Jan 27
Here’s a wonderful, handy and free flash application. If you want to make some music and you need to write it down this is wonderful. You can print with a varity of staves, time-signatures and more.
Nov 14
The reason ‘to do’ lists are helpful in planning what you need to do, is their simplicity. All you need is a piece of paper and something to write with. You write what you need to do on the paper and then tick or cross it off once it’s completed. The reason many software based ‘to do’ list solutions aren’t, is because they are over-complicated. They are great if you want to procrastinate for hours adding items to them, but that rather defeats the object.
Now I often fall into that later category, so I was very pleased to find out about MiniTask, an Adobe AIR based widget, to sit on the desktop of your computer (MAC or PC becasue it is AIR). It’s strength is its simplicity, just like pen and paper, you simply list what you have to do and then do them… mmm, now how do I procrastinate.
MiniTask has a few additional features to pen and paper but they don’t get in the way of the simplicity of it. And the website is possibly one of the best in terms of telling you what MiniTask is, what it can do and how to get it up and running. Don’t belive me, then follow the link… and be creative.
MiniTask – Minimalist task management – Flash Player Installation
Aug 6
One of the dangers of living in a highly productive, creative environment is that we can easily neglect one of the most important parts. If you suffer from burn out, or times of creative drought, one of the possible causes is that you have neglected your dreamtime.
Finding time to dream is important. We’re not talking about sleep here either. This is primarily the time to down creative tools and let your mind wander. And this isn’t about sitting down with a blank piece of paper, planning the next stage of your creative master plan. Dreamtime is about space and connection, perhaps even a little spiritual. But it needs to be taken seriously and this is where many of us fail. We don’t see it as important, we squeeze it from our schedule (if it was ever there) and then wonder why we are becoming less effective creatives.
So what exactly is dreamtime? Well first and foremost it needs to be an integral part of a creative lifestyle, we’re not talking huge amounts of time, we’re not even talking every day. But it should be seen as something regular. Dreamtime isn’t wasting or dead time, it is essential for your creative life.
Dreamtime isn’t the same for everybody either, what works for one may not work for the other. Here are a few ideas and thoughts that may be of use to you. They are not structured and I’m sure you can find variations on the theme. This is all about scheduling the time and then finding what works for you:
- walk barefoot in the damp grass while breathing in the air
- watch a film in a foreign language, without the subtitles on
- read a religious book, from another belief system to your own
- listen to music from a musical genre that is not your preferred
- go for a walk or journey without your capture device
- cook a meal with no predefined recipe
These are only vague ideas, but you should be getting some thoughts of your own by now. For now, it is time to dream…
Jul 24
This all boils down to a little critical self-analysis. No really I mean it, we aren’t always great at what we do 
. Sometimes we will fall short in our creative endeavors because of tiny mistakes or because we are unable to do one part of what we are trying to create. A lot of the time the answer can be found through a learning process. Don’t know how to style that web page? Then find a tutorial on CSS and learn. But it can be a little less obvious than that.
This is where a little self-analysis can help out. We need to find the little blind-spots that we have, and we all have them. Questions like ‘What am I not good at?’, ‘What do I struggle with?’ and ‘Where do I often get things wrong?’ are ideal for this self-analysis. The point is not find out your faults and beat yourself up over them, but to identify them and then find some solutions.
Find out the problem or issue and then look for, and implement a solution. Let me give you some simple examples. Although you’d not notice it by reading the posts (ahem, I do apologise) here, I have a blind spot when it comes to spelling certain words and also grammar issues. I could blame it on the teaching systems in the UK during the 80s and never improve my creative writing. However, realising that I do fall short here I looked for a few simple solutions. One that I found really helpful was to keep a list of words that I always seem to spell wrong. I found the words quite easily by using the spell checker, but I kept spelling them wrong. Now I have the list I am finding I am getting them wrong less often.
In a broader sense you may feel that all your creative output ends up looking, sounding or reading the same. One solution here is to change your process. Again I notice a distinct difference to a song I have written strumming the guitar to one I’ve come up with at the piano.
So, don’t be afraid of a little critical self-analysis. Identify the problem and then act on the solution, your creative output will benefit.
Jul 22
This is all about defining purpose. It may seem an obvious question to ask and you may already have an answer on the tip of your tongue, c’mon Darren, that’s a bit straightforward! Well, yes and no. The simplest answer is because I can, it is something that I do. I live, therefore I create. I have no problems with this, and wholeheartedly agree with it. But left at this level, it can lead us into frustration as we struggle with motivation and lack of focus. All creatives should share in the mantra, ‘lead us not into frustration.’
Being creative is our identity, part of who we are. Why we are creative can be seen as our purpose. It should flow from our identity. My point is we can become fuzzy with the purpose of being creative. Like most things in life, if we can set goals, and I mean clear, timed and measured goals, our purpose is clearer.
So why are you being creative? We’ve established that you are creative, but what are the outcomes to your creativity? Are you being creative to make money, to pass on your creative output through a sale? Are you being creative to produce something that you can look at, or use, or enjoy? Are you being creative to relax and develop your own sense of oneness with reality? There can be many reasons and those listed are only thoughts and ideas. But if you can define your reason for being creative in this way, you will have a focused purpose. It will help you understand why you are doing something and provide motivation along the way. Of course, the way is another post. But without a destination; a purpose, you can’t begin the journey.
Jul 16
The following quote from A. A. Milne is an interesting one. On the one hand, the more uncluttered we are, the more space we give to our mind to be creative. However, does the following contradict this…
One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries.
Personally I think there is a difference to disorderly and cluttered, and that is why the opening statement and the A.A.MIlne quote are essentially true.
Disorder, allows us to create connections, to dream dreams and to use our imagination. If we kept everything in order, and ‘as it should be’ there is no development, no evolution and no creativity. In some areas of our lives we need order, but when it comes to being creative it can stifles.
Keeping things uncluttered is about the mess, the distractions. While these may initially lead to some interesting connections and creative ideas, they more often than not distract us from our creative goals.
To sum up, I think the following illustration helps. If I am creating some music on the computer, I don’t want several other applications running and cluttering up my workspace, however, keeping an open, disordered mind during the process can allow me to develop new ideas and walk down new musical paths – ‘what if I did this instead?’
May 29
It is the 29th May today and fifty-five years ago Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Mount Everest. They were first inspired to climb the mountain and through preparation and perspiration they achieved their goal.
You too can achieve your creative goals through those three steps and if you keep those steps in mind you’ll be amazed at what you can create:
- Preparation – prepare everything you may need, both during your creative journey and before you even start, e.g. resources, templates, time.
- Inspiration – the enigmatic spark that is fanned into the creative flame. Seek out inspirational tinder for you fire, e.g. images, sounds, space.
- Perspiration – nothing is free (well almost) and creativity will take effort on your part, so be aware that you’ll need to sweat a little to create.
Now what creative mountain are you going to climb today?
Apr 21
There are a few things in life that you can never have too many of, for instance, shoes and handbags, Star Trek episodes and photoshop tutorials. Over the past couple of years I think photoshop tutorials is the term I have googled the most. Well here is a link to add to your browser (Thanks to Tara from Graphic Design Blog) that takes you to an ever expanding list tutorials to inspire and increase your understanding of the beast that is Photoshop. A big thank you to Laughing Lion Design for all that they are sharing.
Photoshop Tutorials : Laughing Lion Design : Web, Graphic Design & Illustration Ireland
Mar 14
The creators of some of the best virtual instruments on the planet are making available, for free, their kore player. This is both a stand-alone and VST instrument. It comes with some basic sounds but is also expandable by buying Kore Soundpacks.
Personally I love Native Instruments, I already use their Xpress keyboards and this new addition looks set to add firepower to my virtual arsenal… now all I need is the musical inspiration; time to look up Eno and his Oblique Strategies.
Dec 12
How do you measure your creativity? How do you make sure you are being as effective as you can be in expressing your inner creative? If you are anything like me you’ll have projects and ideas all over the place, most of them interweaving and overlapping each other. You may be quite good at juggling your writing, art and music and by the end of the day have something you can share with the world, but have you been effective in your creativity?If you want to improve your effectiveness, these simple tips may help you:
1. Make the most of your uncreative time
You should have time for yourself , to collect your thoughts, make goals, and let your creativity shine through and help you find solutions to problems. Sometimes the only way to find time for yourself is to actually schedule it in. Why not put 15 minutes of uninterupted time into the diary, telling friends, family or co-workers that you are not available. And use it – no phone, no email, no nothing.
2. Be results-oriented
If you want to achieve anything you should really set some goals. This applies to your creative projects as well as other areas of your life. Setting goals costs you nothing apart from time and thought, but without them failure and regret lie around the corner.
3. Use your strengths
Do things that allows you to make use of your talents and interests and you will find that you are happier, healthier and more effective. If, for example, your talents and interests lie in music and singing, don’t spend your time sitting in front of a canvas. (But remember diversity can also be an outlet)
4. Focus on one or two projects at a time
Feeling overwhelmed is one the easiest ways to drain creativity away from us. As I said above I often have plenty of ideas and thoughtsd running around, but if I want to get anything done I need to focus on just one or two of them. Devote your creative time to them and then, and only then, when they are complete move on.
5. Make the decision
We often grind to a halt when there is a decision to be made. It is another sap on our creative force. When you must make a decision, get the information, ask others for input and suggestions, consider the alternatives and then make the decision.
You can create so much more than you thought possible by becoming more effective in your creativity.
