James Victore says this in a video that I watched 2 days ago. Seth Godin also says something along the same lines. Basically, don’t ask permission to create something. Just make it. (See how I resisted Nike’s Just do it slogan.)

Make it. And never hold back because that’s what artists are good at. They don’t save a specific stroke for a different project even though at times when I’m making something, I hold off certain pieces for a better time. (Working on that) However, who cares if I have to reuse an image. No one really cares especially in this digital age because someone will see it for one second, double tap it, and move on. Our society today has the attention span of a goldfish where we just forget everything. Sure, there are helpful options such as archiving, but if you archive it and say that you’re going to use it as a reference for a project, you’re most likely not going to use it. I have so many archived posts from instagram and pinterest from the last year and a half that I said I would make something with, but never did until now. I have so many photos that I could’ve just thrown into a layout. I also could just take images from online and make it into a layout. For the longest time, I believed that I had to wait for the job to tell me that it’s okay to make something. Recently at a job, I just made something to make something, and they liked it and posted on their page. They didn’t even know that they wanted me to make it. I just made it and it got recognition.

My point is, just make it. The worst that can happen is that the person sends a cease and desist letter. The best is up to your imagination.

Below, I decided to copy/ take inspiration from several posts that I pinned from instagram and archived on pinterest. These are for a small digital zine that I’ll be posting online in a little bit after I have all three made and mocked up so that I can use it for a portfolio.

The concept behind it is, “what happens when you’re sober at a party and have a camera?” Or rather, “what happens when you just have a camera.” For the longest time I’ve believed that I needed to be a part of a collective to make one of these things. That I needed permission to make it. The permission that I have to make this is my own and also by the fact that I bought the Adobe Creative Suite/Cloud a long time ago and can make whatever I want. I don’t need permission. I don’t care if it’s bad or if it’s good. As long as I think it’s good and as long as I made something, then it’s a success. And with this theme of this blog, success is the compounding of small significant steps that lead up to a big thing - I just don’t know what that thing is.

For awhile, I’ve been wanting to make a zine. It’s a very young person thing to want to make a zine that centers around what one might see. I even wanted to do an instagram themed page where I just post pictures from my nights out in NYC in a design layout. Reason being is because during all those times, I’m always sober. While I had a one drink like a month ago, before that I did not drink anything before that time for a whole year. Consequently, since my roommates and I went out with our friends a lot, I had to figure out what could I do to enjoy myself at a bar. Well, bring a film camera and just have a good time listening to music and stop worrying about what other people are thinking. Half the time, those folks aren’t thinking negative thoughts towards me. They’re just trying to figure things out on their own. They probably don’t even care that I’m there. Well anywho, here’s the cover page of “Sober in NY” or Sober In New York. I plan on posting these at some point in instagram and really making these look nice.

As for everything else that’s going on, Adobe decided to crash on me and fall apart. I haven’t been able to design anything today and I’m trying to figure out what to do.

I also got double swiped again while taking the subway so I ended up just walking home since it’s so close. I was with my dog at the vet and just have had it with the MTA. Currently, I’m trying to figure out how to get my adobe creative suite up and running again because this is my livelihood.

Despite the bad things going on right now, I had a great conversation with another skater at the coffee shop that I like to go to when Gemma (my dog) is at the vet/ whenever I want to go do work somewhere else that isn’t my home.

March 2018. Double peace signs in front of a friend who had a fun night in the Low Low

Essentially, I’ve done more than 2 weeks of this self study program. What you’ll see in this post is my progress now vs my starting point. It’s interesting because I feel like I haven’t really learned much, but I know I definitely have a better sense of laying type out on a page. I’m still not perfect and will definitely revisit this less once a month for at least a week’s worth of time. I definitely feel more comfortable putting type on the right side of the page instead of just aligning to the left. In the last 20 days since I got back to work, I feel excited and also not as scared to tackle projects. It’s amazing how a little bit of practice can make me feel more confident. It’s also interesting because I was always thinking that I was practicing at work and that it would be after this current job that I would get experience that I needed. However, I have enough experience, it’s just the matter of me sitting down and actually practicing and doing the work. I definitely want to keep this up because I just feel more motivated. I’m not as depressed as I was when I first started/ a few months ago. I knew I needed a goal, but even though I was setting SMART Goals, I just didn’t feel motivated to do so. When it’s just creating something every single day without fear of judgment and the only need to fulfill is to create, it’s relaxing, challenging, and fun.

Week 1.2

Using all of the text provided, create a layout using one point and one weight

To simplify this: “Garbage in, Garbage out",” as Darren Hardy says.

For a more familiar saying, “You are what you eat".”

What you consume through the media will consume not just your brain, but also your creativity.

Think about that. Whatever crap is on these “legitimate” news sources can dampen your mood and also take away from your focus and your inspiration/motivation.

But can I afford to live in what seems like a double edge sword of “Ignorance is Bliss?”

Well take everything with a grain of salt. Not exactly am I preaching just forget about all of the social issues of the world. But rather, control what your mind consumes.

Hardy says is that we should turn everything off and replace those negative news stories with positive ones or self development podcasts because there are a million positive things going on and sometimes just hearing someone reinforce a good old idea in our heads is just what we need to kick ourselves into gear and start creating again.

Since I’ve started this 30 day challenge to create something, I’ve also been listening to a lot of self development videos to help keep me motivated. It’s surprising how little a few words can change my laziness into productivity.

To some, me saying “it’s alright to be lazy at times too” is playing devil’s advocate, but think about it. Rest is important for progress. Even celebrities and people who have made need breaks. Beyonce recently said something along the lines that she doesn’t mind that her body has put on some weight after giving birth. In fact, she’s enjoying it. However, her resolve is seen in her declaration when she says, I’m going to enjoy this, but know that when I need to kick it into gear again, I will get that 6 pack again.

Beyonce gets it. Breaks are important. But the most important thing is that we keep going towards the goal or whatever we want to do. Laziness is only bad when you get complacent and stop going towards your dream.

For these designs, I couldn’t really take inspiration from other sources. I had to create what I thought were the best designs knowing what I know/ knowing what I’ve seen work.

Week of 2.2

Using all of the text provided, create a layout using all the copy, 2 weights and 1 point size.