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The Shit Series | Part 3

The Shit Series is a personal project that kick started by my fascination with language and all the colloquial ways Aussies use the word shit.

Since its infancy back in January 2016, this series have grown through organic collaboration and using calligraphy, hand lettering, vector lettering and typography.

The inspiration behind these series is my Catalan Christmas celebrations. On Christmas Eve in Catalonia, we celebrate the “caga tió” (Christmas log that shits presents). We also feature the “caganer” (the shitter) in our Christmas nativity scene.

My Shit Series have taught me a lot of Australian slang. Check out the entire project, the inspiration behind each post and the tools I have used to create them; Good shit guaranteed!

The Shit Series | Part 3: Post 51 to Post 75

Post number #51: That’s the best damn shit that ever happened

This post is about me feeling clearly very optimistic, as I was thinking “election day has finally arrived and Hilary will cruise along”… Wrong!

Post number #52: Shitism

This post is about my feelings after learning the news from the US elections. “I can’t believe that we are going to put up with Trump’s SHITISM for the next 4 years”.

Post number #53: Bored shitless

Brush calligraphy using a Pentel Aquabrush pen.

Post number #54: Dumb as dog shit

This post is about making a statement of what I consider my calligraphy philosophy: “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist” Pablo Picasso.

Post number #55: Sheeeeit

This post is about me feeling extremely happy having my last five calligraphy workshops of 2016 sold out!

Post number #56: Have a shit hot Xmas

Sometimes you seek for inspirations, and other times inspiration finds you. Nearly a year ago, my partner and I were driving to Lakes Entrace and we bumped into a huge message on the side of the road. We stopped the car and I took a couple of photographs.

I didn’t know that I was just a few weeks away from starting “The Shit Series”, neither that I was going to end up writing 50+ posts about it.

Post number #57: You can’t spell for shit

Copperplate calligraphy using a pointed flexible pen and liquid watercolours.

Post number #58: Shittie

Last week I was revisiting my post number 52 (Shitism) and I asked my studio buddy Chloe if there was a grammatical rule to determined when a word ends on “ie” or “y”… Normal questions that arise after almost sixty posts on the same subject.

Chloe told me that the standard way to say it, in this case, was “shitty”… So I redid my post and sent it to Das Automat to get a t-shirt for myself for Christmas!

Chloe also told me about the meaning of shittie. Google it if you, like me, have no idea what is this about… It cannot get any classier!

Post number #59: Shitting bricks

This post is literally me freaking out as I almost missed a really important appointment in my life. Great news coming up in the next months!

Post number #60: I do have time for this shit

This quote is inspired by the great and generous Nicole Phillips @typographher and her recent blog post about my Shit Series. You can check it out here.

Post number #61: The Shitter

A Caganer — or “the shitter” — is a small figurine of a person squatting down with lowered pants shitting. They have been around since the 17th century and can often be found hiding in an obscure corner of a Nativity scene.

The figurines originally became popular among farmers who believed that the caganer’s “offerings” would make the soil rich and productive for the coming year.  The “Association of Friends of the Caganer” states that the figures were meant to add “a human side to the representation of the mystery of Christmas.”

Wikipedia also mentions how the Caganer might represent “the equality of all people” because “everyone defecates”. . Nowadays, young children in Catalonia still play a Where’s-Waldo-like game that involves searching for the Caganer in the nativity scene arrangement.  You can read more about it here.

Post number #62: What a log of shit

In the next two posts I am going to share with you the inspiration behind The Shit Series, which is my Catalan Fecal Christmas Festivities.

The “Caga tió” is a Christmas log that shits presents and is sold all over Catalonia in supermarkets and Christmas markets. The Christmas log is a tree stump standing on stick legs with a very happy painted face. It is “fed” sweets and candy, pampered and cared for by children starting from the 8th December, and ending on Christmas Eve on 24th December.

On that night, the Caga Tió log is put very close to the fireplace. The children sing the “Caga Tió” song to get the log to “poo” some presents. The song ends with a final load cry of “Caga Tió!” which is the imperative tense of the verb “shit log!!”

Generally, the presents pooped out by the log are candy, sweets and maybe one gift. The bulk of Christmas presents for children in Spain are delivered on 6th January by the Three Kings on Kings Day (6th January), not by Santa on Christmas Day. More info here.

Post number #63: Sorting my shit out

My Christmas celebrations in Australia consists of spending quality time with my partner.

Rob and I usually leave Melbourne and spend the Christmas break on our own. We prepare Bloody Mary drinks every morning and reflect on how the year went for both of us. I am a big fan of mapping out our calendar year and setting our goals.

This post is about being back at the office today feeling great, cleaning my desk, backing up my files and sorting my shit out.

Post number #64: This shit is important to me

Working on personal projects is very important to me. Today I spent my day at Rotson Studios having fun on my own. I always try to keep a balance between client work and self-generated projects: it keeps me happy and sane.

Post number #65: Shit happens in threees

Good things also happens in threes:

1) To kick start the year, I had the incredible pleasure to meet George and Dominique Falla from Typism. As a last minute surprise, Bobby Haiqalsyah came to give me (literally) a couple of hands to film my online class for the upcoming #typismsummit. Thanks to the Typism community, I met Nikita Prokhorov a great designer from Brooklyn who creates amazing ambigrams;

2) My special Brush Calligraphy weekend workshop with Carla Hackett at Rotson Studios is sold out;

3) And on day 10 of 2017, I’m on my way to the airport to join Filipe and Lauren Vilitati for their up-coming Fijian wedding. Next twelve days mean holidays to me!

Post number #66: I’m not too old for this shit

Watching the Williams sisters, Federer and Nadal at the Australian Open, makes me think about the value of hard work, focus and tenacity.

I tend to think about my age, and use it as an excuse for not doing shit… Well, I’ve taught a good lesson this week.

Post number #67: It is not the shit that matters, it is the process

Rebooting the system and launching back-to-school mode. Neuland calligraphy using a bamboo pen and gouache ink.

Post number #68: Love you shit loads

Let love win in 2017. This post is dedicated to my very good friend Carlos Garcia, who’s always been there for me. Vector lettering.

Post number #69: What’s shit, and where can I get some?

Neuland calligraphy using a bamboo pen and liquid watercolours.

Post number #70: Publish that shit

Back at the studio again having fun.

Post number #71: This is the best shit ever!

It’s only taken me ten years and six months but finally, in March 2017, I became Australian and it feels so good!

Post number #72: Holy shit!

I’m forty and I’m totally OK with it.

It’s all happening this month of March! After my Aussie citizenship, now I get to enter a new decade and I’ll be using my Shit Series to go through any mid-life crisis that comes along my way.