Sketchy Past: The Funny Side of Art & Design History

Oops, Who Approved This? Design Disasters That Shook the World

Not everything in design history is a masterpiece—and some of it is downright tragic. In this episode, we're diving headfirst into the hall of shame: the architectural monstrosities, logo fails, and rebranding nightmares that somehow survived multiple review meetings. From buildings that look like body parts to fonts that defy comprehension, we uncover the stories behind the world’s most hilarious (and horrifying) design disasters. You’ll laugh, you’ll cringe, and you’ll never look at a corporate logo the same way again.

Ancient LOLs: Memes Before the Internet

Think memes are a modern invention? Think again. In this episode, we travel back thousands of years to uncover the surprisingly hilarious world of ancient memes. From graffiti in Pompeii that would rival your group chat, to sassy hieroglyphs, medieval marginalia, and even Renaissance meme-battles, we’ll show you how humans have always loved a good joke—no Wi-Fi required. Art history has a sense of humor... and it’s way older than you think.

When Fonts Attack: The Tragic Comedy of Comic Sans

It started as a font for comic book speech bubbles... and ended up on gravestones, resumes, and war memorials. In this episode, we explore the rise, fall, and strange afterlife of Comic Sans. Why does everyone hate it? Who’s still using it—and why won’t they stop? With typographic drama, design crimes, and a touch of nerdy history, we uncover how one font became the punchline of an entire profession. Warning: graphic content (pun intended). 🖋️😂📄

Mona Lisa’s Smirk and Other Renaissance Roasts

Why does Mona Lisa look like she’s hiding a secret? And what was really going on behind those gilded Renaissance frames? In our first episode of Sketchy Past, we take a not-so-serious look at the world of Renaissance art—where gods had abs, babies looked like grumpy old men, and painters were basically Instagram influencers in tights. Join us as we unpack weird symbolism, feuding artists, and some questionable fashion choices of the 1500s. Art history has never been this much fun. 🎨😂🖼️