Typography Tuesday : Ann Patchett on Life

I knew I wanted to highlight this quote which comes right at the end of Ann Patchett's essay Dog Without End (from her wonderful collection This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage) as soon as I read it a few weeks ago. And it's become even more poignant given some pretty sad news we received over the weekend. Yes, the endings will so often break you in half. But yes, all the stuff in between - the life and love and blue skies on winter days - make it worthwhile. I've said it once and I'll say it again, go seek out this book. It's brilliant. 

The font is another from the mix and match Harman family designed by Ahmet Altun - Harman Retro. I reckon the whole font family is pretty ace, worth the investment especially as it's on special right now.

This quote is from another of my favourite authors (who was also introduced to me by my Mum - great taste must be in the genes, right?). It's from Jeanette Winterson's autobiographical novel Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? (excellent title, yes?), which I am currently devouring. 

I adore this quote. There's something about it that just rings true. Play it safe when you're thinking about lunch (a grilled chicken salad, perhaps) but when you're choosing who to love, how to live, fling yourself over that edge. Indeed. 

The font is a lovely skinny hand drawn one from Cindy Kinash. It's called 'Hello I Like You' (excellent name, yes?), and it's only US $20 which I reckon is pretty great value for such a useful font. 

The watercolour bits and bobs are some photoshop brushes by Mindful Pixels, you can get them here, from Creative Market (my new favourite graphic design-y resource-y place). I have downloaded a lot of brushes over the past few months and this set is by far my absolute favourite, and it's only US $5! 

In other news, I have realised photoshop is not a creative tool at all. It is actually a giant black vortex that sucks up masses and masses of time and the next thing you know it's hours past eating-o-clock, your arse is numb, and all you've got to show for it is a squiggle or two. Which you've test viewed in at least 37 different colours. Or is that just me?

Hold onto your hats people - it's a second instalment of a series within a few weeks of the first instalment! Woah! 2013 is totally the year of me doing proper bloggy type things! Go me! 

Anyway, shall we talk about how awesome Margaret Atwood is? Yes, we shall. She is awesome. My mum got me reading her when I was an impressionable youth. I think Cat's Eye was the first Margaret Atwood book I read, when I was about 16 or so. I don't remember much about the book, but I do remember falling in love with the language, the beautiful writing, the ideas. After that I worked my way through her back catalogue, and I've read most things she's written since. 

This is a quote I've had squirrelled away for awhile now. From a time long before this blog, but when I half considered myself a writer of sorts (I've got folders full of half written, very cringe worthy short stories). It's from The Blind Assassin and I think it perfectly captures the process of writing honestly. 'Impossible, of course.' 

The font is Bombshell, designed by Emily Conners - a new favourite for me. It's not a free one (I will feature some free fonts soon, promise) but it's worth every gorgeous cent!

I love typography and I love a good quote - be it funny, moving or just one of those things that make you think 'yes! that's how things are!'. So welcome to Typography Tuesday, a semi-occasional possibly-maybe series (you know I never like to over commit on this blog...) in which I share a quote that's recently caught my eye or ear in some of my favourite fonts. 

We re-watched Muriel's Wedding over the weekend. If you haven't seen it you should. It's an Australian comedy classic. It's ugly and funny, sad and uplifting; all the things a good comedy should be. And Toni Collette as Muriel is so, so great. I'm not a big ABBA fan myself, but this quote struck me. It's one of those brilliantly written bits in a movie that make you chuckle and shed a little tear at the same time. 

The font is Funkydori by Laura Worthington. It's not free, but it's awesome. And as much as I think it's great when we can get fonts for free I also think it's nice to buy a font when you can to support all those amazingly talented designers out there.