yewknee.com

Archer

I remember seeing teasers for the new FX series Archer a few months ago and loving that H. Jon Benjamin was voicing the role of an egomaniacal / mostly inept spy. The concept and look reminded me of Adult Swim's Frisky Dingo in the best of ways.

Now having seen a few episodes I can't recommend it enough.. the cast list is outstanding. H. Jon Benjamin, Judy Greer, Chris Parnell and Jessica Walter just to name a very few. In other words, loads of Arrested Development alumni, SNL members and other vetted comedians. Make a note on your calendar to watch some full episodes but, in the meantime, hit up the shows video page for a taste.

Drop Cap.. Daily

The Daily Drop Cap is exactly what it sounds like - a new drop cap letterform posted (mostly) daily. Illustrator Jessica Hische has plenty of works worth partaking in on their own but the Daily Drop Cap is nice little addition to your browsing scheduling for a bit of inspiration. Not all of them will be up your alley but it's that variety that keeps it fresh.

Via Mark Weaver.

The Russian Underground Press

I am indebted to Jessica for sending over this collection of images from the Russian Underground Press (circa 1905-1906). Aside from wanting a high quality version of that "Woodgoblin" piece I'm always appreciative of a good political art piece heavily relying on images of death (and other similar symbols) to get a point across. More to be seen here.

The Carbon Belt

Has anyone had any first hand experience with these new bike chain alternatives being touted as The Carbon Belt? Apparently the belt is "nearly impossible to break or cut, long life, no grease, easier on pants legs, no rust, no stretching, low maintenance" but requires a derailleur design that isn't so popular at the moment. I'm just curious if someone has encountered one at all?

Heads up via Jessica.

British Invasion

What's going on?? Quality British TV seems to be slowly creeping its way into US territories. While I don't think it's necessarily going to take off in terms of popularity along the lines of 30 Rock or The Office I am still pleased that there are easy to obtain alternatives to the plethora of crap out there.

• The Mighty Boosh on Jimmy Fallon - with the release of all three seasons of their show on US DVD the Boosh guys are doing a little State-side promotion. They even do some crimping.
• Spaced on Hulu - Spaced! If you've not watched this series (featuring Simon Pegg, Jessica Hynes and Nick Frost) I recommend you block off a large chunk of your weekend to catch up. It's the perfect balance of nerd-y references, late 20-somethings finding their way and British humour.

This Likely Applies To You

Jessica posted a link to this article entitled "Night owls may benefit from evening strength" in which some new scientific evidence has come to light regarding those of us who function better at night. Turns out that the whole "early bird" and "night owl" personality profile might be more legit than one would think.

Personally I've always had a hard time getting going in the morning and found myself with copious amounts of energy at inappropriate times of night. I'm hoping this article gives me a valid excuse to point towards a biological rhythm I can't control.

The only bummer about the research is that the study was done with a very small set of people.. so the findings are, in all honesty, fairly incomplete.

We Love Typography

We Love Typography is an ongoing stream of images featuring inspiring type in some form or another. It runs a pretty wide gamut of styles but that's what keeps it interesting. Unrelated to the content, I think that may be the best integration of a search field I've ever seen.

Via Jessica.

Jim Stoten

The title "Weird Little World" is an appropriate one for the work of Jim Stoten. From Internet browsing while surrounded by a myriad of anthropomorphic squash to the little guy shown above, a cupcake loving, martini imbibing composer there is definitely a sense of these things taking place elsewhere. Stoten's official site has a bunch of Editorial, Sketchbook and Commercial Work to browse through - all equally bizarre and delightful.

Via Jessica.

Sarah McNeil

It's unfair to pigeon hole the work of Sarah McNeil into deluxe animal portraits but I'll be damned if that isn't the aspect of it I enjoy the most. Her blog showcases a wide variety of work; lots of styles and subject matter but whenever an animal piece comes up, it catches my eye. Her Etsy Shop also has a variety of goods - drawings, prints, knitted acorn pouches, etc - but, again, the style of the animal pieces is just right for me. Somehow they manage to carry just the right balance of meticulous, detailed and loose. If I had a pet, I'd probably get one of these done and not think twice about it.

Via Jessica.

Return from SXSW

I'm back! The trip to Austin for SXSW was as rewarding as ever - though next year I may actually get a hotel downtown so the cab fare is never an issue. I posted my best pics of the bunch in this set - but it obviously falls short of capturing the entire experience.

Many thanks to Chris Mikesell, the Flux-Rad crew and Jessica for the entertainment - as well as the North Carolina crew and anyone else I'm forgetting. It really is a huge social onslaught as well as a great excuse to see a couple bands.

Highlights include seeing Jason Lytle twice, Dent May, King Khan and a unique performance from A Hawk and A Hacksaw.

Regular posting here at yewknee.com begins again now but it'll take me a few days to catch up with the week of lost Internet browse time; so the volume may be a little lighter.

Andy Smith

The works of Andy Smith are right up my alley - a little bit vintage, a little bit distressed (in a good way) and a great use of type and color throughout. I'm glad there are pages and pages of works to browse through.

Via Jessica.