DEPICTIONIST

Photo

Fri, 17 May 2013 23:22:23 -0400

Photo

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:23:28 -0400

Quantitative vs. Qualitative Storytelling

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:44:09 -0400

Days, the visual journal from the team over at Wander, has been out for a little over a week publicly and I’ve enjoyed actively using it each day. As a young(-ish) father, husband, and professional, exciting things are happening all the time that I want to capture to remember—be it my wife’s new braids and earrings combo, the mess that our baby made eating dinner, the crazy outfit our toddler pulled together, progress on an interesting project I’m working on at work, or even just interesting and beautiful things that I see every day walking around this amazing city.

Days has created a platform to do just this—and, really, only this, to its credit. The app is fun, engaging, and inviting to use. I’ve found myself more connected to what I’m doing, noticing both the special and the mundane-but-meaningful moments and capturing it.

Currently the in-app process is a little slow and cumbersome—to the point that it almost feels like I’m removing myself from my day in order to document it—but the payoff right now is worth it to me. And I trust that some of these early kinks will get worked out and refined in subsequent releases.

The thing that concerns me about the app more than anything else though is not actually the app itself, but the trend that it represents. We are constantly recording data. Now, more than ever before, we have a digital trail of our every movement—quite literally in some cases—our passing thoughts on twitter, our interests on tumblr, our picture worthy moments on Instagram… there is great value in all these platforms but my fear is that they encourage the celebration of the fleeting, quantitative data. Where’s the platform for qualitative? Ok, look, I know they exist but they’re not near as widespread or easy to jump into. Why? Because analysis is hard. And as a society it feels like we’re gravitating away from deep thought.

In Days, the old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words is truly showcased and I love that—I can see the gist of my day’s activities in nine or so photos grouped together in an aesthetic little grid. And most likely I can remember what I was feeling in those moments. But, to grab hold of the bigger and deeper picture, often a thousand pictures cannot do what a few simple words can.

Writing gives us the opportunity to stop, to slow down, to reflect, to understand what is going on in the world and in our heads and in our hearts. Pictures—especially those taken on our phones in rapid gif-enabling succession—almost encourage the opposite: click, click, click, click and go.

It’s not on Days or any other app to help me slow down and think, and feel, and care. Days does an incredible job at what it proposes to do. But almost as much as I’ve enjoyed using it for what it’s good at, I’ve been thinking about the areas where the app, myself, and perhaps us as a society have fallen short. No technology can properly replace pondering prayer or meditation and documentation of the thoughts, feelings, emotions, and insights gained during those moments of contemplation.

Zeros and ones cannot quantify the whole of me. Honestly, thankfully now it can capture a lot of me, but lets not trick ourselves into thinking quantitative data equals a complete journal. Its fun to go back and look at old pictures—see how beautiful mom or gandma was back in the day. But, even these gems of photographic history can pale in comparison to a faded journal entry of a loved one where we can become transported into their minds and hearts at the moment they were sitting alone in a room working through the beautiful complexities of their mind through pen on paper.

So, seriously, go download Days. I’m pretty sure you’ll be glad that you did. But, don’t forget to write sometimes. The two together will truly be a meaningful masterpiece to look back on in days down the road.

Cats, fashion, neon Japanese typography, rad. (at Mercer St)

Wed, 08 May 2013 18:10:37 -0400

Cats, fashion, neon Japanese typography, rad. (at Mercer St)

DAYS! #daysapp (at days.am.app)

Fri, 03 May 2013 15:28:48 -0400

DAYS! #daysapp (at days.am.app)

explore-blog: Simple, stirring cover by Boston magazine design...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:31:21 -0400

explore-blog:

Simple, stirring cover by Boston magazine design director Brian Struble using actual running shoes worn in last week’s Boston marathon.

I am. #biographicalprints

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 14:38:04 -0400

I am. #biographicalprints

2D sandboxing with illustrations created for @sandboxr. (at...

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 17:45:31 -0400

2D sandboxing with illustrations created for @sandboxr. (at Varsity Studio)

VARSITY: Sandboxr Kickstarter Launch

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:34:04 -0400

VARSITY: Sandboxr Kickstarter Launch:

varsity-studio:

Over the past few months, Varsity has been working with Sandboxr to develop their brand, user experience/app/etc, and user touch points such as the website—some of which have made it on here in the past. So these dudes just launched their Kickstarter campaign and we definitely think…

Up stupid late reworking portfolio pieces. #illustration...

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 03:31:05 -0500

Up stupid late reworking portfolio pieces. #illustration #dennisrodman #basketball (at Varsity Studio)

supersonicssoul: of all the players I idolized growing up, DB...

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 01:04:06 -0500

supersonicssoul:

of all the players I idolized growing up, DB was my man. Not topping 4” until nearly junior high may have had something to do with that. Also, at the height of my adoration I went to this game where he was amazing—three pointers, alley-oops, player of the game—and I got his autograph afterwards. For an 11 year old, I’m not sure it gets any better…

man.

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 12:37:54 -0500

man.

Happy 50th to the GOAT and thank you for inspiring that dream of...

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:41:09 -0500

Happy 50th to the GOAT and thank you for inspiring that dream of greatness in us all. (at Varsity Studio)

@Sandboxr Launch party tonight! If you’re in SLC find a...

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 03:49:36 -0500

@Sandboxr Launch party tonight! If you’re in SLC find a way to get here. Sounds like its going to be amazing.

Quick mockup—getting ready for Feb 1 launch @sandboxr...

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 19:22:38 -0500

Quick mockup—getting ready for Feb 1 launch @sandboxr @varsitystudio (at Varsity Studio)

Up late. Getting closer. @sandboxr @varsitystudio #design...

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 03:39:13 -0500

Up late. Getting closer. @sandboxr @varsitystudio #design #pattern #illustration (at Varsity Studio)

CREATE with @sandboxr #sketches

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 18:20:00 -0500

CREATE with @sandboxr #sketches

Sketch: Face on wood grain (at Varsity Studio)

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 13:44:44 -0500

Sketch: Face on wood grain (at Varsity Studio)

We know how it feels. #sactown #sonics

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 16:09:53 -0500

We know how it feels. #sactown #sonics

Tail of two cities #packing

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 17:24:26 -0500

Tail of two cities #packing