It was April 9, 2008. I had just turned 22, I was 2 weeks from graduating college, my brother was getting married in a few months, I didn’t have a place to live nearby, I was driving a bitchin 1991 Honda Prelude, and I was parked out in front of Rockharbor Church. My palms were really sweaty, and I sat there a few minutes before I had to go inside trying to process the amount of change that was happening all at once. I was sad at the thought that the chapter of my life titled “College” was closing. And with the turning of that page I knew friendships would change, locations would shift, and comfort would retreat back to its hiding place. I was mourning the impending changes. When the clock turned 9, I opened my door, took a deep breath, and walked into a new chapter of my life.
It was only a matter of time before I realized that despite the discomfort of it, change is an absolutely necessary part of life. If I had never walked through those doors, I would have never seen the things I saw or experienced the things that to this day remind me that God exists and cares about me. Sure I could have gotten another job somewhere else, but had I done that I wouldn’t have met the people that I now call family. Or never refined my trade to what it is now. I would have missed out on so much.
The person I am now is dramatically different than the person who walked in those doors almost 4 years ago.
On Jan, 2 2012 a new chapter will begin and the old one will close. I’ve officially taken a job at GOOD as a designer. Part of me is really scared, sensing the all too familiar feeling of comfort quickly retreating to its hiding place. I’m sad to be leaving people who helped me grow up, who taught me some really good things, and have become my family. I’m sad to be leaving a job that I absolutely love, working with stupidly talented people who make me laugh, inspire creativity, and together have been a part of something really special.
So, why leave all this?
I think what it really comes down to is that if fear would have won back in April 2008, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to become the person I am today. I was terrified back then and am terrified now, but now I know that change has the potential to bring growth. And every major change I’ve had in my life has shaped and developed me for the better. I’m not about to let fear or discomfort rob me from those experiences.
I’m excited for what’s ahead–to be in a new city, to work at a really great place, and to see what new lessons I’ll begin to learn. I’m excited to make new friends, and add to my ever expanding family made up of the best people on the planet. I’m excited for time to coax comfort back out of its hiding place. I’m excited to begin a new chapter and to close the one that started almost 4 years ago. Most of all I’m excited to see who I’ll become this next go around.
So, here’s to change.
It’s pretty rare when you get to jump on a project that 1. Lets you work with great people and 2. Lets you be part of the process of dreaming up something really special.
Recently, I was fortunate enough to be given one of those opportunities.
Mike Foster is a talented author, speaker, all around good guy, and one of the co-founders of a great community called People of the Second Chance. POTSC wants to change the way the world looks at forgiveness and grace by demonstrating a radical approach to the mistakes (both big and small) that we’ve all made. And rather than letting those mistakes define us, POTSC encourages adopting a new identity based on grace.
Pretty rad stuff.
Mike approached me a few months ago with a new project. He wanted a poster series that visually explored this idea of radical grace and forgiveness. I was instantly hooked, and wanted in. My job then became developing a concept that would carry this huge message in an interesting/provocative way.
Here is the process I took to get there.
Let’s start this off honestly…
Quick turn arounds are something we ALL have to deal with. All industries, all positions…its to the workplace as gravity is to science.
Now that that’s out of the way, lets begin.
If you’re anything like me, there is part of you that gets a little buzz by the thrill of a rush job. The pressure is a challenge waiting to be conquered, and it can either make or break a project. I think this has to do with how I’m wired, but I also think its a product of living in a culture defined by now. The longer I’ve been a designer, the more I see that expediency is king. I can’t remember the last time a client said “I want this to be really good, so lets take our sweet time and make it right…” Even typing that gives me the chills. As right as that statement is, it rarely is the pretense to a project. Its usually the opposite.
And this is what bothers me.
Time is vital to the true creative process. Its the space and freedom that lets our muse dance. The more time dedicated to a project the more the concept is developed, the more the details are dialed and the more the finished product is amazing. This isn’t always the case, but most of the time our projects suffer from under thought and under development. A by-product is what I like to call “mirror projects”: projects which steal the genius from others who gave their art the adequate time. If you look at any design blog, or any art in general you will see loads of things that all look or feel very similar. I think its because we have these images or ideas locked in our consciousness and when we are 30 minutes from our deadline we recall these copies and use them as the launchpad for our own project. I am totally guilty of this.
The unfortunate thing about all of this is that we’re not only robbing our selfs by agreeing to crazy deadlines, but we’re building habits that slowly stifle our ability for original thought and holding back the almighty, “what could have been”.
So, why write about this and ironically waste your time which should probably be put to that pressing project…well…because like any good 25 year old, I am constantly looking at ways to be better and voice it to anyone who will listen. And I think we can actually make progress and make better stuff as a result.
Here are a few guidelines I am going to TRY to implement to see if I can I can break those habits, and give myself more freedom to actually create.
1. Be forceful with yourself and clients about timelines: Even if having that tough conversation risks losing a gig, whats better in the long run; putting yourself though hell and coming up with something mediocre? Or letting the meaningless rush jobs pass on by and waiting for the projects that give you the flexibility to challenge yourself and attempt to make something amazing? I think you know the answer.
2. Get organized: Procrastination is cancer to creativity. Often, we have the time to dedicate to our work, but we blow it by managing our time poorly. I’ve found (and am still learning) that if I get my crap together, I am much more likely to get to work. And that my friends is a good thing. Make lists, write down ideas and keep them where you can find them, clean your work space…These are all things that will help maximize our time and make us better creators.
3. Actually establish a creative process: People talk about creative process’ like they talk about hipsters. Its all theories and stories…but in reality, very few people actually have a dialed process or have really seen a hipster. The thing about establishing a process is that you can cater it to what works for you. If you work better right after taking a walk outside, then build that into process, or if you have a really hard time jumping straight to your computer, then make a process where you start with a pen and paper. The important thing here is that we can not compromise our process because of a rush timeline. Again, the point is to create good work, not complete projects.
4. Get to work: A book titled “The War of Art” changed the way I think about my work. The author repeats time and time again that you just need to sit down and work. The discipline is key. The more focused time we actually sit and work, the better stuff we’ll make. One lesson I’m learning is that discipline begets discipline. I’ve tried to discipline myself in other areas in an attempt to be better at focused work time. Read a book every night, or exercise, do anything that you can discipline yourself in and I promise that when it comes to dedicating time to focus on your work, you’ll get better.
By no means is this an extensive list, but its a start, and its some thing I’ve been trying to apply and have had some mild success with.
Now go, create, and make some bitchin stuff.
If you have a process or ideas to make this list better, I would love to hear them. Comment below and maybe I’ll write a part deux to this one with your ideas or comments.
I started teaching for my second semester this week.
I never really considered myself the teacher type, nor would I consider myself an expert in design (the subject I’m teaching). I had a grand elusion of my class resembling that of Robyn Williams’ in “Dead Poets Society”, but much to my dismay, it wasn’t. It wasn’t bad, it just didn’t live up to the idealistic version I had before I figured out that teaching is difficult. And not only is teaching difficult, but trying to capture college kids into something as abstract as graphic design theory is almost impossible…All of these things led me to really consider what it is that I have to offer students. I’m not much older, can’t spell as well as they probably can, I have a degree and a few years of experience under my belt…but this all seemed pretty shallow.
And in reality it is.
After being sad for a bit, I dove into the question, how can I engage the things I that make me uniquely me to help my students learn? I started asking myself why I thought teaching had to be left to the experts and elderly. I thought, isn’t teaching (defined here as, showing or explaining someone how to do something) more resembling an instinct than a trade? My dad taught me how to fish without being credentialed, old, or an expert.
It was shortly after this simple point that I realized, why myself and everyone else should look for moments to teach and be taught and why we have a great opportunity to remedy a lot of social issues if we assume our responsibility to educate.
Took a long break from this thing, but am back and ready to jot down more miscellaneous, hopefully interesting insights.
via Quipsologies
I really wish I was in need of a radio voice, I would hire this guy in a heartbeat.
via quipsologies
Heres to having a bit more respect for myself and my profession in 2011.
via quipsologies
This is awesome.
…
No, I haven’t blogged in months.
No, I’m not sorry about it.
Yes, I will try to blog more.
Ha. This is pleasant.
via swissmiss
