In a noisy world, you have to constantly look to increase the signal to noise ratio. One way to do this, is by establishing some sensible defaults in your life. Sensible Defaults is a series of articles that are helping me work through things in my life and hopefully they can also help you.
We have created a world that has erected invisible borders. The Emigrant’s Manifesto is for all those looking to transient those border.
Built Environment
I’m the writer/illustrator behind Stet, a website dedicated to bringing concise publications about the built environment. The first publication is the Stet Newsletter ➔, which you should totally subscribe to. It is currently on hiatus but I am looking at bringing it back soon.
The inaugural volume of the Built Environment Compendium ➔ (BEC) is the first in an ongoing series of concise books covering topics that define our built environment. We all enter a world that existed well before any of us. We are the heirs to what was built before us. We are the benefactors of its future.
Short Stories
The Mark is a short story written in November 2019. I really enjoyed the process which was writing around 50 words a day, and crucially not knowing where the story would end until after reaching half way through the actual story.
Sub was written in November 2020. As the previous year, it was written without a clear idea of where it was going. Written 50 words a day.
The Summer of Disruption was written in November 2022. Unlike previous years, this one was based on a true story. My family’s story of moving to Canada.
Colours was an idea I came up with back when I was 21. For years I could not work out how to actively tell it. Finally I’ve decided to tell it as a novella (maybe even a full sized novel eventually).
Design
Actions Calendar is my favourite calendar design for tracking actions. I don’t update it every year, but I wish I could make a web version of this design.
The Flag of Pangea is for people like me, who try and travel the world as if living in Pangea.
Comics
Moon Racket! is an all-ages comic strip about Corgan and Alfie who live on the Moon — eating cheese & making noise.
Coffee Beans ➔ is a 4 page short graphic story was created as part of the Observer/Comica/ Jonathan Cape ‘Short Graphic Story’ competition in 2009. Sadly the entry didn’t win, but I still like the story. This was my first full comic book story I’ve written and drawn.
Typography
A Short Primer on Web Typography ➔ was a video I created for Micro.blog as part of the Micro Camp virtual conference and my first video on YouTube.
KAA Type is my first typeface, based on my own handwriting.
