Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Syd Linkletter. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Syd, appreciate you joining us today. Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?
The most recent and most relevant speedbump I’ve hit is getting a full box of misprints halfway through a project.
Absolutely devastating. Halfway through my TarotSaur tour I got my second shipment of book stock and quickly realized the entire box was full of lemons. Double printed and misaligned. The kicker is that I was recording a “first impressions” / “unboxing” short and you can watch my chill melting in real time as it all hits me. I had to take a shower and scream into a pillow to get my head straight after that, I had just woken up and took my dog outside, not fully awake enough to handle a disappointment like that so early in the morning. Later on I managed the chaos the best I could but it really knocked the wind out of me that day.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
To anyone not familiar with me, I’m a visual artist/illustrator and designer. I’m pretty much completely self-taught, I took an online mentorship a couple years ago, but otherwise I’ve just picked up what’s around me. My strengths are style adaptability and lineart, and most of what I do is design books. Prepress is becoming one of the most rewarding avenues I’ve tried, nothing beats holding the project in your hand and flipping through the pages. I make books for myself and clients, and I got into art when I started posting online as a teen, which is where I started using the name, “Syd”. I didn’t want to post under my real name as a kid online, which is still wise, but I’ve used it ever since and now it often feels more natural than my legal one.
I’ve gotten very into community connection, particularly this year. I grew up in a cult and never had much outside interaction. Now in my adulthood I can see and interact with the world in a whole new capacity, and connecting with others, and building each other up is proving to be some of the best balm for the soul. And I try to have fun, get other people to laugh and have fun too. Bring some brightness to their lives in a meaningful way when I can.
I’m also a political activist and advocate for democracy, work/life balance, and behavioral/relational health. In the future I’d like to pursue a degree in behavioral psychology now that I’ve finished getting my GED. (Again, cult upbringing.)
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
The motto I’ve gone by for the last 4 years is, “finished, not perfect.” Which I believe is attributed to the Inktober Challenge. That concept is often the driving force behind my personal projects. I could tweak and adjust and rework material forever, but at a certain point it’s gonna be what it’s gonna be, and you just have to tell yourself it’s not perfect, but it is finished, and now you can move on to the next one.
Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)
Well, as far as I can tell, NFTs are a scam. AI “art” is theft and lazy. And both are terrible for the environment. I fully side with Del Toro and Miyazaki in their views on slop and tricks.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sydlinkletter.com
- Instagram: @sydlinkletter
- Twitter: https://bsky.app/profile/sydlinkletter.bsky.social
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sydlinkletter
- Other: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tarotsaur-syd-linkletter/1148379773?ean=9798349568114
Image Credits
WispOfWords.net