remember. Hopefully, it will taste like I remember.
Merry Christmas from Team Wertz
27/52: Doodle
This post was originally posted on December 24, 2017 on Sketchbook B. It’s reposted here as part of a project to move some of my favorite writing to my new site.
Escaping the margins.
Each week for a year, I’m designing a shirt and releasing it on my Threadless store. This is the design for week 27.
First of all, Merry Christmas. Today is Christmas Eve and I wish all of you a joyous Christmas and a Happy New Year. I released a couple of Christmas shirts earlier — First Tree and Secret Santa. I released them early so people could have them in time for Christmas if they wanted to order them, so it feels a little odd releasing a non-Christmas shirt on Christmas Eve.
I love to doodle. During a conference call or a long meeting, I’ll fill the margin of my notes with mindless little sketches that just kind of flow from the discussion. Sometimes I’ll sketch ideas out that are stuck in my head. But often, I create patterns. Really detailed patterns that form some kind of shape.
These sketches rarely leave my sketchbook or notes. I once did a massive pattern for an InShow poster, but I don’t use the pattern in my artwork much. When I started to think of ideas for this shirt, I was struggling to finalize an idea that I was happy with when my wife mentioned that she’d love to see me do something with my pattern doodles.
Close up of the pattern.
I broke out the Microns and some smooth, heavyweight paper. And I spent the evening doodling the word “doodle.” I photographed the pattern in sections, assembled it in Photoshop and cleaned it up slightly. I really love the look of the pattern and I need to find other ways to use this technique.
This week’s shirt, Doodle, is best in lighter colors. (Personally, I love the black ink on the white shirt…) You can purchase Doodle from my Treadless store.
Bob Wertz writes about design, technology and pop culture at Sketchbook B. Bob is a Columbia, South Carolina-based designer, creative director, college instructor, husband and dad. He’s particularly obsessed with typography, the creative process and the tools we use to create. He’s currently in the middle of a project to design a new shirt a week for an entire year.
The light rises to meet the dark.
This post was originally posted on December 23, 2017 on Sketchbook B. It’s reposted here as part of a project to move some of my favorite writing to my new site.
Some quick thoughts on The Last Jedi
I saw Star Wars: The Last Jedi for the second time the other night. I caught a late showing on opening night and then a matinee this week with my whole family. I’ve got a few thoughts I want to share… spoiler-filled thoughts…
So if you still haven’t seen the movie, don’t read any further…
…seriously…
…spoilers coming…
…last chance….
…
I really enjoyed The Last Jedi. It has flaws and a couple of scenes seem unnecessary. But it was a blast. Honestly, I think I enjoyed it more than The Force Awakens. It was even better on the second viewing. There are lots of reviews, blog posts and commentary on the internet that break it down in detail. You can read those if you want specific commentary, but I’ve got a couple of things I wanted to mention specifically.
The retreat! The entire movie is a retreat. The rebels are running away and trying everything just to stay alive. I suppose the Empire Strikes Back is somewhat similar, but the retreat from Hoth goes well compared to the retreat in The Last Jedi. At the end of the movie, the entire resistance can fit on the Millennium Falcon.
Evil BB-8! Its name is officially BB-9E, but to me, he’s the evil BB-8. We don’t see much of it, but BB-9E makes the best of the time on screen.*
The ships! I’m one of those science fiction fans that love the space ships. And the production design on The Last Jedi is great. From the Rebel bombers and First Order dreadnaught to Snoke’s ship and Kylo Ren’s Tie Silencer. I can’t wait to head to a bookstore and take a look at the cross sections book and visual encyclopedia for The Last Jedi.
“This is not going to go the way you think.”
— Luke Skywalker
The women! When I was in college, I took a class on gender and language. And one of our assignments was to take an element of popular culture and dissect its use of gender and language. I chose the original Star Wars trilogy.** And other than Leia, only one woman had a speaking part — Mon Mothma in Return of the Jedi. All men. Well, that’s not a problem any more. Many of the main characters in The Last Jedi are women. From main characters to background characters, the new Star Wars world is much richer and more diverse. And the series is better because of it.
The action sequences! Poe’s pyrrhic victory against the dreadnaught. Rey and Kylo fighting back-to-back in Snoke’s chamber. The standoff at Crait with the red sand.*** All beautiful, complex battle scenes that were fun and unpredictable.
Yoda! Snoke’s guards! Porgs! Luke and R2 on the Falcon! Holdo slamming into the First Order fleet at light speed! Everything you just said is wrong! Rey lifting rocks! There’s so much I love about The Last Jedi.
I’m looking forward to seeing where J.J. Abrams takes the series in the next film. I assume that some time will have passed between The Last Jedi and Episode 9. I have a feeling that the plan was for Episode 9 to be all about Leia, but with the loss of Carrie Fisher, I think the focus will be solidly on Rey as leader of a new Jedi Order. But this entire new trilogy has surprised me at every turn, and I’m sure they’ve got something up their sleeve for the final installment of this trilogy.
* I’ve seen the droid’s name jokingly listed as BB-H8, which is hysterical.
** I had the original trilogy on VHS. I’m old.
*** On second viewing, Luke’s feet don’t disturb the red sand. Nice touch.
Bob Wertz writes about design, technology and pop culture at Sketchbook B. Bob is a Columbia, South Carolina-based designer, creative director, college instructor, husband and dad. He’s particularly obsessed with typography, the creative process and the tools we use to create. He’s currently in the middle of a project to design a new shirt a week for an entire year.
26/52: Watch out world
This post was originally posted on December 17, 2017 on Sketchbook B. It’s reposted here as part of a project to move some of my favorite writing to my new site.
Simply determined.
Each week for a year, I’m designing a shirt and releasing it on my Threadless store. This is the design for week 26 and marks the halfway point for my 52 Shirts project.
My oldest became a teenager this week, so it was her turn to work with me to design a shirt.* We had everything completely planned out, but when I finished it, neither of us liked it.** While we sat at the dining room table trying to improve the design, she doodled on a sheet of paper “Watch out world, here I come.”
“What’s that?” I asked, pointing to her doodle.
“I don’t know. Sometimes, you need a plan B, right? It’s always good to have a plan B.”
It was, indeed, time for plan B. I took her phrase and shaped it into an exclamation point.
Norah’s determined. She’s one of those kids who just won’t quit. Smart, strong and kind. “Watch out world, here I come” seemed perfectly appropriate to celebrate her 13th birthday.
You can purchase “Watch out world” from my Threadless store in a wide range of colors. And happy birthday, Norah!
* Now that Norah’s shirt is done, we’ve completed birthday shirts for all of Team Wertz — Me, Jill, Ryan, Liz and now, this shirt for Norah. It’s been fun — and challenging — partnering with each of them on their shirt.
** The original shirt was going to say: “I’m afraid of clowns, snakes and being like everyone else.” Alas, choosing a typeface we both liked proved to be impossible.
Bob Wertz writes about design, technology and pop culture at Sketchbook B. Bob is a Columbia, South Carolina-based designer, creative director, college instructor, husband and dad. He’s particularly obsessed with typography, the creative process and the tools we use to create. He’s currently in the middle of a project to design a new shirt a week for an entire year.
Go Kart selfie
13
Uptown
25/52: Day One
This post was originally posted on December 10, 2017 on Sketchbook B. It’s reposted here as part of a project to move some of my favorite writing to my new site.
The first day of many.
Each week for a year, I’m designing a shirt and releasing it on my Threadless store. This is the design for week 25.
2017 wasn’t a great year for me, but I’ve got a bunch planned for 2018 and I’m really looking forward to the year ahead.
January 1, 2018 is the first day of the new year, but it’s also only one day. One day of 365. We pay special attention to New Year’s Day. We make resolutions and we celebrate the start of a new year — a clean slate. But we need to spend the rest of the year making good on those resolutions and living out those best intentions.
I also need a reminder that one day is only one day. Some days will be really awesome and exceptionally productive. And others will seem like a complete waste of time. But it’s only one day. I can’t get too high or too low. I need to trust the plan and keep working toward my goals.
Day One is my shirt for New Year’s Day, but also for the rest of the year. You can buy Day One on my Threadless store. And here’s to a great 2018.
Bob Wertz writes about design, technology and pop culture at Sketchbook B. Bob is a Columbia, South Carolina-based designer, creative director, college instructor, husband and dad. He’s particularly obsessed with typography, the creative process and the tools we use to create. He’s currently in the middle of a project to design a new shirt a week for an entire year.
What a great night celebrating Liz’s birthday (a little early). Ending the evening by the fire pit.
Liz on the beach at night
24/52: Mountains and Oceans
This post was originally posted on December 3, 2017 on Sketchbook B. It’s reposted here as part of a project to move some of my favorite writing to my new site.
You can love both.
Each week for a year, I’m designing a shirt and releasing it on my Threadless store. This is the design for week 24.
When I started this project, one of the first shirts I sketched out was for my wife’s birthday. I liked the concept, but when I went to execute it… It was fine, but it didn’t look like Liz. So I worked on some other ideas and none of them seemed quite right. Liz has been one of the biggest cheerleaders for this shirt project and I really wanted her shirt to be perfect… it wasn’t.
I took Liz to Hilton Head* to celebrate her birthday and we went for a long walk on the beach. One of the many topics of discussion was our mutual love of both the ocean and the mountains. Liz grew up out west with amazing mountains, but never really went to the ocean. When she moved east, closer to the ocean, Liz discovered that she loved the ocean as much as she loved the mountains.**
I came back to our hotel room and sketched out what would become Liz’s birthday shirt, Mountains and Oceans. You can get Mountains and Oceans — and all the other shirt designs — at my Threadless store.
* Hilton Head in the winter is wonderful. I highly recommend it.
** Living in Columbia, SC, we are two hours from the coast and two hours from Asheville. For people like us who love both the mountains and the sea, being in Columbia is a perfect location.
Bob Wertz writes about design, technology and pop culture at Sketchbook B. Bob is a Columbia, South Carolina-based designer, creative director, college instructor, husband and dad. He’s particularly obsessed with typography, the creative process and the tools we use to create. He’s currently in the middle of a project to design a new shirt a week for an entire year.
Beach view
She’s a little big to climb the tree.
Students on green screen.
23/52: I’M OK
This post was originally posted on November 26, 2017 on Sketchbook B. It’s reposted here as part of a project to move some of my favorite writing to my new site.
Really, I’m fine.
Each week for a year, I’m designing a shirt and releasing it on my Threadless store. This is the design for week 23.
My son Ryan turned 6 this week. And as I mentioned when I designed Jill’s Team Rainbow Unicorn shirt, I let the kids help design the shirt on the week of their birthday.
We locked in very quickly on what the shirt would say. Whenever Ryan falls, stumbles or gets hurt, he immediate shouts “I’m okay!” He started this when he was very little — pretty much when he started to talk. Once, when he fell and smashed out a tooth at daycare, the first thing he said to me when I picked him up was “I’m okay!” Sometimes, he starts saying “I’m okay!” when he starts to fall, before he hits the ground. It’s become like a catchphrase for him.
But what the shirt looked like, though… that was challenging.
At first Ryan wanted something really complicated, with paper airplanes crashing and little stick figures and a speech bubble with “I’m okay.” But I wanted to do something a little cleaner. We went around and around with other ideas. After all the back and forth, we settled on just having “I’M OK” on the shirt. Bold and straightforward.*
Ryan’s shirt — “I’M OK” — is available in a range of colors on Threadless.
* One variation was a bold “I’M OK” all cracked up into pieces. And while it looked cool, and Ryan really liked it, it looked completely depressing, all shattered and broken. It really didn’t fit the message we wanted.
Bob Wertz writes about design, technology and pop culture at Sketchbook B. Bob is a Columbia, South Carolina-based designer, creative director, college instructor, husband and dad. He’s particularly obsessed with typography, the creative process and the tools we use to create. He’s currently in the middle of a project to design a new shirt a week for an entire year.
Blue sweetener? Pink sweetener?
