Why Fear is the Enemy of Creativity

Stop letting your fear rob you.

How working in advertising improved my skills as a designer

If you are connected with me on linkedin you know that I worked as a freelancer for an advertising agency for a good bit. I will admit working there was a great experience and I learned a lot. There are many things that I took from it and apply it to my current work. Because without the structure and discipline of designing I would have been lost. The first time I realized that work I was doing was actually going to be used for a big client it was life changing. As corny as it may sound it was for me. The reason was because I was so grateful to be given the chance which I felt was going to be coming sooner or later.

So now to the topic of this post.

The attention that I pay to my work is even more critical and precise.
I am not afraid to do work over and over until it feels right
Not afraid to tell someone no
Able to move quicker and design faster
More confident
Improved my layout skills
Listening and taking notes even more precise

When we are designing whether its for ourselves, for a client, or whomever the amount of detail that is devoted towards certain aspects is greater than others. Some people are ok with just doing the work and what the client feels right. Then others go above and beyond each time to produce beautiful work that is appreciated. Now I pay closer detail to how things appear and if they do not feel right I do a little magic (sarcasm) until it solves they do.

Before I would get frustrated and just say you know what “fuck it” this is good enough. I did not understand the principles of putting out work that is a representation of you. The same thing applies to the people who have cheap business cards that end up getting written on and used as pieces of scrap paper. You do not want to be that person. I say this as a designer who wants you to develop a better taste in every aspect of your life.

As a creative individual you are so hesistant to say no. Because we do not realize what we have and how we shape the worlds around us. People do not value designers or matter fact creative individuals as they should. They tend to value other professions but that’s not their fault. So remember saying no allows you to say yes to the right people and things.

When we start out as designers we tend to move a little slower than others. Also not knowing shortcut keys can be a hindrance on your work. I know a good amount of shortcut keys. Matter of fact when I am not in adobe programs I am trying to use shortcut keys. First starting out I became a very tech savy designer before the creativity came to match that. One major thing is learning more of the programs and how to use them effectively. when you are around others who can just fly through projects you realize how little you know and how much it makes you want to do even more.

Being more confident has helped me to tackle work more efficiently. This is constantly a work in progress as a creative individual. Because there is no worser critic than ourselves. I learned that result of doing work that you are proud of shows and others appreciate it. At the agency I was at first nervous about the art director seeing the work but over time I got more comfortable. Because the art director was the person who approved the work.

Layout skills are something that I not very good at. The large amounts of copy would scare me at times. Because my brain would say “now how in the hell are you going to fit all of this in there?”. While overtime I realized you can do it just relax and take it easy make sure its not confusing and its something your grandparents could understand.

While I would get my work looked at by the art director and told what I needed to improve I would take notes. Because there may be some of you who can just remember it verbally but not me. I feel its more effective taking notes. Also you can be more precise in doing what is needed to be done. Another thing it will show is that you took the time to effectively listen to you were being told to do. That to me shows the person who takes a job seriously by doing something simple as that.

Hustle Harder

This is something that I have to constantly remind myself. Because we get into the routine of just doing enough to get by. When we are so capable of more than what we are doing. Because you and me both know we could do more.

Instead of giving 90% we can give at least 15% more. When we get depressed that we do not have clients flocking to us or have a job where we feel we are being paid what we are worth it can be demeaning. As if that is all that we are ever going to achieve.

But let me tell you that its not true you are capable of more. Listen to who what you’ve been told by others. But remember you decide what is best for you. Then you have to believe in yourself and your work. If you are thinking I do not know if I will share this piece that I am working on. Well you will stay trapped in your little world of what you call design. Another thing is no one will be able to enjoy it (the work that you are doing that is) other than you.

Really with whatever you plan to do just always have a plan to go further in life. I mean you may be happy with where you are in life and feel as if Josten why do I need to go and try to get more. Well the thing to remember is your current situation is based off of the decisions you’ve made and what you’ve accepted.

Anand Giridharadas: A tale of two Americas. And the mini-mart where they collided

This talk is one of the best TED talks I have ever watched. Immediately it touched my emotion in a deep level. Because of what the guy who the speaker is talking about went through. Because if something drastic was to happen to a person because of someone else how hard do you think it would be to forgive the attacker?

Have a great weekend everyone

This Job is way too easy

I know that I am not the only designer that has experienced a similar way of thinking. Because from doing something so much you immediately know how to solve a problem based on a process. well you do not want to keep the mentality that this job is easy. The reason is eventually you will realize that it is not easy.

The things that are easy to you may seem difficult to some other person who has more experience than you. With wanting to have something that is easy or that you do not find difficult it takes serious discipline. The skateboarders that you see who can do tricks easy with no problems you did not spend the days of them falling over and over to learn a trick. The same thing applies to having your mind tuned to be able to think faster and more creatively.

You have to develop first confidence and belief in yourself. We think if I do good work everything else will fall into place. When honestly that will not happen. No one will care that you do good work. You also may even have people who do not think that you did the work. Because you may have met other designers who try and brag about so many things.

The situation is as if you do not know who to believe anymore. Which is a sad thing especially for designers. Because when you meet someone who is a designer you’d think they’d have the same mentality with certain aspects as you do. But its a very simple process to spot a liar to someone who is actually genuine with what they talk about. I am not sure if you feel the same way about liars its something that absolutely disgusts me.

The way that my parents raised me was to be honest. Being honest is something I tend to always lean towards doing more than most. Because it frees you from many things that in other words would carry way to much weight on you. Each day I learn that I am a work in progress to become a more efficient and confident designer. Reading books, newsletters, listening to podcasts have me moving more steadily in the right direction.

Listening to podcasts and getting into the right frame of mind will help you on your journey to make being a designer a bit easier for you. There’s no need to be a scaredy cat when it comes to talking with people. Get up off of your ass or wherever you are right now and talk with something.

How to Digitize Hand Lettering

One of the best tutorials I have seen on how to actually digitize your hand lettering.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Experimenting and trying new things

Ever since I started learning calligraphy by myself I never really thought of it in such a large way. Because when you start teaching yourself something you begin to do it out of love. Then further down the road you start to realize what it can become. I have built a good following on instagram and made some good friends as well there.

One person recently told me to make a quote I did recently into a shirt. I was thinking “Josten why did you not already do this!”. My thoughts are I’m doing something for free to help inspire others as well as showing my commitment.

Here is how one of the shirts is going to be printed

There is a lot of hand lettering online and everywhere you can imagine. There is also some that is pristine and almost does not look hand done and I tend to always want to keep that aspect of my calligraphy work. Therefore showing the little imperfection brings out the human aspect of it and a more organic feel.

Some other things I have been trying to do a bit more was to test out incorporating a hand lettered aspect of a logo. Since I’ve been doing calligraphy for over a year everyday why the hell not?

Here is one recent project that I started

The project is going to be based off of people who Ride the Rails. If you are not familiar with the term its people who ride freight trains. I’m debating whether or not to base it off of a beer company or clothing. But more or less its a fun project. Still have to clean things up a bit with it.

Creativity takes courage

Being a creative person takes courage. You may think “oh its not hard to be creative what’s so scary about it?”. Well day after day I have to continue pushing myself to not be afraid. Because you can put out a piece of work and have no idea of what your audience is going to think. You also may have gotten caught up in the followers and likes game.

Followers and likes do not show you being creative and whatever else you may think. One thing to think about daily is that what you are doing there is someone that is going to be doing exactly what you are doing but they will be better. Just think of the days when you continued to dream about what you wanted to do versus taking action.

You cannot be scared of other peoples opinion in regards to your creativity. People are going to have an opinion so what its not that big of a deal. A great example is people who are not confident fully in themselves and think of everything negative that could happen. I will be honest with you all I still have days when I do not feel like doing a calligraphy piece or working on a logo.

But you know what I made a personal commitment to myself that I am not going to quit or just give up. More and more seeking information is what I have focused on doing. The podcasts and books I have been reading helped me a lot. You know investing in yourself helps you to become a more confident person and to strengthen your belief of your work. I want you to personally know your work may be shit right now but your willingness to not give up is what will separate you from those who want the easy way out.

Get up and believe in yourself you are not a loser and your work is not crap it will get to the level you want it to be. The only way for it to improve is to fully dedicate yourself to improving. Those who lack courage tend to just live a life of what if’s. For example you may say what if I did this to this piece or what if I told people I planned on selling my artwork or what if I tried this.

Stop questioning every little thing and just go and do it. Being a creative individual requires trust, courage and belief in yourself and you can do it. If things are not happening as fast as you’d like them to be keep working and improving your belief and courage. Because being a creative person we can be pretty hard on ourselves for no reason.

Surrounded by sound: how 3D audio hacks your brain

Recently I came across the subject of 3d audio. I was pretty suspicious at first as to what it actually could be. But I will say it is crazy how it will trick our brains to actually believe its happening right in front of us. There is one video that you are in an interrogation room and let me tell you its pretty intense to sit through. Me personally I was not able to make it all the way through. At some points I started to tense up and my brain said “OK that’s enough of this”.

Now lets see if you can sit through the interrogation 3d audio video and remember you have to shut your eyes and listen for this video

Marc Hemeon: How Not to Fail

This was a Creative Mornings talk that I came across the other morning and I must say it was a breath of fresh air. Throughout the whole talk I enjoyed every bit of it. One of the many things I enjoyed was the personality of the talk.

I’m going to be using many things that Marc mentioned such as using the toothbrush principle and various others.