FRESH DIALOGUE

Good morning. And a special welcome to everybody coming to visit from the Typepad feature on the Daily Monster. I hope you’ll have fun poking around the site.

Thank you everybody for sending your cool monsters in response to the 4th Open Source Blot. A few more creatures from Maleen Schlüter follow at the end of this post. Here now is OPEN SOURCE BLOT 05. I hope you’ll have fun with it. (The best way to submit your drawings is by e-mailing your file to me at opensource@344design.com
If you can, please make your document 480 pixels wide and name the file with your first and last name. That way I know how to set your credit properly.)

In other news, I got a very nice message today: AIGA/NY and Ze Frank, one of the inspirations for and a longtime supporter of the monsters, have invited me to be part of this year’s FRESH DIALOGUE event. Each year AIGA/NY hosts a panel discussion with three young designers that are doing interesting things. This year, Ze is moderating and I’m very excited to be a part of the event. Here is part of the invitation e-mail:

This year’s theme deals with how designers relate to their audience, specifically the control (or lack thereof) that the designer exerts over that audience in offline and online mediums. […] We’ve invited you to join us because of the evolution of your dailymonster series. We see this project as encapsulating a unique hybrid of a traditional medium (illustration) gone digital. You have added interactivity by allowing your fan base to contribute work inspired by your drawings.

They have it almost right. I didn’t allow you to do anything. You guys came out strong with all kinds of creativity and made such great stories and drawings that it’s my honor and privilege to provide a space for them here. Also, you’re not my fan base. You’re friends of the monsters! And I like that about you!

The event is happening at FIT on the 29th of May, so I’ll make sure we’ve got lots of new stuff to play with until then. For one thing, I’m starting our new game on Monday night, when I’m back from San Diego.

Until then, I hope you’ll have a great weekend!
Please keep in mind that 344 LOVES YOU

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Now, here are Maleen’s entries:

And here’s my own version of OSM Number 4…