There was an amazing Christmasy Saturday morning here in Bristol this weekend. Fresh snow, glorious sunshine, and a crisp bite in the air. It's a bit of a rare mix for these parts so I grabbed the opportunity to take a quick snap of a famous landmark. I'm lucky enough to live just around the corner from the Clifton Suspension Bridge so braved the conditions to climb the small hill overlooking this impressive structure. It certainly got me into the Christmas spirit, happy holidays everyone!
I can’t actually believe I’m (already) sitting here writing this blog post, wrapping up the year and reflecting on what has been. Its just gone so fast. It feels like yesterday but it’s exactly a year ago that I was picking out engagements rings when everyone else around me was frantically trying to find Christmas presents. I found the right ring, and now I’m even a few months into the marriage. No hanging about on that front.
Some of you might of noticed I’ve been a bit quiet on the ol’ blog/website/social media front for the last month or so, a heavy dose of flu didn’t help but once I got through that, I jumped straight into a ‘lock myself away and just create session’. I need to do this sometimes to unplug and really drive home a project. So here we are. I’m so happy to say 1hundred is finally ready to operate. Very nearly launch time, The tees are designed, the online shop is being built, the systems are in place, the packaging is sorted, the copy is being written, the prints are ready, and I’m off to meet with my screen printer tomorrow morning to get the first set of tees ordered up and talked through. Very, very excited, if not a little nervous. 1hundred has been my little baby for a while now; I’ve invested so much into it, just really hope you all like it. To wet your whistle I’ve put together a little sneek peak of some bits and pieces. I’m thinking the online store will be open end of January when I’m back from my little snowboarding trip, so keep your eyes peeled.
Yes I'm still alive and kicking, I've just had the most hectic time of my life to date. Been slacking on the old blog front, please except my apologies ;) I've been working on some cracking new projects for the Bristish Council, Coexistence Trust, Heston Blumenthal, Bristol Old vic, and a clothing company that shall remain nameless for a little while yet. All I can say is, I've been Illustrating like a mad man and in an exciting, but very timing consuming new style. Paired with all this work malarky, I've also had my wedding to help organise and be a part of, funnily enough. I'm now the lucky partner to a lovely new wife, woo! I'm hoping that now I'll have a bit more space in my head to play around with, so I'm going hell for leather into launching 1hundred in the next few months. I also promise to get these new projects uploaded, and some process shots and explanations so you can understand how I go about some of my work in a bit more detail.
Howdy everyone, all round good chap Gavin Hoffman, otherwise known as Holeycoww, was kind enough to interview me for his new blog and website the other week. Gav has been a tremendous supporter of Ginger Monkey since we crossed paths in cyber space a few months back. When he asked that I write a few words for his launch, there was no question I'd be helping him out as best I can. His genuine enthusiasm and super friendly personality really is something to behold. Pop on over to his website if you get a chance – www.holeycoww.co.uk, and keep an eye out for some of my ramblings.
Have you ever had that moment when suddenly the solution to a problem or your next brilliant idea just seems to leap out at you from behind the bushes and your staring into the face of something new and exciting. I'm sure you have, this is very common for us creative folk. You can be in the shower, walking along the street, driving your car, or anything that usually envolves not staring at a blank screen or blank piece of paper. Our subconscious does a lot more work for us than we give it credit for. It incubates ideas, keeping the process neatly tucked away, out of reach until, 'whollaa', enough is enough, and the idea is thrown into view.
Over the years I've become more aware of the game my conscious and subconscious like to play and I make a great effort to ensure I'm doing my bit to encourage it. Before I was aware of this step in the creative process my creativity gave me a lot of headaches. I had lots of blocks, felt a lot of frustration, and I would get very worked up when I couldn't just seem to have that great idea. I would lock myself in my room, scurry through my notes, flcik through my scribbles, all the while thinking, the more time I spent looking at the information, the more time I spent asking questions, sooner or later the right has to come along. I was forcing ideas, getting ahead of myself, and not taking time out to let the ideas come to me. In hindsight, especially when I was at university, I wish I spent more time looking at how I was doing things instead of just getting things done. That isn't to say I rushed, or did the bare minimum to get by, the opposite in fact, but I am saying my awareness of the creative process lacked some what.
An idea doesn't simply exist on it's own. It's been constructed in your mind after many different factors have been considered. You need to give it a chance to sort through everything and work it all out. Simply reading the brief over and over won't help, nor will repeated highlighting and underlining.The trick is not to go looking for the right idea, or any ideas at all, when learning about the problems that need solving, just read, listen, and absorb. Let the information sink in and then give it more fuel with your own research. Only when you feel full to the brim with understanding should you begin to try to solve problems. You will only fully understand the problems once you've let everything get worked out in you mind and taking time out to do something else entirely gives it a chance to do that. Go for a walk, meet a friend, go to the gym, anything that changes your environment and distracts your conscious mind will definitely help. Well it does for me at least!
A book everyone-who-ever-creates-anything-ever should have on their book shelf is James Young's - A technique for Producing ideas. It's a short and easy read, full of insights and explanations. It's been around for year, but it's relevance hasn't altered a jot.
www.amazon.co.uk
