parlor tricks parlor tricks

doubles

look–alike \ˈluk-ə-ˌlīk\ n (1947) 1 : one that looks like another : DOUBLE — look–alike adj

(Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition)

‘Body Hot Spots’ – R. Dale Guthrie (1976/Van Nostrand Reinhold)





kinda… sorta…



here it is: fonts i like with a lot of body





same Buffet’s, new box

contemporary interpretation of a classic – nice

thanks for the candy, Lady* ;-)

*(not to be confused with 'The Candy Lady' – though my Lady does love candy… !)








sound•alike \ˈsaün-də-ˌlīk\ n (1970) : one that sounds like another — soundalike adj

(Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition)









sip n’ spit

warm leather

and, also, as well:

“Ashtray” – Brian Jonestown Massacre ~ “Mop Tops (Twist While the World Stops” – EMA

bassline buddies

“Fire Song” – Brian Jonestown Massacre ~ “Paperbag” – Turqouiz Noiz

it’s a vibe


“Don’t Be Cruel” – Billy Swan’s cover of Elvis ~ “Don’t You Think I’m Funny Anymore” – Dougie Poole

in the intro, a bit

“I Would Die 4 U”Art School Girlfriend & “Purple Rain”Dwight Yokam

dou•ble \ˈdə-bəl\ adj [ME, fr. AF duble, double, fr. L duplus (akin to Gk diploos), fr. duo two + -plus multiplied by; akin to OE -feald -fold — more at TWO, -FOLD] (13c) 1 : having a twofold relation or character : DUAL 2 : consisting of two usu. combined members or parts < an egg with a ~ yolk > 3 a : being twice as great or as many < ~ the number of expected applicants > b of a coin : worth two of the specified amount < a ~ eagle > < a ~ crown > 4 : marked by duplicity : DECEITFUL 5 : folded in two 6 : of extra size, strength, or value < a ~ martini > 7 : having more than the normal nyumber of floral leaves often at the expense of the sporophylls 8 of rhyme : involving correspondence of two syllables (as in exciting and inviting) 9 : designed for the use of two persons < a ~ room > < a ~ bed> — dou•ble•ness n

(Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition)

‘Road House’ – (1989/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.)

“stay cool, kid…”

dit•to \ˈdi-(ˌ)tō\ n, pl dittos [IT ditto, detto, pp. of dire to say, fr. L dicere — more at DICTION] (ca. 1639) 1 : a thing mentioned previously or above — used to avoid repeating a word; often symbolized by inverted commas or apostrophes 2 : a ditto mark

(Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition)

yee-haw… !

Read More
parlor tricks parlor tricks

what if…

pos•si•bil•i•ty \ˌpä-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ n, pl -ties (14c) 1 : the condition or fact of being possible 2 archaic : one’s utmost power, capacity, or ability 3 : something that is possible 4 : potential or prospective value – usu. used in pl. < the house had great possibilities >

pos•si•ble \ˈpä-sə-ˈbəl\ adj [ME, fr. AF, fr. L possibilis, fr. posse to be able, fr. potis, pote able + esse to be – more at POTENT, IS] (14c) 1 a : being within the limits of ability, capacity, or realization < a ~ but difficult task > b : being what may be conceived, be done, or occur according to nature, custom, or manners < the best ~ care > < the worst ~ circumstance > 2 a : being something that may or may not occur < a ~ surprise visit > b : being something that may or may not be true or actual < ~ explanation > 3 : having an indicated potential < a ~ housing site >

pos•si•bly \-blē\ adv (14c) 1 : in a possible manner: by any possibility < that’s all she could ~ do > 2 : by merest chance: PERHAPS < ~ he will recover > 3 : it is possible or imagine-able : CONCEIVABLY < a political libel which may ~ damage me – G.B. Shaw >

(Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition)

so what?

prob•a•bil•i•ty \ˌprä-bə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ n, pl -ties (15c) 1 : the quality or state of being probable 2 : something (as an event or circumstance) that is probable 3 a (1) : the ratio of the number of outcomes in an exhaustive set of equally likely outcomes that produce a given event to the total number of possible outcomes (2) : the chance that a given event will occur b : a branch of mathematics concerned with the study of probabilities 4 : a logical relation between statements such that evidence confirming one confirms the other to some degree

prob•a•ble \ˈprä-bə-bəl, ˈprä(b)-bəl\ adj [ME, fr. L probabilis commendable, probable, fr. probare to test, approve, prove — more at PROVE] (1606) 1 : supported by evidence strong enough to establish presumption but not proof < a ~ hypothesis > 2 : establishing a probability < ~ evidence > 3 : likely to be or become true < ~ outcome >

prob•a•bly \ˈprä-bə-blē, ˈprä(b)-blē\ adv (1613) : insofar as seems reasonably true, factual, or to be expected : without much doubt < is ~ happy > < it will ~ rain >

(Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition)

whatever!

Read More
parlor tricks parlor tricks

crafts·wom·an

had an opportunity to define what it is i “do” a couple days ago

i’ve grown more confident describing myself, in part, as a craftswoman

crafts•wom•an \ˈkraf(t)s-ˌwu-mən\ n (1886) 1 : a woman who is an artisan 2 : a woman who is skilled in a craft

while bearing in mind, i’m also an apprentice – still learning

ap•pren•tice \ə-ˈpren-təs\ n, often attrib [ME aprentis. fr. AF apprentiz, fr. aprendre to learn, fr. L apprendere, apprehendere] (14c) 1 a : one bound by indenture to serve another for a prescribed period with a view to learning an art or trade b : one who is learning by practical experience under skilled workers a trade, art, or calling 2 : an inexperienced person: NOVICE <an ~ in cooking> — ap• pren•tice•ship \-tə(sh)-ˌship, -təs-ˌship\ n

looked up a couple neighboring terms, too

ar•ti•san \ˈär-tə-ˈzən, -sən, chiefly Brit ˌär-tə-ˈzan\ n [MF, fr. northern It dial. form of Tuscan artigiano, fr. arte art, fr. L art-, ars] (1538) 1 : a worker who practices a trade or handicraft : CRAFTSPERSON 2 : one that produces something (as cheese or wine) in limited quantities often using traditional methods — ar•ti•san•al \-zə-nᵊl, -sə-, -ˈza-\ adj — ar•ti•san•ship \-ˌship\ n

jour•ney•man \ˈjər-nē-mən\ n [ME fr. journey journey, a day’s labor + man] (15c) 1 : a worker who has learned a trade and works for another person usu. by the day 2 : an experienced reliable worker, athlete, or performer esp. as distinguished from one who is brilliant or colorful <a good ~ trumpeter — New Yorker> <a ~ outfielder>

hadn’t planned on taking down the definition for artist, but it was just beneath artisan and seeing i was already there…

art•ist \ˈär-tist\ n (ca. 1507) 1 a obs : one skilled or versed in learned arts b archaic : ARTISAN 1 2 a : one who professes and practices an imaginative art b : a person skilled in one of the fine arts 3 : a skilled performer esp. : ARTISTE 4 : one who is adept at something <con ~ > <strikeout ~ >

(definitions from Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition)

sure, or whatever…

and, in the spirit of learning through creative process, a couple breadcrumbs from recent projects:

cord weaving at the station i set up in the living room

yoga block props were essential

 

‘I’ve Been Trying to Tell You’ - Saint Etienne (2021/Heavenly) photography by Alasdair McLellan, design by M/M (Paris)

highway sign cover design and ‘Fonteyn’ have been percolating

nice nice

 

Read More
parlor tricks parlor tricks

lex·i·con

used “acerbic” the other day without confidently knowing its meaning, which is:

acer•bic \ə-ˈsər-bik, a-\ adj (1865) : acid in temper, mood, or tone < ~ commentary> <an ~ reviewer>acer•bi•cal•ly \-bi-k(ə-)lē\ adv

still need to consciously re-direct to the desktop dictionary rather than a dictionary on the desktop. the ease and convenience of technology is nearly irresistible, sure; but things stick better for me when using a physical reference. still, many Google sourced definitions have been recorded in sketchbooks that have since been tucked away. pulling some of those notes out to keep here, for visibility sake.

abbreviated and scattershot post-it note definitions – mostly using Google, which references ‘The Oxford American College Dictionary’. used to text Google “define such-and-such” from my flip phone back in the T9 days for vocabulary on the go.

abbreviated and scattershot post-it note definitions – mostly using Google, which references ‘The Oxford American College Dictionary’. used to text Google “define such-and-such” from my flip phone back in the T9 days for vocabulary on the go.

researched dictionary options before buying. this Slate article offers helpful user perspective, and this Youtube video featuring lexicographer Kory Stamper has cool info too. in the end, went with Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. i appreciate their descriptivist philosophy; and it was the kind i had as a kid – that definitely counts for something.

reached for the dictionary again the other day to look up “sardonic”. by that point i’d already started documenting and scanning the sketchbook definitions. wasn’t until a few pages in that i realized i’d already recorded a definition. the previous came from Google – here’s Merriam Webster’s take:

sar•don•ic \sär-ˈdä-nik\ adj [F sardonique, fr. Gk sardonios] (1638) : disdainfully or skeptically humorous : derisively mocking <a ~ comment> syn see SARCASTICsar•don•i•cal•y \-ni-k-(-ə)lē\ adv

part of the collection of unfamiliar words – definitions provided by ‘Merriam Webster’s’ this time.

part of the collection of unfamiliar words – definitions provided by ‘Merriam Webster’s’ this time.

while i’m here, the rest of the “pantograph” definition referenced in the chicken scratch thumbnail is:

pan•to•graph \ˈpan-tə-ˌgraf\ n [F pantographe, fr. pant- + -graphe -graph] (1723) 1 : an instrument for copying something (as a map) on a predetermined scale consisting of four light rigid bars jointed in parallelogram form; also : any of various extensible devices of similar construction (as for use as brackets or gates)

(P.S. – should there every be a need to charm a lexicographer, remember this)

Read More