abstractLatte - fresh words + conversation

I'm sure you can imagine...

2010-01-04T19:38:00.006-05:00

Whoever invented chalk certainly did not have this in mind."

(for the background story behind these articles, click here)

an interesting story or just a door?

2010-01-02T19:57:00.006-05:00

[originally published July 9, 2009]

Inspect the door in the photograph, discover its intricacies, and consider...how many times has this door been opened/closed, who constructed the door, who created the elaborate door knob, how many pedestrians has this door seen walk past it? Think about the possibilities, realistic or ridiculous.

The subject of this photograph is a simple door in Harpers Ferry, WV; the basic function of a door is something familiar to all of us. But this exercise isn't about a door, it's about the "what ifs" behind an object. We go through life allowing most of what we see to pass through our brains as quickly as a single exhaled puff of cigarette smoke fades into its surroundings. It's a natural reaction, we can't truly look at everything we pass by in a given day. But what could we discover if we took a moment to experience just one random observation?

The purpose of the building that this door belongs to is unfortunately lost in the recesses of my memory. Fortunately, an object as weathered as this one has many stories to tell, even if they are fiction."

"Va La!"

2010-01-02T10:37:00.002-05:00

[orginally published July 19th, 2009]

I'm a wino...as in "wine? oh...definitely!". That means I enjoy a new adventure when it comes to the marvelous grapes that constitute the tasting experience. A few weeks ago, a new adventure is exactly what I found for in Pennsylvania there is a vineyard called Va La...

Their name is a tribute to a village called Giusvalla, located in northern Italy, the starting point of their family's immigration; the phrase "va la" means "go there" in formal Italian but their dialect aspires to a more "abrupt" meaning loaded in polite sarcasm. And that's where it begins. Their website is sarcasm at its best and the tasting experience includes more of the same but is saturated with interesting knowledge about their wines, along with an unforgettable tasting. Being from Virginia, I'm more than familiar with wine made in the Bordeaux style so Va La's Italian approach is a treat; it is, to say the least, many, many minutes of flavor explosions on the palette. And since food pairings are always on the Va La brain during the wine making process, the tastings include small samples of food (not crackers!) so that you get the full experience that their bottles have to offer.

So I purchased a glass and am going on record to say that I've never enjoyed an individual glass of wine as much as I enjoyed theirs. I swirled the wine in the glass, buried my nose to consume the aroma, held the glass up high to appreciate the color, sipped...then swirled again, buried, held, sipped, more sipping, more swirling...well, you get the point. Each glass deserves some time and that is why this vineyard should not serve as the final stop in a long day of wine tasting; I wouldn't do more than one other vineyard before or after Va La.

And since Va La has so much to offer, I will leave you to explore their website. There are too many gems of sarcasm and information sprinkled throughout the site for me to ruin the surprise by bastardizing the experience any more than I already have. So go ahead, discover for yourself. But I will say this...if you love wine, go to Va La. Don't "think about it", don't "check your schedule"...just go, it's worth the trip.

http://www.valavineyards.com/

By the way, when you waltz up to the tasting bar and receive that first glorious pour, do me a favor...remember to ask for the monkey cheese!"

fifty-two {a study of words and their meanings}

2009-12-30T20:12:00.005-05:00

Although I've started a series of posts about interesting words and their definitions called "typographic paint", I want to revive a previous idea I had in regards to words and their definitions. So, I give you..."fifty-two {a study of words and their meanings}".

I'm still going to draw the words...or maybe use collage...and possibly found letters, in order to convey their definitions. Each handmade treatment will support the word's definition while providing a bit of contrast between digital type and a sense of humanity. Every week a new image and hopefully, a new understanding of how letters communicate.

...{first word coming February 2010}...

the Latte is back!

2009-12-30T19:06:00.008-05:00

...I know, I know, no posts for months. Well, I needed a break. A long break. And, I felt as if the Latte needed to be recaffeinated, which wasn't an easy task. I also had to decide if it was time to move on or time to dig in.

At the end of this long and arduous thought process, I decided it was time to dig in and give the Latte a bit of an overhaul.

You'll probably notice a few changes...to the navigation, the portfolio, the content in general. I'm reworking the blog to focus more on my writing niches; I'm also trying to use it as a freelance portfolio without giving it a portfolio feel. I'll slowly add to the portfolio section over the next several days and I'll be deleting a few posts here and there, mostly older stuff, generally the stuff that deals exclusively with photography, painting, etc.

[edit, 1-06-10]

I'll also republish two articles since they truly reflect my style of creative writing and overall approach towards written interpretation. Why? I really want 2010 to be about creative writing. Period. No excessive updates, no art for art's sake. Everything will have a function within this blog space and creative environment.

While I have plans for fine art, they will focus on a journal style of fine art, not traditional photography, painting, etc; some of the more visual art based posts are a little too far from the style I have in mind. But fine art is a ways away so I'll post updates on that soon.

Well, that's about it. A small update to cover a large amount of time. My next post won't be until the new year and again, there will be small periodic adjustments to the blog. But, the important thing is that the espresso's been ground and the steamer warmed up. A fresh batch of caffeinated creativity is on it's way...seriously!

See you in the new year!"

I'm sure you can imagine...

2009-08-03T15:56:00.007-04:00

See what happens when I sit still?

(for the background story behind these articles, click here)

typographic paint: "persnickety"

2009-07-30T15:20:00.010-04:00

persnickety...(adj): overparticular; pretentious

ex: 'His persnickety attitude created a frustrating work environment.'"

[view main word list and the story behind the series]

think outside QWERTY

2009-07-22T14:42:00.001-04:00

I recently watched a video of an artist painting a portrait while listening to the subject's music, moving the brush according to the tempo of the music (view the video). It was fascinating; that exercise represents what it means to be an artist. Of course, I'm not going to sit down and write an article about Hendrix while listening to his guitar solos. But, the article did get me thinking about how alternative methods can help writers create successful and unique work. So in that spirit, let's start with what most writers are familiar with: typing.

What's wrong with typing words?

My advice: don't do it...not all the time anyway. Writing by hand is liberating; the scribbles, scratched-out words, arrows, lines, consider it a nude thought process, not in an exhibitionist way but in an unconstrained way. Writing by hand makes the process more personal, it's a creative investigation that is more dynamic than hitting the backspace key or quickly applying a bold weight to certain words.

Is that not enough? Not convinced? Let me take the handmade notion one step farther.

Draw your letters. That may sound ridiculous in the digital age but imagine expressing your thoughts beyond a simple choice between two synonyms. A 't' can really support the word 'tree' if the serifs flourish into leaves...or maybe, the main stroke has a tree bark texture to it. Ok, I admit this approach is more for poets and creative writers than copywriters and technical writers but the exercise is still a liberating study that allows the mind to look at a subject from a different angle (something that all writers, regardless of career path, can benefit from).

I see there are some of you still shaking your heads, first left, then right, then left again....ok, I get the point, you need more.

Create a narrative with photography. Don't write with words...get out of the studio (or whatever you call your work space) and take pictures that represent what you're trying to say. And notes are off limits! The whole point of this exercise is to think about your subject in an unrestricted capacity. Once you have a collection of images that you feel provide a decent narrative, go back to the studio, print the pictures, and lay them out on your desk. Start writing but use the pictures as your inspiration; get creative, be bold.

While I consider these suggestions great ideas, I encourage anyone interested in writing to generate their own unique methods; the more personal the approach, the better the writing will be. The whole point is to move you away from the keyboard, to remove you from routine and place you within a rich thought process. Writing is structured thinking; if you broaden your thinking, you will certainly broaden your chances of creating successful work."

typographic paint

2009-07-21T11:23:00.012-04:00

If you draw, paint, take pictures, or (insert your artistic discipline of choice here) then you understand what it means to work with specific media and materials. Before an artist is truly an artist, they are a student of their chosen discipline, learning the nuances of pens, markers, filters, handmade paper, etc. And that's what words are, to a writer that is. Typographic paint.

In order to help word artists develop their palettes, I'm adding a 'typographic paint' section that will feature a new word and definition every week.

Similar to the 'thoughts on materials' section, 'typographic paint' will display words that are interesting, words that can definitely kick a sentence up to the next level. No boring stuff here, all 100% caffeinated goodness.

Jot them down, commit them to memory, or ignore them. Just know they're here if you need them!

the paint:

flippant
detritus
temerity
persnickety

...more words coming soon...

one cup...

2009-07-20T11:00:00.000-04:00

Yes, that's right, it's the incredible 'Pour-O-Matic'...a piece of illustrated machinery used for regularly distributing caffeinated fiction. From this reliable mechanism will pour thoughts and ramblings dedicated to one notion:

If a coffee cup could talk, what would it say, based on what it has seen?

After seeing the semi-antiquated machine (illustrated above) sit idle in a Jiffy Lube waiting room, I thought about how long the coffeemaker has been around. That reminded me of an idea I had for a piece of writing...basically, if a coffee cup could talk, what would it say? What stories could it tell? Put all of that together and you get a "fly-on-the-wall" style of fiction around an ordinary object most of us use on a regular basis.

The writing for this series will follow a variety of styles. A few that are on my "to use" list are the "6 word novel" style (essentially, an entire story compressed into 6 words), prose, and straight dialogue (no narration). Stories are brewing as we speak so sit and savor the idea, let it sink in. When you return, look for the above illustration and enjoy the fictional ramblings of an observant coffee cup."

"I'm sure you can imagine...

2009-07-11T14:22:00.008-04:00

Far be it from me to stop inspiration.

(for the background story behind these articles, click here)

an interesting story or just a door?

2009-07-09T17:41:00.021-04:00

Inspect the door in the photograph, discover its intricacies, and consider...how many times has this door been opened/closed, who constructed the door, who created the elaborate door knob, how many pedestrians has this door seen walk past it? Think about the possibilities, realistic or ridiculous.

The subject of this photograph is a simple door in Harpers Ferry, WV; the basic function of a door is something familiar to all of us. But this exercise isn't about a door, it's about the "what ifs" behind an object. We go through life allowing most of what we see to pass through our brains as quickly as a single exhaled puff of cigarette smoke fades into its surroundings. It's a natural reaction, we can't truly look at everything we pass by in a given day. But what could we discover if we took a moment to experience just one random observation?

The purpose of the building that this door belongs to is unfortunately lost in the recesses of my memory. Fortunately, an object as weathered as this one has many stories to tell, even if they are fiction."

The Camel and Monarch...

2009-06-30T15:52:00.006-04:00

"...intermittent; familiar; connections in smoking words..."

This was my submission to a "six word novel" challenge in Ficly. Although I'm no stranger to creative writing, this type of exercise was certainly nothing short of challenging. This type of work, assuming you're able to produce something you feel is solid, always generates a real sense of accomplishment despite the handful of words that constitute the achievement.

an update on my journal...

2009-06-30T14:24:00.009-04:00

For those of you familiar with my ongoing mission to find a functional journal, I am happy to report that the latest book is working out as well as I'd hoped! For those of you just joining this article-based journey, here's a little background information to get you caught up.

I'm using my journal more than I did before and I'm finding that it's very comfortable to hold and carry. I take the journal on wine tastings, to coffee shops, and even use it while I read (to record words for future dictionary use). And if folding things isn't an issue, there's room in the back of the journal to tuck away interesting items I come across (such as wine tasting sheets). That's a nice feature to have since there's no need to work through drawings, writing, or photography when you know you can take certain items with you. I am rediscovering my interest in journals because I can once again enjoy the experience. I'll try to post some images of additional pages/spreads within the next couple of weeks.

the aroma of publication

2009-06-29T17:39:00.006-04:00

After months of floating between ideas for various concepts for publications, I've committed to an idea for my first book. The book will be self-published through Blurb and sold independently through local coffee shops, word-of-mouth, and Etsy. The book will be about???.......sorry, not giving away everything!

I will say this...out of all my ideas for potential zines and books, this particular idea is one of my favorite. The concept creates an interesting connection between imagery and words while having a purely creative focus. Having said that, it isn't a book of fine art; about a third to half of the total content will be illustration, with writing filling up the remaining "space". I'm at the point where I'm creating content, which is a place I thought I'd never see any time soon. As I approach the editing/design phase, I'll post sneak preview photos of sample spreads.

Until then, check Twitter for updates on progress!

"I'm sure you can imagine..."

2009-06-28T12:35:00.010-04:00

"...I'm a work in progress."

(for the background story behind these articles, click here)

journal #?

2009-06-10T17:10:00.006-04:00

But it looks as if this one will stick around!

For those of you who follow my blog, you know that my history with journals is "interesting" to say the least (read more here). Well, my latest journal, the one I thought would certainly fit all my requirements...well, it's no longer in service.

The mental disconnect isn't due to the materials but rather the size and weight. My last journal was fun to use but I seldom brought it with me; when it did accompany me, I never felt comfortable carrying just the journal. Long story short, I returned to a previous purchase that is working better the second time around.

The new journal is leather, around 4"x6", with bundles of pages sown to the spine. It has a traditional journal appearance and is small enough to tuck inside a pocket or, at the very least, carry with ease. Two of my favorite aspects of this journal: a couple of pages partially ripped away from the binding thread during use and it came with a small piece of wax-like paper that I use as a page marker...both of these elements give my journal a bit of a fragile feel to it, which I love.

Here are some images. The scans didn't turn out well but I think the image quality suits the journal's wear and use.

[cover]

[inside cover, first page]

[sample spread of type experiment]

I hope this journal sticks around for the long haul that is my journey into art and creativity. In as serious a tone as I can muster, I have to say that I'm running out of ideas for portable journals; luckily, I really like this one and it seems to be a good fit. In light of that, I hope my blog won't see another article such as this...because we'll all know what that means!

"I'm sure you can imagine..."

2009-06-09T16:11:00.003-04:00

I don’t remember where I found this picture (I didn’t shoot the photograph) but I’m glad I kept it because it’s become an interesting aspect of my journal.

What I do is visit this journal page at random moments and write a phrase (typically one sentence) that describes what could be bouncing around in the elephant’s mind due to the colorful make-over. The sentence could be the elephant’s literal opinion about the situation or it could describe how the elephant became a canvas. When I glued the photo into my journal, I didn’t have this creative excercise in mind but like most creative activities, it turned into something on its own.

As you might guess, this series of blog posts is about those phrases, published. Each phrase will be displayed underneath the photo, in bold and using a serif typeface.

“…it was either this or a hat.”

So when you see this photograph, or the title “I’m sure you can imagine…”, brace yourself for insight into one elephant’s mind!

{photograph used from a magazine, please assign all necessary copyrights to the respective artist}

abstractLatte is GOOD

2009-06-02T18:59:00.007-04:00

As a serious writer, I love crafting a bit of typographic goodness in response to my environment (don't necessarily think green, although I do think the green movement is kick ass). Over at GOOD Magazine's online community I contribute comments and articles, sometimes quick prose and other times a more involved ideas-to-words effort.

url: http://www.good.is/community/JoeBlend

For those of you who aren't familiar with GOOD Magazine, the publication is focused on great ideas and powerful thinking in a world that needs those things; their target audience...people that give a damn (their words, not mine). As a gesture of good will, and my way of helping you acheive a more well-rounded feel for their online content, I recommend one writer who has an entertaining and insightful way of communicating thoughts about the world and it's intricacies (http://www.good.is/series/wordliness). I've followed his blog for a while and it's worth the time.

Check out my words, read through the whole publication, or start your own profile in order to contribute your perspective. Regardless of your intentions, decide what's important to you, GOODmark it, or discuss it. Give a damn.

"...from Magellan to Kerouac..."

2009-05-17T10:30:00.010-04:00

When you take a trip, do you ever wonder who's made the same trip, or who's traveled farther than your destination...and how far? Before you head out the door or open your book to take your next adventure, check out this site from GOOD Magazine and learn about some of the world's greatest journeys:

Some of the trips they've included are the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the Pequod journey from Moby Dick. They also inlcude imagery and facts that highlight different points within each journey:

At the very least, it's entertaining. Maybe you'll learn something that will spark a literary purchase or new hobby. Regardless of the outcome, take an interactive journey of your own, into the past, through many historical nooks and crannies of the globe. Allow yourself to discover.

url: http://awesome.goodmagazine.com/features/011/Wanderlust/

© 2009 Joe Blend. All rights reserved.

Cardon Copy

2009-05-16T11:08:00.007-04:00

Now this is what I'm talkin' about! Practical, accessible, and creative applications for graphic design. Gone are the days of "new", "innovative", "oustide-the-box" solutions for commercial products...ok, maybe not gone, but at least there's something new to look at!

So here it is, "Cardon Copy", a thoughtful solution to what seems to be an ever increasing amount of visual garbage.

{from the website}..."Cardon Copy, takes the vernacular of self distributed fliers and tear-offs we have all seen in our neighborhoods. It involves hijacking these unconsidered fliers and redesigning them, over powering their message with a new visual language. I then replace the original with the redesign in its authentic environment."

Doesn't get any better than that. And I admit, I'll keep an eye open for his work next time I'm out!

url: http://www.cardoncopy.com/

letters + art = an interesting grocery list

2009-05-12T14:29:00.004-04:00

The next time you pick up a pen to write a random list or an address, consider this: words are both visual and literary art.

We use words to communicate through books, websites, and other publications; at the same time the letters used to compose the words are forms, or shapes, that have been carefully crafted to provide visual meaning. Taken a step farther, typography (or the study and design of letters) allows each letter to be whatever it needs to be...conservative, abstract, legible, dramatic...for signs, letterheads, graffiti, book covers, etc. We take words for granted because we see them and use them effortlessly in our daily routines. But the potential for words goes far beyond asking for a favor or clarifying the price of a retail item. Words are at the foundation of so much; movies, music, humanitarian efforts, etc all owe some (or all) of their success to words and their ability to be used in various ways.

But what if we did give our words a few moments consideration when jotting down those miscellaneous bits of typographic detritus? I'm not referring to picking and choosing your words more carefully (although that is a good habit to get into); I mean, consider their shapes, the way they look, how they interact with each other. Instead of writing "1234 Main St" using your personal handwriting, have fun with it. Make crazy shapes, flourishes, scribbles that look more like abstract art than an attempt to cover up an accident. Imagine you're a kid again, having fun with a coloring book but using all the wrong colors. See what happens. I'd be willing to bet that if you did this on a regular basis, you'd see words as more than just a functional visual gesture; your ability to interpret words in new ways could inspire you to communicate more creatively.

{...perhaps this year's holiday cards will have hand-written typography that is tailored to that friend or family member's personality? Or perhaps all the "A's" will look like pine trees. You're only limited by your imagination!}

Consider a note that a child makes in art class for their parent, the kind of note that is stuck to the fridge the minute the parent sees the abstract art waving in the air. Although a child doesn't necessarily have perfect handwriting, they also don't have the limitations that we, as adults, place upon ourselves. We're so caught up in getting our thoughts down on paper, for whatever reason, that we forget to have fun. We forget that life isn't about lists, errands, or "professional correspondence with the intent of bringing about new employment opportunities". Life is about, among other things, using our minds to their fullest potential. Our brains, believe it or not, are not robotic...even though that may feel more comfortable than trying something new.

Doodling isn't for everybody...but neither is taking copious notes about your daily responsibilities or creating a mess of illegible lines because you just want to get your thoughts on paper before you leave the house. Give creative letter and word forms a chance, just to see what happens. Slow down your routine for a few moments and have fun with your "t's" or your "r's". Who knows, maybe you'll be inspired; at the very least, you won't be bored jotting down your grocery list!

a few crumbs from "ink snacks"

2009-05-06T15:31:00.007-04:00

Since the "ink snacks" zine is being discontinued after the current edition is sold, I thought I'd post an image of the concept design. Since this is a concept piece, it was never put into production (way too expensive) but still serves as a nice piece to have floating around the portfolio.

(upper-left: cover; upper-right: table of contents; lower-left and lower-right: sample spread)

I posted the content spread last year but never showed the cover. Everything except the poetry and some of the table of contents is handmade (dark color around the image is just a border for posting in the blog). I believe the dimensions are around that of a cd case.

same grounds, new aroma

2009-05-05T17:35:00.006-04:00

After having my creative attention and resources spread fairly thin over the last few months, I've decided to consolidate my personal creative efforts so that I can enjoy what's most important in life while still being creative.

In addition to "ink snacks", I have several other ideas for zines but do not have the time to develop content and design/produce all of them. When I looked at the foundation of my abstractLatte endeavor in relation to my need to simplify my efforts, I decided to consolidate my ideas into one main zine; its name will follow the endeavor that started it all...abstractLatte. It's an unfortunate situation to not have time to do everything you want to do. And with my list of ideas beginning to collect dust, I knew I needed to make a change. The only casualty in this decision is the zine "ink snacks"; I will discontinue development of this zine after the January 2009 edition is sold out. I will develop specialty zines from time to time but 90% of my efforts will go towards the blog and the new zine.

How will the content of the zine differ from the content of the blog?

The blog will maintain its coffee shop/bookstore vibe, continuing to display articles and resources as well as creative experiments. I'd like to start workshops at some point in the future, a sort of DIY effort to help others give their creativity a tangible home, but that is not in the near future; those will be accessed through the blog. The zine will focus more on creative communication around concepts (to include the same types of content contained in "ink snacks"); look for art and function in equal measure.

As for the baristas and displayed artwork, don't expect any immediate changes but I do have ideas on how I'd like to make adjustments to the barista concept in order to include more people, in a more casual manner. And the artwork? Well, I've never been to a coffee shop (or bookstore) that didn't have art on display so that's not going anywhere!

As usual, check the blog and Twitter for updates on the new zine. I'll post preview images when available.

"Travel"

2009-04-20T16:18:00.016-04:00

This is a newsletter that I designed for the American Red Cross; it was a monthly publication called "The Coffee Break". Again, the creative approach:

concept: "Travel" (July 2008 edition)

background: The newsletter was created to develop a sense of community between local American Red Cross chapters scattered throughout the continental United States. Each month, the newsletter would take on a new concept; these concepts related to a circumstance associated with that month (ex. current events for the organization, seasons, etc).

approach: Since this issue was July 2008, I wanted to emphasize the freedom of summer. A postcard seemed to be the perfect icon of travel but since photography is used extensively within the American Red Cross, I created a custom illustration that mimicked the rather busy nature of some postcard images. All of the headers, to include the newsletter title, were created using handwriting to emphasize the personal nature of postcards; on the back, there was space for staff and volunteers to jot down comments about their own personal travel and vacation moments.

materials: The headers, newsletter title, quotation marks, and illustration were drawn by hand and scanned; in Photoshop, color and composition were added. The stamp, postcard details, and background texture were scanned and arranged in Photoshop.

(top: front, bottom: back)

Out of all the newsletters I created for the American Red Cross, I enjoyed creating this one the most. The design was an exciting process that merged concept, art, and message into a fun print piece.