Hello again โ happy July ๐
In a thrilling (and slightly nerve-wracking) first, Iโm starting this monthโs round-up with something Iโve made. Human connection! Sharing! Mild terror! ๐ฑ
Accidental Pizza Typography ๐
I was on a walk to a pizza place and encountered the wonderful sign below ๐

It was like finding Van Goghโs Sunflowers in a skip. The composition, materials, and colours were all accidentally beautiful, to me. Sorta like the Nandoโs font, created from hand-painted lettering.
Soon, I was home, still recovering from a vegan โnduja and hot honey pizza. Picture me, eyes watering, nose running โ not from emotion, but my embarrassingly low spice tolerance.
Riding the wave of chilli-induced delirium, the following designs flopped out of my brain:
First, the obligatory pizza box mockup. It feels like it just about avoids the โransom letterโ look. Or โChillerโ from Microsoft Office 2007 โ if you know, you know.
Next, an enjoyably angsty album cover, if I do say so. It certainly wouldโve passed as a university project if I slapped a hundred pages of โresearchโ on top. With thanks to Kuro for the vinyl mockup.
Iโm not saying that these random experiments are flawless and beautiful, but it hopefully serves as a reminder that design inspiration really is everywhere. And when the moment strikes, take a second to snap the photo or make the sketch, begin a new creative experiment, and maybe send it to a hundred strangers via email.
Hand-crafted Election Coverage ๐
Itโs election time, here in the UK. Weโre all braced for swingometers, endless interviews, and elaborate virtual sets. Itโs Nice That interviewed Chris Clarke, The Guardianโs creative director of editorial design, about this yearโs election coverage illustrations. In an age where AI can instantly generate alternate realities, the reassuring tactility of the โrough and readyโ is an obvious, but satisfying approach.
Why shitty robots are the antidote to perfectionism ๐ชฅ
Iโve followed Simone Giertz on YouTube since her โshitty robotโ debut in 2015. But I didnโt know back then that these ideas were fuelled by her fear of failure, and that lowering the bar was her way forward. It reminds me strongly of my performance anxiety during university, and that the best project I ever made was when I tried to make the worst outcome possible. I should probably write about that.
Conclusion
Thanks for reading โ all 100 of you! ๐ฅณ
While itโs pretty common to have a few hundred Facebook friends or Instagram followers, thereโs something really special about 100 people letting me unceremoniously plop myself into their inbox each month.
And while I try not to measure this project in metrics and arbitrary milestones, reaching 100 feels like Iโve graduated from โshouting into the voidโ to โwriting to a large group of friendsโ. Nice. Cozy.
Bestest wishy-wishes,
Tom ๐ข
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