little splutters of creativity

gapingvoid: "cartoons drawn on the back of business cards": how to be creative - stumbled across this from someone's Facebook page and found it very interesting. I got a bit sick of reading it by the end (I think it's a collection of blog posts into one long post), but it has some very good insight and advice about 'being creative', artistic integrity, and all that. I like his style.

I went to Bethany's 16th birthday dinner last night, and made her a red/black card out of stuff I bought at kikki.k - red and black paper, silver studs and white ink (she's into red, black and anything black and white chequered at the moment...walking into her room is like walking into an 80s video clip). Every so often I get right back into making cards...it's so easy to do but I think you have to be in the zone or you end up with really dodgy, bland results. I know other people probably don't care about design in the same way and go 'oh, you made me a card', but I hate giving people something I've made that's substandard. I have done it, on occasion, when I've made something specifically for someone and been unable to make it just how I want, but usually I feel kind of embarrassed about it, as though they'll think I'm like a kid who's presented their parent with a crappy drawing they did at kindy and expect them to set up a shrine to it (though I suspect parents tend to have a higher regard for their childrens' artworks).

I went home after dinner and Dave was out, so I put some music on, got out my notebook, and started to write. And then I fell asleep. I FELL ASLEEP WHILE WRITING! That is not a good thing. I know I have to factor in writing time, but it doesn't help if I spend that time in a coma on the couch.

I had to finish a couple of design projects very quickly this morning at work - the printer had very kindly offered us a freebie but it was a last-minute job. I always panic a bit when I have to do things in a rush because I'm likely to have left in some major spelling mistake or something. But I did it, I like the result, and what's more, I was praised for it! I know I shouldn't want peoples' approval, but I recognise that words of praise are definitely one of my love languages. (I found the whole 'love language' concept a little twee at first, but when I thought about it it made a lot of sense. The only problem is, what isn't one of my love languages? Tell me you love me...yep...give me attention...yep...bring me presents...yep...help me out...yep...give me a hug...yep - how can I choose?! I'm just needy. There, I've said it.)

Once I'd sent off the projects to various people, I had another look at the postcards on my wall. I need to get some new ones. Mark let me put some up from his collection (got some concept art from the Narnia film and some Wallace and Gromit stills, alongside my old postcards of Jeffrey Smart, Camille Pissaro and Albert Marquet paintings, and a David Moore photo of the ironwork on the Harbour Bridge), but I think it's time to go to the Art Gallery and get some fresh inspiration.