Stephen Caver

A Signature Cadence

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 12:06:00 -0800

Do this. Take a moment to look on one of your favorite websites or weblogs and look for where they choose to sound like a friend you bumped into at the coffee shop. Once you start looking for it, it stands out.

Adoption Day

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:14:00 -0800

Adoption Day:

Congratulations, Eric.

gridr buildrrr

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:20:44 -0800

gridr buildrrr:

Incredibly Helpful. Why there isn’t something like this built into photoshop I have no idea.

NYTimes: Which Is the Most Corrupt State? Not Illinois…

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 08:02:27 -0800

NYTimes: Which Is the Most Corrupt State? Not Illinois…:

Anyone surprised with the winner of the convictions per capita contest? Not me.

W3C Validators in Jeopardy

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:46:46 -0800

W3C Validators in Jeopardy:

“It’s come to pass that the funding necessary to maintain and grow validation services at the W3C has become overwhelming to the W3C’s operational budget. As such, the validators are in jeopardy.”

Writing My Twitter Etiquette Article: 14 Ways to Use Twitter Politely

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:12:18 -0800

Writing My Twitter Etiquette Article: 14 Ways to Use Twitter Politely

McSweeney's Internet Tendency: Fifty Years of Popular Songs Condensed Into Single Sentences.

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:00:14 -0800

McSweeney's Internet Tendency: Fifty Years of Popular Songs Condensed Into Single Sentences.

Chris Pullman: What I've Learned

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:52:43 -0800

Chris Pullman: What I've Learned

Jeffrey Zeldman: 20 signs you don’t want that web design project

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:52:15 -0800

Jeffrey Zeldman: 20 signs you don’t want that web design project

Flexible Fuel: Educating the Client on IA

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:26:49 -0800

Flexible Fuel: Educating the Client on IA

Letters & Ligatures

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:24:00 -0800

One thing about designing for the web is that there is no physical artifacts of our work beyond the computer screen; our work exists in a cloud. And while Airbaggers will sometimes lick the screen when we’re looking at particularly hawt web design, there is an eternally intangible aspect to a designed website.

Which is why I have a fascination with physically produced work, particularly typographic work. I was fortunate enough to visit, along with Mr. Dorny and Mr. Shea and their significant others, Shepard Fairey’s Subliminal Projects gallery to see House Industries exhibition Letters & Ligatures. While the gallery description on the Subliminal Projects website will speak of the importance and context that language plays in our society I find it much more interesting to see the physical manifestations of the type.

At the gallery type is displayed in a wide array of forms, from mounted on the wall, hanging from the ceiling or displayed on blocks. The variety of physical manifestation also spanned the spectrum: Rusted metal plates, cast iron sculptures, wood cutting blocks, and fabric. Each material imparts to the type it’s own characteristics and flair. Web designers often try to reproduce the effect of tangible materials, but nothing comes quite up to par with the real thing.

I was also reminded that design work does not exist in a bubble. Interestingly enough, Subliminal Projects is located very close to one of my favorite spots in LA — Dodger Stadium. And guess whose type was being used on the Dodgers billboards across the street from Subliminal Projects? That’s right, House Industries Type.

Letters & Ligatures will remain open through to the fifth of December, so if you’re in the Los Angeles area I highly recommend checking it out.

Pownce to shut down after Six Apart sale

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:01:05 -0800

Pownce to shut down after Six Apart sale:

Pownce was a good service, I just never was able to find a place for it in my social networking sphere. Sorry to see it go.

Unique Los Angeles

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:53:14 -0800

Unique Los Angeles:

LA design and gift sale from local designers and shops.

Five Simple Steps

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:51:51 -0800

Five Simple Steps:

Mark Boulton’s upcoming book on designing for the web.

24 ways

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:20:55 -0800

24 ways:

Noteworthy redesign for the 2008 edition.

Worker dies at Long Island Wal-Mart after being trampled in Black Friday stampede

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 14:12:30 -0800

Worker dies at Long Island Wal-Mart after being trampled in Black Friday stampede:

If you stampeded yourself into any of these stores this morning, you should be ashamed of yourself.

Mozak: Impressive work from twenty-two year old Bulgarian artist...

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:04:00 -0800

Mozak: Impressive work from twenty-two year old Bulgarian artist Kaloian Toshev

Jeffrey Zeldman: Create context, not art.

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:01:54 -0800

Jeffrey Zeldman: Create context, not art.:

Plus one.

keyboardr

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:32:06 -0800

keyboardr:

A meta-search tool that focuses on keyboard controls.

When Twitter Met Facebook: The Acquisition Deal That Fail-Whaled

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:23:58 -0800

When Twitter Met Facebook: The Acquisition Deal That Fail-Whaled:

I would hate to see Twitter get acquired by Facebook. The two companies have dramatically different perspectives on social networking. Twitter defines simple while Facebook defines all encompassing. In my opinion, Facebook would eventually run Twitter into the ground.