Welcome to the Mythical Type newsletter, where I share projects I’m working on, things I’ve been watching, and sources of inspiration.
Hi there! I hope you’re doing well. Here in central Pennsylvania, temperatures are in the 80s this week. Nice summer days except for…it’s supposed to be fall by now. The leaves are changing but it’s too hot for hoodies. 😡
A few weeks ago, a trend started on TikTok where women ask their boyfriends or husbands how often they think about the Roman Empire. A lot of them say multiple times a week or even daily.
There’s a counter trend (I guess we can call it that) for the equivalent for women. What’s the thing women think about multiple times a week?
My favorite response I’ve seen is, that scene in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers where Aragorn walks through the giant doors. You know that scene.
But that’s not my Roman Empire. Mine is the song “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles. Especially these lyrics:
They took the credit for your second symphony
Rewritten by machine on new technology
And now I understand the problems you can see
These lyrics are as relevant now, with AI being used for creative work, as they were in 1979 when the song came out and they referred to concerns about using electronic equipment to make music.
I’m curious, what’s your Roman Empire? Let me know in the comments.
Art projects
I have three zines in progress, all at different stages. For one of them, I made a collage for the background. I used different scrapbook papers and washi tape. It looks like this:
I watched Elemental and really liked the hot air balloon scene. So I drew it and painted it with Posca markers.
You can see progress photos on my blog.
Broadcast and discovery in 2023
I wrote a blog post about the things I miss the most from Twitter: 1) Discovering new blogs, art, and websites and 2) Having an easy way to share what I’m doing and making online.
With losing those functions on Twitter and no other social media platforms really matching those uses, what are good ways to discover things and broadcast your work now?
Are there social media platforms that make sense for this kind of thing? Do I have to join Threads? 🥲 Let me know in the comments.
What I’ve been watching
A Discovery of Witches - Streaming on HBO Max. I don’t know if I can recommend this. A third of it is a really good supernatural show. There’s interesting world building about witches, vampires, and demons. But the rest of the show feels like if Hallmark made a supernatural series.
Asteroid City - Streaming on Peacock and I rented it via Vudu. There are some Wes Anderson movies I enjoy and some that I don’t like. Unfortunately, this is one I don’t like. The cinematography and colors are beautiful, like always, but I found the story boring.
What I’ve been reading
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin - Urban fantasy. Just finished reading this. I really like the concept for this story, but I don’t like the storytelling style. A lot of the book felt like too much dialogue for me. But if you like dialogue and if you like stories set in New York City (and the city actually matters), check this out.
Links to share
The SOUR Collective started a zine distro. They’re accepting digital and physical zines on consignment to sell on their website.
Drawing shapes instead of objects and people (Drewscape on YouTube) - Here’s a nice overview of contour drawing. I really like how he breaks down drawing shapes.
Gnoosic - When you’re tired of music the algorithm gives you, try Gnoosic. (Not an ad. I just think this is a cool site.) You enter three of your favorite bands. Gnoosic recommends bands based on what you entered.
Zine Lunch - This is a free virtual workshop series from Sarabande Books. Workshops are Fridays at noon EST. They’re hosted via Zoom and open to all skill levels.
This last one is specific to Lancaster, PA. Lancaster Art Network is a new profile on Instagram that shares info about upcoming art markets. If you sell art, it’s a good way to find about about markets to apply to. And if you don’t sell art but like going to local art events, this is a great way to find out what’s coming up.
Thank you for reading!
As always, thank you for following this newsletter and supporting my work.
If you want to see more from me, you can follow me on Instagram, check out my blog, or browse my zines on Etsy.
Until next time!