The Enduring Power Of Flat Friends

I said goodbye to 333 good friends today.

They were always there for me whenever I needed them.

They inspired me.

They taught me many things. They took me to many places and introduced me to many people and ideas I never would have known without them.

But above all

They gave me the courage to go to new places and try new things.

I owe everything to them.

I will miss them dearly, but it’s time for them to move on to do all those amazing things for others.

God speed, good friends. Thank you very much for all you did for me.

The future and beyond

My flat friends will go on to influence the lives of others in their current flat form.

But their stories will find new life in new media thanks to organizations like the New York Public Library.

For me, nothing will replace the tactile, physical involvement of opening a book. Turning its pages. Seeing the rhythm and flow of all the typography at once.

Each book has a different look, a different feel, and even a different smell. But most of all, each engages our imaginations differently.

But the new life of stories takes illustration a step further with some pretty stunning and involving animation.

So I’ll take them both

But that’s just my opinion. What’s your take?