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| Hello From the Editor |
It’s 2026 and everyone on the internet is talking about the hot new trend of not being on the internet. If you’ve somehow managed to avoid this conversation topic, congratulations! You’re probably offline already. We’ll give you a brief rundown: after years of total digital saturation, nonstop news updates, and barrages of wall-to-wall information, people are turning to the natural world to find community, have new experiences, and generally take control of their lives. It’s an admirable goal, but it’s also kind of tricky. We’re so intertwined with our digital worlds that even halfway extracting ourselves can pose a challenge.
This installment of The Good Hour can hopefully help you take some of those steps, getting you off social media so you can focus on the act of creation instead of consumption. We’re convinced that there’s a happy middle ground between terminally online and using the internet in a healthy, productive way. Hopefully we can help you get at least part of the way there.
– SAM HOCKLEY-SMITH, GUEST EDITOR
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| 1 |
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| We Tried It |
| Refresh your workspace this spring |
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| 2 |
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| New/Now/Next |
| Why everyone's heading offline |
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| 3 |
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| Q&A |
| How Kelly Bren Burke turned analog inspiration into digital magic |
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| 4 |
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| One Small Practice |
| Play with mixed media in Procreate |
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| 5 |
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| Final Thought |
| Going analog is hard — start simple |
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| From vintage film to digital hybrids, these are some of our favorite point-and-shoots.
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Some links in this email are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you make a purchase.
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| Fujifilm Quicksnap |
| Why we like it: In the pre-digital camera days, these things offered up a quick and easy way to capture life moments, without having to worry too much about carrying an expensive piece of equipment around with you. In this case, this isn’t, like, a remake of an old disposable camera, it’s just that same thing, still trucking along. Still doing good work. Still requiring you to find a place to get the film developed. At this point they’re kind of a novelty, but they were popular for a reason, you know?
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| Why it might not be the right fit: You don’t have a place to get your film developed. You have no nostalgia for the past at all. |
| Verdict: At around $20, you can’t really go wrong. Plus, you’ll see your friends and loved ones in a whole new light when you do eventually get the photos developed. Why not give it a try? |
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| Camp Snap Screen Free Digital Camera |
| Why we like it: Down with perfectionism! The preview screens on digital cameras are helpful for seeing in real time what the photo you just took looks like, but they can take you out of the moment. This screen-free camera asks you to trust your intuition and take a picture without being able to immediately know how it’ll look. Just like the ancient times of the 1990s.
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| Why it might not be the right fit: You fear the unknown. You are a perfectionist who didn’t like that we said “down with perfectionism.”
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| Verdict: There are a billion reasonably priced digital cameras on the market, but not many of them can change the way you think about photography like this one can.
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| Sony ZV-E10 |
| Why we like it: There’s a fairly reasonable chance that your first camera was actually the camera on your phone. But if you’re ready to level up and spend a bit more cash than the other picks on this list, this Sony camera will allow you to create both video and still images with relative ease.
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| Why it might not be the right fit: It’s comparatively pricey and it’s got a bit of a steeper learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, your output will be high-quality.
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| Verdict: This is an investment that will grow with you, so if you’re feeling confident about sticking with photography this is a great next step. |
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| Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Instant Film Camera |
| Why we like it: So much of going analog involves rejecting stuff you’ve gotten used to. Not this camera! You’ve got the convenience of digital, the design of vintage film cameras, paired with the thrilling novelty of an immediately printed photo, direct from the camera.
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| Why it might not be the right fit: By standard camera prices, it’s not exactly expensive, but it’s not really very cheap either. The instant photo printing capability is fun, but may not feel like a necessity later on.
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| Verdict:If you’re looking to reinvigorate your love of photography, you’ll have a blast with this camera.
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For the first time, the group chat was quiet. Did everyone leave? Find new hobbies? What happened? It turns out Brick had happened, and the real world was where they went. If you’re unfamiliar: Brick is a handy, low-profile device that sticks to a fridge or wall. Tap your phone against it, and it’ll bar you from using any app you tell it to for the amount of time you tell it to. Think of it as a non-sentient friend who is just looking out for your best interests, if your best interests happen to involve being online a whole lot less.
Looking at the popularity of Brick alongside the popularity of “dumbphones” aka old phones without internet capabilities, or ones like the Lightphone, which allows for some apps, but keeps social media off your phone, and everything on your phone in black and white, it’s clear that we’re collectively yearning for IRL connection and experience. We recommend any of these devices, depending on how and if they can fit into your life. Even if none of these align with your exact needs, we encourage you to take their purpose to heart and block those sticky social apps — at least for a little while.
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Skillshare teacher Kelly Bren Burke found her digital calling while working in a very analog world. When she got her first iPad in 2017, she was managing a Barnes and Noble, spending long days at the store with no time to devote to art. But that iPad changed everything: she downloaded Procreate and took some Skillshare classes that taught her how to make collages — a traditionally analog medium — digitally.
"I can trace everything I do now back to those early Skillshare experiments, and to one unexpected afternoon where I clicked on a class just because it looked fun," she says.
Her fluid approach to thinking in analog ways about digital creation is inspiring, so we thought we’d resurface a profile of her we ran at the beginning of this year. It’s not only a great guide to finding your artistic calling, but it’s an insightful look at how to bring your dreams into reality through methodical education and consistent drive.
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Skillshare teacher Lisa Bardot’s Analog Meets Digital: Fun Mixed Media Illustrations in Procreate class is a celebration of the way analog and digital mediums can collide and generate new dimensions of your artistic style, acting as perfect inspiration for this week’s prompt. This one’s a bit more labor-intensive, so you’ve got twenty minutes.
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Begin with a piece of paper and an illustrative utensil: pens, paint, charcoal, whatever you want from the physical world. Draw semi-abstract textures, shapes, or marks. Nothing too detailed or too fancy. Just let it flow.
Then scan or photograph your analog piece into Procreate, and use its digital tools to transform your piece into something entirely new.
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| Analog Meets Digital: Fun Mixed Media Illustrations in Procreate |
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