{"id":4103,"date":"2021-08-13T00:12:34","date_gmt":"2021-08-13T07:12:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/?p=4103"},"modified":"2022-01-27T15:38:03","modified_gmt":"2022-01-27T22:38:03","slug":"gridfolk-interview-with-tortoiseshell-formerly-time-peace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/2021\/08\/13\/gridfolk-interview-with-tortoiseshell-formerly-time-peace\/","title":{"rendered":"Gridfolk: Interview with tortoiseshell (formerly time.peace)"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is a guest post<\/strong> from Ata Syed<\/a> AKA thalamic<\/a> and minimum<\/a>, the third in a summer series, continuing the \u201cFocus on Fontstructors\u201d tradition of interviews with members of FontStruct\u2019s designer community. Ata has been FontStructing since 2008.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

In the pursuit of perfection there are no winners\u2014the universe doesn\u2019t allow it. It is an unattainable myth. Does that mean it is best not to seek it? This bears further exploration. Read on to find out why this odd intro makes sense.<\/p>\n

The Fontstructor we focus on this third time around in the series \u201cGridfolk 2021\u201d is the highly selective and consistently focused C. Jorgensen, better known around FontStruct as time.peace<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"blueberry<\/p>\n

blueberry<\/a> by time.peace<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\n

The global reach of FontStruct is undeniable. For example, this article was written in Pakistan; related to a website based in Germany; housed on some server who knows where\u2014might as well be Antarctica; about a person (time.peace) from USA who currently lives in South Korea. Whew! And this is just one instance. FontStruct has users from all over the world [more on that in another interview down the road<\/em>].<\/span><\/p>\n

Regarding educational background, time.peace has a \u201cBA in Hutchins, multiple subject teaching credential, TESOL teaching certification and TEFL teaching certification<\/span>\u201d. This explains why they live in S. Korea, where they are \u201ccurrently working\u2026as an English teacher.<\/span>\u201d What kind, I asked? \u201cDefinitely an energetic teacher. In the classroom I do my best to match energy with the students.<\/span>\u201d However, they further explained that \u201cthe teaching style at the moment is something not too unlike a wild-mouse roller coaster. It\u2019s energetic, fun and just a little chaotic. Despite the chaotic energetic nature, there are clear boundaries and expectations. If those are broken in someway, things need to stop so they can be fixed. Similar to the wild mouse, this way of teaching is something that isn\u2019t for everyone, but it\u2019s something that\u2019ll continue to be signed up for on behalf of myself. At this point in life, still being relatively young (only graduating a couple years ago) it seems important to use that energy while it\u2019s still there.<\/span>\u201d Sounds like quite the commitment; the whole wrapped in an aura of perfection. If time.peace is so demanding of themselves, what do they expect of the students? \u201cOne major expectation is that students can be as imaginative as they want. Students should know that there\u2019s nothing wrong with thinking outside the box. If the essay prompt is about their ideal vacation spot, they should have to option to write honestly about whatever that may be. They could write about time traveling to ancient Egypt, or exploring magic castles or just a relaxing time at home, it\u2019s up to their imaginations. These ideas step outside the normal expectations of an ideal vacation spot but students should know that they have the creative freedom to write about whatever the prompt leads them to.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Gazing back into the haze of time, was being a teacher what they dreamed of becoming? \u201cThe goal from university was to become a teacher and that box has been checked off the list. All that\u2019s left is to see what else the universe has to offer and explore whatever that may be.<\/span>\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

anubis<\/a> by time.peace<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\n

It\u2019s flashback backstory time. \u201cGrowing up in Generation Z, with parents who were both teachers, there was a strong connection made with books, specifically Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. Both offered such interesting worlds that they grabbed hold of the imagination. Old radio programs and jazz were played on cassette tapes which led to an odd childhood when compared to that of classmates. It was a cozy style though, the idea of being wrapped up in a book while some old, all-but-forgotten comedian tells jokes on a radio in the other room. It really did make for a bizarre mix of the vintage and modern. It\u2019s that mix that led to the interest in swing punk and electro swing music. Coincidentally, the era of music and radio programs being listened to were not too far removed from the Art Deco era.<\/span>\u201d<\/p>\n

In the story of getting to know time.peace, we\u2019ve just learned of a key driving-force that impacts their life. After that build-up, if you were listening to a contemporary song, you would expect the drop to occur right about now. But no, here comes the bridge.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Just as the invention of photography did away with the need for realism in art (such as it was back then) and gave rise to the impressionism movement, similarly the end of WWI in the early part of the 20th century brought about the desire to get rid of the past and move forward. The dominant art style pre-war was Art Nouveau with its characteristic uses of stylized curves depicting nature. That had to go. What was needed was to show the future that embodied progress; to show a fast movement towards advancement; to show rebirth replete with possibilities. This was accomplished by replacing curves with straight lines, nature with geometry, asymmetry with symmetry, and\u2014most importantly\u2014ornate predilection with organized perfection. Although the term Art Deco didn\u2019t really gain common acceptance until the 1960s\u2014well beyond the end of the movement\u2014its essence had permeated into every aspect of life. It certainly has had a profound impact on time.peace. As an aside, it should be noted here that the mid-century modernist movement was in full swing in the 60s, but that is a history lesson for another time. For now, think Art Deco.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"night-lyfe<\/p>\n

night-lyfe<\/a> by time.peace<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

As will become evident later, I suggested the title for this article as \u201cThe Pursuit of Perfection\u201d. After a thoughtful pause, time.peace offered an alternative title of \u201cWest Egg, Looking East<\/span>\u201d as a \u201cjumping off your suggestion about striving for perfection among the established FontStructors, just out of reach, while also connecting to Art Deco, and\u2014being a bit of a former bookworm\u2014a literary reference<\/span> [as well].\u201d Unsure what that meant, time.peace further explained, \u201cIt\u2019s an allusion to the Great Gatsby. West Egg was where Gatsby lived, an area usually reserved for new wealth and East Egg was the area where the old money lived. Throughout the novel that East Egg idea is something that he\u2019s reaching towards, symbolized as a green light<\/span> [in the sample below].\u201d Great Gatsby, as we know, is drenched with Art Deco imagery. Their suggested title is thoughtful and stylistically consistent. Like.<\/p>\n

\"strawberry<\/p>\n

strawberry<\/a> font and (inner) illustration by time.peace<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Let\u2019s talk fonts. What influences makes it into their fonts? \u201cThe big one is Art Deco, obviously. So many of its aspects are beautiful and have a multitude of ways to be incorporated in fonts.<\/span>\u201d Age undisclosed, but from the profile picture and bio above, you know time.peace is still a young person. How do they come to be influenced by an art movement a century removed from themselves? How would they describe themselves then? \u201cThe person behind time.peace is an eclectic amalgamation of Art Deco intrigue and imagination. Never afraid to fail, and always happy to better a font until it is\u2014to quote Mary Poppins\u2014practically perfect in every way.<\/span>\u201d<\/p>\n

\"boxcar<\/p>\n

boxcar<\/a> by time.peace<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

There\u2019s that word perfect<\/em> again. Clearly, the pursuit of perfection is strong with time.peace. What do they have to say about it? Does it have childhood roots? \u201cPerfection wasn\u2019t really demanded, but there was a hardworking mentality and the idea of taking pride in what you do. Perfection is something that will perpetually be out of reach, and there\u2019s absolutely nothing wrong with being imperfect. There\u2019s something to be said about loving imperfections. It\u2019s more of a goal, an idea to work towards, using it to improve where you see fit.<\/span>\u201d Interesting. This coincides with what Vince Lombardi, the famous American football coach said, \u201cPerfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.\u201d<\/span> Perhaps it is this desire to achieve excellence that is the driving force behind time.peace\u2019s work.<\/p>\n

With the perfection mystery solved, it brings us to this central question: Why does time.peace create fonts? \u201cFonts are just fun in their own bizarre little way. They are little projects that allow you to be as detail oriented and intricate as you see fit, with a ridiculous amount of endless possibilities.<\/span>\u201d So how do they go about making a font generally? Is the process always the same or do they sometime deviate from it? \u201cThe process is fairly random, tending to start with the more straight edged uppercase, then to the letters with more twists and turns, jumping around to different glyphs, often without much rhyme or reason. This process can often be thrown out the window depending on the intricacies of the font however.<\/span>\u201d And once started creating a font, what keeps them going? \u201cSimply wanting to create an end product that is (optimistically) both visually appealing and functional.<\/span>\u201d Do they sometime get frustrated while making a font and what do they do to overcome those frustrations? \u201cEliminating imperfections is continually the most frustrating aspect. Many early fonts were riddled with imperfections and they are slowly but surely being fixed. It seems like the best way to overcome the frustrations is simply to be patient and keep trying new things.<\/span>\u201d It also seems that no obstacle is great enough in the pursuit of perfection<\/del> excellence.<\/p>\n

How does FontStruct help time.peace in this regard? \u201cThere\u2019s always been in an interest in little things. FontStruct offered that so perfectly, combining both the familiar\u2014of small meticulously crafted projects, previously explored through those small toys growing up\u2014with the unfamiliar new realm of typography. That unfamiliarity with typography soon became familiar and led to the want to improve and get better and emulate the established FontStructors.<\/span>\u201d<\/p>\n

\"pacific<\/p>\n

pacific voyage<\/a> by time.peace <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Which of their own fonts are their favorites? \u201cblueberry<\/a>, <\/span>anubis<\/a>, and <\/span>strawberry<\/a> are some of my personal favorites. For anubis, it\u2019s a font that kind of took anything goes<\/em> Art Deco mindset and mixing in science fiction, possibly to see what Martian jazz may have looked like.<\/span> blueberry is a favorite due to it\u2019s shading. It takes the same Art Deco elements and mixes them with a style that reminds me of handwritten invitations for some reason. The design is something that I\u2019ll often use when hand-drawing posters for projects or whatnot. strawberry is a favorite for its use of the<\/span> [FontStruct\u2019s]<\/span> Twenties competition idea. The uppercase measuring twenty bricks tall, the lowercase measuring five bricks tall by four bricks wide, to multiply out to twenty, and the whole font incorporates exactly twenty different glyphs, while also incorporating Art Deco themes. Also, for strawberry, I\u2019m proud of how well it did in the competition. While it didn\u2019t win, the little notable mention was highly prized. It is interesting to see some clear similarities between blueberry and strawberry and how those end up as favorites.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/p>\n

Any favorite fonts from some other FontStructors? \u201cTomorrow Never Comes<\/a> by <\/span>four<\/a> and <\/span>db Soda<\/a> by <\/span>beate<\/a> are both mindboggling intricate and beautiful. G1 Decoreus<\/a> by genius1<\/a> is such a unique take on the themes of Art Deco, actually incorporating the architecture stylings into the font with a magnificent end product. dm Eiros\/aliens<\/a> by demonics<\/a> is such an odd yet endearing design that was a favorite of their dm Eiros series. zpacekowboy eYe\/FS<\/a> by elmoyenique<\/a> mixed two genres to perfection the idea of a cowboy on the moon is a fantastic idea encapsulated in this beautiful font.<\/span>\u201d<\/p>\n

Are there any interesting stories you can share about some of your fonts? \u201cpaper crane<\/a> is font that has a rather interesting back story. [It]<\/span> was a font that had been created back in 2014, but as with many other old fonts it was riddled with imperfections and got deleted. Paper folding is something that I found back in elementary school and became a rabbit hole that was then fully tumbled down. Specifically, the paper crafts were another small thing to create. Since that discovery, several thousand tiny cranes have been folded, scattered around houses, classrooms and university libraries with the added bonus of having a handful of spare wishes, if needed. Paper Crane was also the only font to be selected as a featured FonStruction\u2014a little badge of honor, something I thought only the established FontStructors could achieve.<\/span>\u201d<\/p>\n

\"paper<\/p>\n

paper crane<\/a> by time.peace<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

If you scrolled up and reread the part where time.peace talks about their students, you will realize the importance they place on imagination. Like any self-respecting person, it seems their expectations of self are no less. Looking through the fonts time.peace has shared, the Art Deco influences are clear, yet the elements of imagination and creativity are also clear. Just look at the diversity of the fonts such as astro queen<\/a> vs. twisted yarn<\/a>; mad hatter<\/a> vs. circuit breaker<\/a>\u2014all wrapped up in excellence.<\/p>\n

\"astro<\/p>\n

astro queen<\/a> &<\/span> twisted yarn<\/a> by time.peace<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Once all the work is done and made public, does time.peace think recognition as important? \u201cIt would be a lie to say that recognition isn’t exciting, however it is far from important. Simply being able to create something that you are happy with, regardless of who sees it, would seem to be leaps and bounds more important. Some of the fonts that flew under the radar were some favorites, but that has done little to dampen the joy their little forgotten designs bring.<\/span>\u201d Quite the definition of an artist, that is.<\/p>\n

Anything else that time.peace would like to say? \u201cThanks for including me in the series, it\u2019s quite an honor.<\/span>\u201d<\/p>\n

The honor is ours, time.peace. FontStructors who strive for excellence deserve recognition. You fit the bill perfectly<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Postscript<\/h3>\n

I thought I was done writing this article and was working on the samples, yet some nagging thought kept telling me that I have forgotten something. This is why I need to add a story here.<\/span><\/p>\n

We live mere blocks from the beach. During the monsoon season, which is now, the wind picks up and displaces truckloads of fine, powdered, quartz-y beach sand and blows it inland. Buckets of this lands on the tiled space around our house. Daily cleanings become a necessity. About an hours worth of sweeping required. Normally I have music on headphones if I\u2019m doing it, but not this morning. Mindless work and nothing to occupy itself, the mind wandered. Fragments of what time.peace said kept coming back to me. \u201cemulating the established FontStructors\u201d, \u201celiminating imperfections\u201d, \u201cmeticulously crafted projects\u201d, \u201cimprove where you see fit\u201d, etc. Then it dawned on me what time.peace was really telling me. If we all strive towards excellence in whatever we do\u2014and everyone does something different anyway \u201cthings can only get better\u201d as Howard Jones said. Everywhere. In everything. We just need to take care of our little bit. How\u2019s that not a philosophy to live by\u203d<\/span><\/p>\n

Thank you for teaching me this, time.peace.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Thank you once more, Ata and time.peace!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is a guest post from Ata Syed AKA thalamic and minimum, the third in a summer series, continuing the \u201cFocus on Fontstructors\u201d tradition of interviews with members of FontStruct\u2019s designer community. Ata has been FontStructing since 2008. In the pursuit of perfection there are no winners\u2014the universe doesn\u2019t allow it. It is an unattainable […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[13],"class_list":["post-4103","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-focus-on-fontstructors","tag-focus-on-fontstructors"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4103","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4103"}],"version-history":[{"count":38,"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4103\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4564,"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4103\/revisions\/4564"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4103"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4103"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4103"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}