I read HOW Magazine when I can get the latest copy from the library. It is a serious Design magazine packed full of wonderful design ideas for Illustration Designers. I can’t draw to save myself and my classes always laughed when I drew stick figures on the board but that doesn’t stop me wishing that I could. Illustrators are among my most valued friends. Their rich visual life inspires me and How Magazine feeds me creatively when I’m not geeking out on space stuff.
Adele Jackson the wonderful illustrator designer (on our conference committee) who designed the amazing logo for the conference tells me that How Magazine is one of the seriously drooly magazines for designers. The advertisements in this magazine are amazing! New paper’s from paper mills especially for designers. You just have to stroke them. New fonts and typefaces from type designers ...absolutely beautiful , so much better than anything preloaded on Word. But one of the best things about HOW are the articles on creativity.
The issue I am reading now has an article about Daniel Moneypenny, One of the top creative designers in the world. The article looks at how Daniel thinks. He is known for coming up with over 300 ideas a day. During the interview he stopped mid sentence to scribble an idea on a yellow sticky note and stick it on the inside of his briefcase which he puts on the table. He goes through five felt tip pens a week.
The best creative sessions are rapid-fire and crazy-chaotic. Daniel Moneypenny( HOW Oct.08)
(sort of like our conference committee meetings...just wait til you see the programme.....)
Daniel plays with words to get inspiration. One of the tools he uses is Antanaclasis-repeating a single word but with a different meaning each time. (If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm you will be fired with enthusiasm.)
Here are his tips for creativity.
Think about the projects use in the world, not the client.
State the projects goal in a few words and then think of as many adjectives as possible that also describe it.
To be prolific, don’t pontificate.
Surround yourself with 3D visuals, and change them for each client.
Realise that ideas trump syntax until you deliver to the client.
Fear, Frustration and fatigue, are the biggest creativity-zappers.
Encourage participation.
Get out of your office and be eclectic.
When you’re stuck, imagine.
Adele introduced me to Wordle. I have since told all my poet friends about it. It is amazing and creative and lots of other words.... Paste a piece of prose into it and it creates Word Art.
I recommend a play with it.(but warning, it’s addictive) Go On Get CREATIVE!
The pic is the first paragraph of the first News release of The Spinning Gold conference.
The second one, with lots of juicy information, I am working on and will be out before Easter giving you heaps of details about who is speaking and the cost and and and.....
maureen
