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Inktober inspiration motivation movies

Climb

Have you ever had one of those weeks? Don’t let go. Keep your eye on the goal, pray and keep climbing – one rung at a time. You’ll get there. Trust me.

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illustration Inktober inspiration

Trail

“I would encourage you to set really high goals. Set goals that, when you set them, you think they’re impossible. But then every day you can work towards them, and anything is possible, so keep working hard and follow your dreams.” – Katie Ledecky

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design graphic design inspiration Inventions kids typography

Free Typeface: Chasic New

Last night, my youngest son, Chase, had an unusual request. While reading one of his ‘Big Nate’ books, he commented on how time-consuming and difficult it was to make a comic because of all the illustration but especially – the hand lettering (he had worked on his own comic page earlier in the day, so he was talking from […]

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illustration Inktober inspiration memories teaching

Magister

Once in a while I reminisce about my school days and think about those teachers in my life who most inspired me to learn. Ed Axtmann was one such teacher. His deep baritone, rumbled along with a hint of old country German as he recited countless verb conjugations in Latin. He was an animated presence, often […]

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Hollywood ideas illustration Inktober inspiration motivation

Dreamers

One of my family’s favorite movies of late would have to be Ben Stiller’s The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Aside from a catchy soundtrack, the story is inspiring and motivational. I think one of the central themes of the film is that it’s okay to dream, but until you start moving forward with a […]

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Halloween illustration Inktober inspiration

Gored Gourds

Once the pumpkins are gutted, everyone craves the carve. We have four orange canvases that will be creatively transformed at some point this week. Every year I aspire to create something more Ray Villafane, but end up with a standard, three-holed lantern with a slightly unpleasant expression.

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baseball illustration Inktober inspiration sports

Farewell Cruise

October means fall and postseason baseball. Although New York never had a shot at the pennant this season, one of their greatest players retired this week after twenty years as a Yankee. I don’t watch a lot of TV, but I did happen to catch his last home game at bat and all I can say is ‘poetic’. I never […]

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America inspiration politics

Patriot: Dirty Job

  I’ve always enjoyed Ford and Grainger’s deeply-baritoned Everyman Mike Rowe. His celebratory respect for the full-time ethics of the average, hard-working, blue collar American is the antithesis of the elite upper class. Maybe that’s why they seem to hate him. Lately he’s had to explain and defend his personal and political beliefs to irate […]

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design inspiration

Creative Juices

There’s a popular misconception that some people have about creatives. They assume that they’re always creative. That they only need to push a button and BOOM –  instant creativity. I’ll be the first to admit that it’s simply not that way (though at times I wish it were). Creatives are not machines. Their output can’t […]

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creativity ideas inspiration

Ideation

A blank page is liberating but can also be very intimidating. When tasked with coming up with ideas and creative solutions there are often road blocks. I think every creative is seeking that surefire way to push past these obstacles when often the answer is at the end of their pencil. Transposing any and every […]