Lessons from Circles Part II

 
Hey Bloggees,

Back again with more lessons from the Circles Conference. I realized that at this rate it will take a while to go through each session. Instead, I’m going to summarize the lessons over the next two blogs (beginning with this one). So, without further ado… Let’s dive in!

One Item = Multiple Solution
Creative tinkerer Kelli shared she has found multiple uses for paper. The key was thinking outside the conventional usage of the medium (i.e. can I make a functional camera out of just paper). The lesson here is that the medium shouldn’t challenge your creativity. Instead, use the creativity to develop the use of the media.

Check Your Motivation
Photography expert Helena Price gave some great advice on checking your motivation. This motivation ranges from the work you produce, the career path you take, and your interactions with others. Two things she shared stuck with me. The first was Don’t put work in your portfolio you don’t want to do again (advice from one of her teachers). The other was to get out to know people (as opposed to using people for future jobs).

Masters of the Universe
Harnessing his love for the 1980s, designer / illustrator James White, shared how he combined his childhood memories with his artistic talent to create pieces that he loved. These passion projects have led to paying projects.

Application
These sessions have inspired me to make some changes in the way that I do design. When it comes to creativity, I need to be open to different solutions to a problem. In how design work is done, I need to focus on work that I want to do and to treat people as people. Finally, James White’s talk has inspired me to start creating car pieces (which you can see on my Dribbble account. I’ll be back next week with more lessons from Circles. Till next time Bloggees!

Circles 2015... Lessons Learned Part 1

Hey Bloggees!

After a long hiatus, I'm restarting with the miniblogs. A week ago I got the opportunity to go to Circles, a design conference held in Grapevine, Texas, just outside of Dallas. It was a great chance to catch up with friends I had made at Creative South, a chance to hear some great speakers, and, to be honest, a chance to take a small vacation from the chaos that had become my life... I was letting myself get overwhelmed with my work and struggling to find the balance between it and home life. The conference was just what I needed. It gave me the chance to clear my head and get a fresh perspective of my job as a graphic designer. Over the next few weeks I'll share some of the lessons I've learned and am planning to apply to my life.

Creativity is a Fight
Online Writer Shawn Blanc started off the conference with a session entitled "Fight to Stay Creative." His message resonated with my work struggle and creative burnout. To help out the rest of us, Shawn gave us a strategy to fight the good fight...
   • Showing up every day.
      Having the discipline to show up mentally and creatively.
   • Rest well and take time away from the screen.
     Take time out to clear your head.
   • Set clear goals and celebrate success.
     Have daily goals and rewards to celebrate completing those goals.
   • Have fun while you create.
     Relax and enjoy the creative process.
   • You are not alone.
     Stay connected with the community.

Application 
Shawn's message made me realize that I wasn't alone with my struggle. His guidelines made me realize that I didn't have to be bogged down by this mental load. Instead, I plan on using his strategy to fight for creativity and learn to enjoy the process. Till next time bloggees!