Moonlights #82
Greece π¬π·
We're wrapping up our time in Santorini and getting ready for our next stops: Sweden and Ireland. After the fast-paced vibes of Asia, settling into a quiet resort by the ocean has been a nice change. It's been three weeks of slow living, reminding us a lot of the time we spent in Costa Rica a few years ago. Life here is simple and peaceful, and we've loved every minute of it. Here are a few more pics from our time in Greece.
Watch πΊ
I've always been drawn to stories that spotlight the grindβthe unseen hours of dedication that shape success. So, when Apple unveiled the trailer for Steph Curry's story, I could not wait to watch it.
Steph's ascent to becoming the NBA's greatest shooter (and one of the best players ever to play) isn't just about his natural talent. It's about the thousands and thousands of hours of practice. Failures piled on top of failures. And then, along his journey, there was one pivotal moment when his coach had every reason in the book to bench him and give up on him, crushing his dream (and maybe his career). But he didnβt. He doubled down on his belief in Steph, and they so brilliantly documented the importance of the power someone else can have by believing in you until you can fully embrace it yourself.
I lost count of how many times I had tears well up while watching. His story shows what can happen when you work hard and get a chance to shine, and it reiterates just how important believing in yourself can be.
Art ποΈ
In the early days of my design career, I drew inspiration from industry trailblazers like Path, Dropbox, and Gowalla. These companies set the gold standard for design quality, and I was always obsessed with studying their work. Ryan Putnam, a former Dropbox designer, was one of my favorites. While he obviously didn't invent this style, he was instrumental in popularizing the use of lighthearted illustrations as a way to show off a company's identity and their product's functionality. Ryan continues to blaze his own trail, and he now runs his own studio, crafting pottery, zines, and more. Below are some of the early illustrations that I loved so much, along with a few of Ryan's recent creations.
Listen π§
As I've been diving back into my art and design work, I've found my most productive hours are when I have my headphones on, lost in a sound that both inspires and recedes into the background. This set by Fred againβ¦ at Terminal 5 has been my go-to soundtrack for the past week or so. It's got this unique ability to spark creativity while also letting my mind focus on the task at hand. I've found myself returning to it 3β4 times this past week alone.
From Me π
I've been using the calm of Santorini to help fuel some of my new art. In most of my design work, grids are the hidden guides that help shape logos, landing pages, and app designs. They keep everything balanced and in order, but you rarely see them in the final designs.
I wanted to find a way to incorporate that into some of my new art work, where the grid is actually visible. Each piece starts with a grid, but as the art changes, so does the grid. It's moved, stretched, and twisted, slowly changing from its original form but keeping its core. It's not just the hidden scaffolding anymore, it becomes a major piece of the final art. Iβm thinking about launching these on Foundation in the near future.
Here are a few of my favorites: