Erik Sagen
@kartooner.bsky.social
Illustrator. Former game designer; forever a theater kid. Voice Actor. Creative Enigma. Curiosity Expert. Lead Product Designer at Paychex. Prev: AOL/Engadget/Joystiq.
I’m eriksagen.26 on Signal if you use such things.
www.kartooner.com
I’m eriksagen.26 on Signal if you use such things.
www.kartooner.com
Some people just play Red Dead Redemption 2. I play it and sketch the world I see, much like Arthur does in the game.
November 24, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Some people just play Red Dead Redemption 2. I play it and sketch the world I see, much like Arthur does in the game.
My non-spoiler take on Train Dreams. boxd.it/bOBS0V
A ★★★★★ review of Train Dreams (2025)
A quiet masterpiece about the American wilderness and the men who shaped it. Beautifully crafted and acted. Edgerton’s face tells the whole story wherein every loss, every season of hard labor, every ...
boxd.it
November 23, 2025 at 6:49 PM
My non-spoiler take on Train Dreams. boxd.it/bOBS0V
Recommend everyone give this film a watch. It’s quite beautiful.
Train Dreams director Clint Bentley and star Joel Edgerton speak with Mitchell Beaupre about their film’s balance of the mythic and the intimate, Edgerton’s draw towards stoic, sensitive characters, and the people whose impact echoes within us. boxd.it/2Po
The New World: Clint Bentley and Joel Edgerton on balancing the mythic and the intimate in Train Dreams • Journal • A Letterboxd Magazine
Train Dreams director Clint Bentley and star Joel Edgerton speak with Mitchell Beaupre about their film’s balance of the mythic and the intimate, Edgerton’s draw towards stoic, sensitive characters, a...
boxd.it
November 23, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Recommend everyone give this film a watch. It’s quite beautiful.
Reposted by Erik Sagen
Hey #ScreenshotSaturday, here's my one-button basketball game, playable in your web browser, on Itchio: ottoojala.itch.io/ottos-basket...
The game is getting closer to being done - today's build, v0.9.2, adds subtle improvements and a few bug fixes.
Let me know what you think :--)
#gamedev #godot
The game is getting closer to being done - today's build, v0.9.2, adds subtle improvements and a few bug fixes.
Let me know what you think :--)
#gamedev #godot
November 22, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Hey #ScreenshotSaturday, here's my one-button basketball game, playable in your web browser, on Itchio: ottoojala.itch.io/ottos-basket...
The game is getting closer to being done - today's build, v0.9.2, adds subtle improvements and a few bug fixes.
Let me know what you think :--)
#gamedev #godot
The game is getting closer to being done - today's build, v0.9.2, adds subtle improvements and a few bug fixes.
Let me know what you think :--)
#gamedev #godot
Immediately after finishing Frankenstein I texted my brother: “Hope there’s a making of and a book.”
And next thing I know, seconds after it’s sent, Netflix queues the 45-minute making of doc.
@realgdt.bsky.social, you really did it. Bravo to you, the cast and crew.
And next thing I know, seconds after it’s sent, Netflix queues the 45-minute making of doc.
@realgdt.bsky.social, you really did it. Bravo to you, the cast and crew.
a black and white drawing of a puppet with smoke coming out of it
ALT: a black and white drawing of a puppet with smoke coming out of it
media.tenor.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Immediately after finishing Frankenstein I texted my brother: “Hope there’s a making of and a book.”
And next thing I know, seconds after it’s sent, Netflix queues the 45-minute making of doc.
@realgdt.bsky.social, you really did it. Bravo to you, the cast and crew.
And next thing I know, seconds after it’s sent, Netflix queues the 45-minute making of doc.
@realgdt.bsky.social, you really did it. Bravo to you, the cast and crew.
The trifecta of unusually fantastic pop culture.
November 20, 2025 at 1:29 PM
The trifecta of unusually fantastic pop culture.
My favorite bit of trivia from The Simpsons is that Marge’s height, with hair, is 8’6”.
November 20, 2025 at 12:01 AM
My favorite bit of trivia from The Simpsons is that Marge’s height, with hair, is 8’6”.
Reposted by Erik Sagen
November 17, 2025 at 5:03 PM
People complaining about the pacing of Pluribus: did you watch Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul? Vince Gilligan and his creative team light a match and let it burn slowly.
November 16, 2025 at 4:20 PM
People complaining about the pacing of Pluribus: did you watch Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul? Vince Gilligan and his creative team light a match and let it burn slowly.
Not a lot of people know this but Pennywise is in that first Dora movie.
Why Isn’t Pennywise in The Running Man? It's more complicated than you might think... bit.ly/4a04Vvk
November 15, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Not a lot of people know this but Pennywise is in that first Dora movie.
Wherein I write about how everyone is creative, just like anybody can cook.
www.kartooner.com/entry/everyo...
www.kartooner.com/entry/everyo...
Everyone Creates - Erik's Journal
www.kartooner.com
November 14, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Wherein I write about how everyone is creative, just like anybody can cook.
www.kartooner.com/entry/everyo...
www.kartooner.com/entry/everyo...
Honestly, Anyone Looking For Legitimate Information From Early Industry Sources Can Only Make Informed Nerdy Guesses.
November 11, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Honestly, Anyone Looking For Legitimate Information From Early Industry Sources Can Only Make Informed Nerdy Guesses.
“I’m not afraid of dying, but I am afraid of not being capable of living. That is a fear. And being boring.” - Stellan Skarsgård
October 28, 2025 at 1:17 AM
“I’m not afraid of dying, but I am afraid of not being capable of living. That is a fear. And being boring.” - Stellan Skarsgård
The same part of me that loves video games also loves people. Both came from my mom. She played Pac-Man and Frogger, cared deeply, and noticed others. She’s been gone 20 years, but I still try to play and love the way she did. (That’s me in the 80s playing Frogger with my Aunt watching.)
October 26, 2025 at 2:01 PM
The same part of me that loves video games also loves people. Both came from my mom. She played Pac-Man and Frogger, cared deeply, and noticed others. She’s been gone 20 years, but I still try to play and love the way she did. (That’s me in the 80s playing Frogger with my Aunt watching.)
Got a new Moleskin so had to do the thing.
October 25, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Got a new Moleskin so had to do the thing.
This one has @erikahall.bsky.social + @spavel.bsky.social so off the charts hyped.
Hey design fam! Have you heard about the new design conference from Sara and Jen at Active Voice?
The speaker list includes @erikahall.bsky.social, @spavel.bsky.social , @candi.bsky.social, @catt.design & @amysantee.bsky.social
🔥🔥🔥
More details here:
www.linkedin.com/showcase/thr...
The speaker list includes @erikahall.bsky.social, @spavel.bsky.social , @candi.bsky.social, @catt.design & @amysantee.bsky.social
🔥🔥🔥
More details here:
www.linkedin.com/showcase/thr...
Throughline Conference | LinkedIn
Throughline Conference | 119 followers on LinkedIn. Let's write design's next chapter. A new online conference from Active Voice coming January 29-30, 2026. | Throughline is a new UX conferenc...
www.linkedin.com
October 21, 2025 at 1:16 AM
This one has @erikahall.bsky.social + @spavel.bsky.social so off the charts hyped.
This is a throwaway post but wanted to share that, yes, I drive around a Ghostbusters van. And no, my wife doesn’t like it.
It’s been 5 years so I think we’re good.
It’s been 5 years so I think we’re good.
October 15, 2025 at 4:51 PM
This is a throwaway post but wanted to share that, yes, I drive around a Ghostbusters van. And no, my wife doesn’t like it.
It’s been 5 years so I think we’re good.
It’s been 5 years so I think we’re good.
As a kid growing up in the 80s/90s, I had a fascination with movie posters created by Drew Struzan.
Just heard the news today that he passed away.
Shown here is signed An American Tail poster that hangs near my reading chair.
www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie...
Just heard the news today that he passed away.
Shown here is signed An American Tail poster that hangs near my reading chair.
www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie...
October 14, 2025 at 8:29 PM
As a kid growing up in the 80s/90s, I had a fascination with movie posters created by Drew Struzan.
Just heard the news today that he passed away.
Shown here is signed An American Tail poster that hangs near my reading chair.
www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie...
Just heard the news today that he passed away.
Shown here is signed An American Tail poster that hangs near my reading chair.
www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie...
Confession: I have never done karaoke. Not in the proper way, at some hole-in-the-wall pub with a small stage, poor lighting and a cornucopia of song selection.
Maybe one day.
Maybe one day.
October 13, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Confession: I have never done karaoke. Not in the proper way, at some hole-in-the-wall pub with a small stage, poor lighting and a cornucopia of song selection.
Maybe one day.
Maybe one day.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how I like to teach and learn alongside others.
This is the result of that thinking.
Dedicated to all the teachers in my life that made a difference.
medium.com/@kartooner/i...
This is the result of that thinking.
Dedicated to all the teachers in my life that made a difference.
medium.com/@kartooner/i...
If I Ever Taught A College Class
A simple idea: we learn more when we learn together.
medium.com
October 13, 2025 at 7:48 PM
I’ve been thinking a lot about how I like to teach and learn alongside others.
This is the result of that thinking.
Dedicated to all the teachers in my life that made a difference.
medium.com/@kartooner/i...
This is the result of that thinking.
Dedicated to all the teachers in my life that made a difference.
medium.com/@kartooner/i...
Level 45 unlocked. I’m at that point where refining feels better than reinventing. Anyways, next chapter, same character.
October 11, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Level 45 unlocked. I’m at that point where refining feels better than reinventing. Anyways, next chapter, same character.
Real exchange that happened at Target just now:
Me: “Can you help me get a game out of the.. uh, game case. Is that what it’s called? The game holder display thingy. Game zoo.”
Target dude: (laughs)
Me: “We got there though, right?”
Him: “Yeah.” (Hands me the game, Ghost of Yotei)
Me: “Can you help me get a game out of the.. uh, game case. Is that what it’s called? The game holder display thingy. Game zoo.”
Target dude: (laughs)
Me: “We got there though, right?”
Him: “Yeah.” (Hands me the game, Ghost of Yotei)
October 10, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Real exchange that happened at Target just now:
Me: “Can you help me get a game out of the.. uh, game case. Is that what it’s called? The game holder display thingy. Game zoo.”
Target dude: (laughs)
Me: “We got there though, right?”
Him: “Yeah.” (Hands me the game, Ghost of Yotei)
Me: “Can you help me get a game out of the.. uh, game case. Is that what it’s called? The game holder display thingy. Game zoo.”
Target dude: (laughs)
Me: “We got there though, right?”
Him: “Yeah.” (Hands me the game, Ghost of Yotei)
I’m quite behind on Inktober because of running a workshop this week for 70+ people. That said, I’m caught up for the next 15 days with these thumbnail sketches.
October 9, 2025 at 7:38 PM
I’m quite behind on Inktober because of running a workshop this week for 70+ people. That said, I’m caught up for the next 15 days with these thumbnail sketches.
Don’t sleep on Apple TV’s Murderbot.
It’s whimsy and weirdness (Pushing Daisies) wrapped in a space opera (Star Trek), narrated by a cynical, fourth-wall-breaking bot straight out of Sunset Boulevard.
It’s whimsy and weirdness (Pushing Daisies) wrapped in a space opera (Star Trek), narrated by a cynical, fourth-wall-breaking bot straight out of Sunset Boulevard.
October 4, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Don’t sleep on Apple TV’s Murderbot.
It’s whimsy and weirdness (Pushing Daisies) wrapped in a space opera (Star Trek), narrated by a cynical, fourth-wall-breaking bot straight out of Sunset Boulevard.
It’s whimsy and weirdness (Pushing Daisies) wrapped in a space opera (Star Trek), narrated by a cynical, fourth-wall-breaking bot straight out of Sunset Boulevard.
Reposted by Erik Sagen
I haven’t been this excited for a bubble to burst since I was a toddler.
MIT’s NANDA initiative found that 95% of generative AI deployments fail after interviewing 150 execs, surveying 350 workers, and analyzing 300 projects. The real “productivity gains” seem to come from layoffs and squeezing more work from fewer people not AI.
MIT report: 95% of generative AI pilots at companies are failing
There’s a stark difference in success rates between companies that purchase AI tools from vendors and those that build them internally.
fortune.com
August 20, 2025 at 6:17 AM
I haven’t been this excited for a bubble to burst since I was a toddler.