October 2016: I can type in Dvarsh.
Soon, anyone of such mind will be able to do this, too. The newsletter is a little behind schedule because I neglected to stop refining the FIRST FUNCTIONAL FONT OF THE DVARSH WRITING SYSTEM to tell you that things are chugging right along. All the worry about detail over a long, slow preparation now pays dividends as parts laboriously made come together. This is, without question, one of the more peculiar works to have its keel laid here at HQ. Obstacles to overcome are many, and I confront another layer of ignorance with each new task. The process is like a series of puzzles with endlessly possible correct solutions distinguished only by thematic coherence. Every session provides lessons, and that is so cool. Progress is tangible.
The full character set of Dvarsh Book with a sample phrase at bottom.
You may notice I changed the zero
The zero originally created for this font was the product of a great deal of thought and experimentation. I wanted an iconic form, recognizable but unique, and I was pleased with the design I settled on. Then I began showing the character set to friends, some with design backgrounds and some without. In one hundred percent of the cases, the other person responded with something very like, "This is amazing/wonderful/incredible/beautiful!" [then pointing at zero] "You're going to change that, aren't you?" No one liked it. Without being prompted for an opinion no one liked it. That brilliant original has gone back into the stew pot. The font as it goes into the world features something else.
The Daystar symbol from Nod's Way, outlined on the left to show how I pieced it together and solid on the right as it will print.
The other night I had a great idea
Around the time that I should have been angling toward horizontal this past Saturday, I had a great idea to include the dice symbols from Nod's Way in the font. Talk about a production aid for future editions! The prospect of piecing in a thousand tiny representations evaporated before my inner eye. All I had to do was recreate the vector illustrations lost to a burglar some years ago, and assign their places in the keyboard layout. That's how I spent Sunday instead of doing chores. It was tons more fun than redesigning a zero, roughly on par with creating the two Dvarsh conjugations, and immeasurably more satisfying than scouring a bathroom.
The long awaited Dvarsh/English dictionary has been started
No, Dvarsh typography is not yet ready for print production, but the first font is functional, if not refined—and I could not resist. As of this writing, the dictionary includes forty-seven Dvarsh entries. A consequence of the way these specific translations work, there are slightly more corresponding English entries. Temptation is great to allocate huge blocks of time to dictionary entries RIGHT NOW! (I can type in Dvarsh!)—but not overwhelming. Before the dictionary consumes all, the font family must be complete, and that won't be next week. Beyond Dvarsh Book there is still Dvarsh Bold to implement. Even with many of the problems solved and experience of having done it once, that will be a task of more than a few hours. Later will come time to assemble the lexicon in waiting. Maybe I'll add bits now and then in the meantime.
Meanwhile, Rose Moon & Death on the Toilet ebook has reached the Market
With many thanks to Paul Cooley for instruction and guidance, I have managed to pull together an ebook from the print edition. At this time it is available exclusively from the Market at stikmantica.com. I shall be sending a coupon for free download of the ebook to everyone who has purchased a copy of the paper edition once I figure out how to set that up. All future purchases of the hard copy will also include such a coupon. It has not yet been pushed out to other retail channels.
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A new print available in the Market!
"Waiting (study)"
from an original by
Robert Stikmanz
Printed offset on 8″ x 10″
13 pt. recycled matte cover.
Illustration dimensions are
4.75″ x 7.5″
Each copy is signed by Robert.
Ships flat in a rigid mailer.
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Pay by Check
I have updated the Market cart so that "Pay by Check" is now a ready option. Fill your cart per usual, select "Pay by Check," submit the order, and then mail a check for the total indicated to me. Please make the check payable to Robert Stikmanz, and send it to P. O. Box 66696, Austin, TX 78766. It would be helpful if you include a copy of your order receipt with the check. Allow a little extra time for delivery. Query first if you would like a quote. Real mail is always a treat.
Disruption!
I dropped the above image into the September newsletter as a teaser. Still a tease, it returns with a clue. The drawing, from a few years ago, jumped out when I was paging recently through an old sketchbook, looking for ideas waiting to be gotten to. Turning a page on this guy, I suddenly saw a way into "Disruption!," a card of the planned Nod's Way oracle deck. Another project that proceeds in slow motion, at least a deck of oracle cards generates illustrations that stand as individual works before all are done—a fine example of which is featured at the head of this column. Expect a touch of evolution in the descent from lunging bumble to whatever Disruption! may become. I am packing extra leads and a brace of powerful erasers.
Wishing you
peace, love &
comfortable
shoes!
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