Category: inspirational

Failing to learn

I still have been applying to hopefully secure a graphic design position. But there was one thing that I did wrong. On my resume I had a careless mistake. The mistake was have just one single letter that was a mistype. I immediately caught the mistake compared to the first time.

But the thing I want you to realize that if I did not improve as a designer then I would not have seen the mistake immediately. This is something that I have noticed about myself. The other day  I was looking through my old schoolwork and I realized the changes that I would make and then what I did wrong.

Then the realization that I have improved skill-wise and I have improved the way I see design. The same thing can be done for you as well. The amount of discipline it takes to want to improve in every way possible is almost insane. Because you have to dedicate yourself to the grind of day after day. Failure after failure which then leads to success after success.

Remember this that failing is not a bad thing if you continue on the fact that you failed and do not take the time to realize what you could learn from it and what you did learn from it.

My Current book I’m reading

This is a book that I decided I needed to purchase. Simply because I felt there are a lot of books out there on design. But I knew that improving my logo design skills and etc was important. You know when you have been doing something for so long you feel as if your lost. By being lost meaning your fall into the same approach. Therefore this was the way that I had a light to help guide me. I will say this is definitely worth purchasing.

The tutorials are some of the best that I have come across and are so simple to follow. When you read through this you will feel as if you are almost cheating and then have times such as wow so this is how its done. But I’ll let you be the judge.

Know Your Limits

When you are giving it you all in your pursuit make sure to know your limits. I recently experienced being burnt out. Since I wake up between 4:15 – 4:30 a.m most days are a bit longer. Anyhow I learned a lesson about overworking myself.

After learning my limits I realized how important stamina and getting enough rest can be. Also managing your time very critically is important. Because you can wake up early and get absolutely nothing done. For example you can read and eat breakfast then after just waste time browsing the internet.

When the sun comes up you want to be saying to yourself my goodness I never had gotten so much work done. There is just something about having more time to get work done. Let me stay on topic with this post and not get off track. I am not saying working hard is bad at all. Just more so you do not want to simply slowly start killing yourself.

By killing yourself I mean by not working smart,eating right and etc. Because there are people who do not need as much sleep as others. I for one feel if I get more then 5 hours I have slept too much. Another way to look at working hard,waking up early what is is your reason for it?

Then are you willing to start allowing yourself to increase your limits. In other words are you willing to take better care of yourself to push beyond your limits. When I started eating a bit better, exercising, doing yoga and meditation I always feel great. As designers we sit on our ass all day. We both know that’s not good to constantly do.

So make sure to get up away from your computer screen when the time permits. Do yourself a favor to not crash and burn while you reach beyond your limits.

Keeping Inspiration Alive

This is something that I was asked on instagram the other day. At first I was thinking how do I really keep inspiration alive to do the things I do. Inspiration for me comes for everywhere. The reason I am able to stay inspired is because I look at many different things.

For example if I am sitting thinking hmm I would like to watch a vice documentary. Then if I say I want to watch some documentaries on calligraphy or graphic design. One main thing is to not be afraid to fail. Because the first time I did calligraphy I was horrible and the same with graphic design.

Another thing I do to keep inspiration is looking everyday at graphic design blogs and actively searching on instagram. Doing the simple things to be able to stay inspired as simple as possible. Also not forgetting to on instagram not stopping at the first couple results. But by scrolling really far into the results.

There is really not simple way to put staying inspired. Really it all depends upon the person and how much they love what they are doing. Because if you love(enjoy) what you are doing then you will be able to stay motivated and inspired. I really enjoy the creative aspects of design and calligraphy. Simply there is so many things to continually and the show of progress over time.

A great thing to always keep in the back of your head about staying inspired is how much time am I willing to dedicate to master this craft and do I really enjoy this or am I just doing it for the hell of it. I mean you may not want to achieve much in your chosen profession but eventually you’ll get bored and move to the next thing. Do what gets you up in the morning and what you truly know in the back of your heart you’ve always wanted to do.

I am not saying to quit your Job or whatever your currently doing. The main thing is to go about it a a smart way. Therefore you will allow yourself to continually be inspired to make your hobby/passion your source of income.

Your Passion can pay your bills if

Leopard

You believe that it is possible. Then you may think that its not possible. Because if you start anything you need to first have belief in yourself. Then after you make the decision that you are going to give it your all get started.

At times while you are working a day job to pay bills and then pursuing what you want to do you will just feel like giving up. A good thing to remember that is if it was easy then everybody would do it. There are some people who will get up at 4:30 – 5am before anyone else in their house is up. Then you have the other people who will just do what is required to get by.

You have to develop a mindset that you are willing to do whatever it takes. Because every single day there is new information  available for everything you can imagine. Then at times you may lose your drive to keep going after you’ve failed. Well if you are failing then you are making progress. Because through failure your learning what does not work. Think of the shape game that children play, overtime you learn that the square peg does not fit in the round hole as easy if you had the round peg does.

So while you are pursuing your passion do not get blinded thinking its always going to be fun and games. Because its not going to be fun. There are many times you will feel like just getting a job to just live and not deal with the emotion and heartbreak and rejection. Continue to work on yourself to develop a stronger mindset  to deal with rejection.

Then shortly overtime you will start to notice your passion will began to pay your bills.

Believe that you can do it

 

As humans no matter what profession we tend to lack belief and many other things. When I first had the idea of launching an Etsy store I got scared. By me having the feelings of oh my goodness what if I do not sell anything. Then I said to myself at least I tried. Because I would rather try then just sit and wonder. In other words saying what if I tried?

This should be the mentality that you have in life. Not just going to work and doing the best job you can to maintain your position. When your on break thinking about what you could be doing or what you really want to be doing instead of this job that just pays the bills make a plan.

But before even thinking of making a plan you have to believe. Because at times you’ll feel like giving up and when you feel pain you have to embrace it. The reason is that pain does not last forever. Pain is just a part of the process. Also you cannot be ignorant and not educate yourself. If you are not reading and learning daily this is the time to start. You may be reading this on your phone, email account or wherever you may be you start today.

Start learning today about the profession you want to go into. Then after you start learning remember the harder you work the luckier you will get. A very simple way to put it is you get out of it what you put in it. If you are working hard then you will get results that you could only dream of before.

The official launch date for my Etsy store is March 25th so make sure to stay tuned for that.

How to get started Learning Calligraphy part 1

 

When I first learned about calligraphy I had no idea how to get started. The same thing can be said for many other hobbies/professions. Because we see the work of others and have no idea where to start. Well I’m going to tell you how in a series of posts.

First you want to determine what type of calligraphy you want to do. Meaning did you want to do. Meaning did you want to just learn calligraphy for the heck of it. You may be how I was at first I was amazed at flourishes. But lets stay on topic here.

Of course gathering materials is key with this. Because when you first start out you may want to go and buy the most expensive calligraphy set you can and by the best paper and pens you can afford. Well that’s not what you want to do. You may ask why not? I want to use the best material possible.

The reason I say not to is because for one you don’t have a lot of experience. Then second you may say screw this I don’t want to keep practicing calligraphy. Third you may end up quitting all together.

A recap of getting started with calligraphy

  1. Determine why you want to do calligraphy.
  2. Do your research about the history (watch a few documentaries and read articles)
  3. Do not spend a lot of money starting out

 

Stay tuned for part 2 of getting started with calligraphy tomorrow.

Take Care of your body

Taking care of yourself as a designer or just in general is important. For one as designers we sit down all day staring at a computer screen. Well that may be different for some more then others. I started doing insanity a couple months ago and I am glad I did.

Because realizing that the more you sit down, the worse you end up feeling. That may not be the case for you. Another thing was wanting to feel better. By feeling better I would work better and therefore produce better work. When you first start taking better care of yourself then you want to do the same thing in other aspects of your life.

To keep this short start doing whether its yoga,taking a walk around the walk or even going for a bike ride. Getting outside will do nothing but have a positive effect on you. Remember how you were as a child when you loved going outside to play? well its time to bring that back again and enjoy nature instead of being inside all day. Remember that healthy body and mind leads to a healthy life.