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• Post #4285789

  RE: https://follow.ethanmarcotte.com/@beep/116920019244550059 I spend more time than I like thinking about AI use across the design field, how quickly so many have slid into comfort with their use, and what we’re trading now for an unwritten future. I have more feelings about it than useful thoughts, but it’s helpful to see how others are actively thinking about it (including stances I don’t agree with). Ethan kindly collects some along with his own POV:

• Post #4285788

  Now I just assume anytime I read the word “quietly” in a headline it was written with AI.

• Post #2324571

  Loving Rob Weychert’s latest article about using variable fonts to achieve consistent stroke widths across type and screen sizes. And he extends it to icons too, making them feel like part of the same system, something I’ve always struggled with (the comparison to fineliner pens is spot on). I’m excited to try out these methods! https://v7.robweychert.com/blog/2026/01/v7-typographic-scales-and-technical-pens/

• Post #2137436

  I keep visual lists of typefaces to browse through when I’m looking for something new to use. It’s mostly an excuse to bookmark ones I know I already like so I can easily find them again. If that sounds like something you’d like too, here ya go: https://www.are.na/jason-santa-maria/typefaces-tzey0yfej6y (I finally moved this stuff off of Pinterest and have been enjoying Are.na so far!)

• Post #2137429

  🎉 Here’s a new thing — I made a typeface last year called Chonk! It’s a heavy display sans that likes to take up space. I’ve had fun setting it really big for things like these pulpy sci-fi paperback titles, but it’s surprisingly flexible. As long as what you want to say is loud. Currently a minimal character set, but I didn’t want it to just gather dust. If I add more glyphs, I’ll pass updates along for free. Read more about Chonk and grab it for a few bucks: https://shop.jasonsantamaria.co...

• Post #2137425

  🧵 Small thread, just because! I love pencils. I love drawing and writing with them, the smell when you sharpen them, and how damn pleasing they are to pick up anytime and get ideas out of your head. They are my favorite creative tool, bar none.

• Post #2137422

  🎉 A new thing I made — Citywide, a sans serif typeface inspired by mid-1900s bus roll signs. It has some real charm, feeling both informal and buttoned up in the same breath. It’s still a work in progress, but already a large family of widths and weights, plus italics. Read more about Citywide and bus roll signs, and grab a license: https://shop.jasonsantamaria.com/products/citywide

• Post #1764282

  📢 A bunch of unresolved thoughts and feelings on AI, the web, and making things. Writing this mostly for future me: https://jasonsantamaria.com/blog/large-language-muddle

• Post #1515202

  And perhaps just as worrying, investors think this is extremely good. This is all normal and sustainable and normal: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/15/allbirds-bird-stock-shoes-ai.html

• Post #1515201

  Another plaintext wireframe tool, lots more prefab objects and export options too. I love these things! https://wiretext.app/

• Post #1515200

  Pica, a new (to me) font management app for Mac OS by Josh Puckett looks awesome. Especially the feature to drop in an image and see all of your font samples next to it (for font searching during logo design). https://pica.joshpuckett.me/ (Unfortunately, seems to require Tahoe right now)

• Post #1413028

  RE: https://typo.social/@pixelambacht/116381192997863104 I use Wakamai Fondue all the time when designing fonts or digging into details when using fonts. So useful! 👏

• Post #1153480

  📢 BTW № 5 — RSS is still one of the best opt-in relationships ever invented. Here are some picks from my feeds across fonts, history, and space! Reciprocal RSS links provided where available. https://jasonsantamaria.com/blog/btw-5-simply-syndicated-edition

• Post #1043706

  My favorite* Adobe thing is when I open Indesign and it ignores my saved workspace profile and just opens a bunch of extra palettes. *it’s actually the worst

• Post #828672

  📣 Big Citywide update! I’ve added lowercase to the family, plus over 170 new characters, expanded diacritics and symbols, and a fresh round of refinements to existing letterforms, spacing, and stylistic sets. Free update for existing licenses. https://shop.loudroom.com/products/citywide

• Post #777871

  Oh wow, this is awesome! An ASCII wireframe editor that’s quick and fun to use, and you can also grab what you make as Markdown. Love it! https://www.mockdown.design/

• Post #699364

  Any project where I get to have a pencil tucked behind my ear is a good project.

• Post #699363

  I did well on my first go through, but the salmon-y colors were my downfall: https://www.keithcirkel.co.uk/whats-my-jnd/?r=AKohKP___dPx

• Post #699361

  @beep +1 to everything

• Post #699283

  👋 Say hello to @loudroom, my small design practice focused on craft, learning, and human relationships. https://loudroom.com/

• Post #539404

  AI proponents are quick to speed past the cost of what goes into making the tools because their ends justify the means. The wholesale pilfering of copyrighted works, the environmental and societal impacts, and now wider use by military in war. Seems like you should be able to draw a line in there somewhere: https://ethanmarcotte.com/wrote/propellant/