The collection

Every Monday, a line from history lands in my inbox. A thought set down long before any of us were here. I always wonder where they were when it first struck them, what their days were like, what was happening in their life. But more than that: why did this one line survive?

In 1930, the typographer Beatrice Warde likened good typography to a wine glass. If the glass is doing its job, you notice the wine, its colour, its clarity, not the stemware. Your design isn’t the point. The message is. Clarity wins.

Trends are tempting. But they only tell you what looks current today, never what lasts. And what lasts is specific: your perspective, your angle, your offer.

For me, good design isn’t about constant invention. It’s curation: collecting what works, gathering ideas for what’s next, refining it and passing it on. The Open Notebook is where I keep and share it. Join me.

Charlie