This is a topic that I always come back to every couple of years, whenever faced with a new batch of college graduates and job hunters. General etiquette and preparedness for job fairs and networking. I find it is always worth repeating.
I was surprised by the number of people that didn’t have a card, whether because they haven’t designed one they liked or they just didn’t get to it. Continue reading
A frequent problem of mine – coming up with too many tasks to do in my free time. Its something that plagues me when I’m too busy to add to the list; I have to keep piling it on. A backlog of games/books/movies, new projects, blog updates, clean out files on my computer or desk, picking up gardening, trying new recipes, begin an exercise program, catch up with old friends, and the list can go on and they do and they multiply. Often it leaves me just sitting and staring at the wall, not knowing which way I should be turning and my brain scattered across the room. Or even worse, it ends with endlessly streaming through Facebook posts and articles, mindlessly going where everyone has gone before. I feel lucky when it’s more productive procrastination, cleaning the apartment and reorganizing my desk, both usually on my “Household List.” In the end comes down to me not getting anything meaningful done.
Very inspirational for new creatives.
Neil Gaiman Addresses the University of the Arts Class of 2012 from The University of the Arts (Phl) on Vimeo.
I was going through old emails and found this video that I never blogged. I really LOVE this commercial. So creative and beautiful. Really lets the foods take center stage!
Lurpak – Lightest from Blink on Vimeo.
Found a cool video using Real Flow!
Novel WaterMan (RealFlow Unofficial MV – ModernDog) from Ping on Vimeo.
A followup to the previous video on how to work on water effects. Still have no clue how to do it but still enjoyable.
The Making of “Novel WaterMan” from Ping on Vimeo.
We have all, at one time or another, been faced with a complete lack of motivation. I am not talking about just not wanting to do your work. Here is a scenario:
You sit down at your computer to do freelance work or just a project of your own and you feel like this is the day. You are going to rule the world and it is going to be awesome and then we others realize how awesome your work is they will revel in your awesomeness. This project is just going to put you back on track. You are going to learn new things. You are going to have to learn to light…and….render properly…..hmmm….that model is really complicated. HEY! If those other awesome people online can do it I can do it! ….HOW THE HELL DID THEY DO THAT!? You begin fiddling online looking up helpful useful inspirational stuff and a friend IMs you or you IM them and eventually…. you dwindle ….and then it is evening. You have spent most of your day on Twitter or Facebook and IM and now it is the time of day you shouldn’t be working because you have to “clear your head” before you go to bed so you can get a good night sleep and do it again tomorrow……
/cough
Something is missing. I was busy all day right? In a sense.
I am really bad about productive procrastination. I rather organize files on my computer or clean out my email then find out I have wasted my day, instead of being productive on something that needs to be done. This is what has happened to my portfolio amongst other things. I will say though that I also work a full-time job and often forget that it counts as being productive and why I tend to be tired. I may be a possible work-a-holic, but I digress and think that would be another topic.
What this comes down to is coming up with ways to really motivate myself on a professional and creative level. For some, a quick jog around the park can do that but what motivates me is being surrounded by those that LOVE what they do. They exhibit passion that you don’t find everyday and they do what they do because they LOVE it. Pretty simple…unless you aren’t in a very creative environment, but that is what the internet is for…right?
I am hoping to start postings that are inspirational or doodles or quick sculpts I have done about 5 times a week. In order for this to work I have to be non-bias on what I submit and completely take in my shortcomings and learn from them. This can even include if I just decided to learn something new and then blogging about it.
This is a major push on my part and hopefully the motivation can be passed forward.
Here is a prime example of inspiration and a good chunk of the reason I am taking more action.
http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1012259/Train_(or_How_I_Dumped_Electricity_and_Learned_to_Love_Design)
Just watching this has renewed my sense of excitement for all that stuff I learned in college and have been fighting for time to do again. I think it is time, and do enjoy the lecture. It is highly informative and fascinating even if you are not a game designer. It is game design to a whole new level.