Share Your Story: How Did You Start Your Creative Journey?

At present, I’m working full-time as a Media/Music Coordinator for House of Joy in Valdosta, GA. I thought I’d share a bit today how I came to be a “graphic designer.”

When I was a teen we used to make newsletters with hand drawn art, a type-writer, a roll of scotch tape, and a copier.

I actually still have some of those newsletters somewhere.

I’ve been a doodler my whole life. But I never thought I’d do it professionally. I’m on my way to working full-time as a designer before the end of this year.

Later in highschool I began to play with the church’s word processing programs (on a Windows 3.1 machine). Continued to put together newsletters and flyers like that.

Fast forward to college where I got my hands on photoshop compliments of my music departments tech lab. I would go in almost every night and do “web design” and photoshop stuff. All the while not really knowing what I was doing. That’s where I started really in the digital world.

Still not owning a computer.

That was almost 15 years ago. That’s also where I learned that Macs pwn windows for creative applications, though I can design on anything with a current.

Still not owning a computer.

The 2 churches I’ve worked for over the years have always provided work machines for me. I’ve worked with everything from photoshop 5.5, to publisher, to cs2,3 and now the complete CS4 Master Collection (LOVE IT).

Still not owning a computer.

I’m by far not the best designer on the block, but by joining the creative groups like this one, I’ve been challenged and a whole new world of design was opened up to me. My eyes for design have gotten better, and I’ve been able to push myself far beyond what I’d have done alone.

Now I do music/design for the church I’m at full-time. The design part includes everything from print, web, motion graphics/videos, etc. I also work 20 hours on top of that doing design for a regional publisher that has markets in Texas and here in Georgia. We do community oriented magazines, so most of that work is ad and article layout.

I share my story to encourage you to really make that decision to pursue it if you’re going to do it. But also know that the tools (owning a computer, owning the latest photoshop, etc) don’t make you a good designer. Technically, that doesn’t make you a designer…it just makes you rich, haha, or lucky.

To this day I still don’t own a computer.

I will be buying towards the end of the year and it will be a great milestone for me, because it will be the culmination of many years of making do with what I had but pushing the boundaries of what “could” be done with “nothing.”

I’m living proof that you don’t have to go through years of school, spend tons of money, or even own a computer to be a good designer.

What’s Your Story?

Don’t Lose Focus

Hey y’all! It’s Mandy here. I just read a fantastic article called “How to Concentrate on Writing.”

Great title, eh? 🙂 Seriously… This article has some great tips on how to focus when we need to. One thing I’ve fought is the discipline of focus. Especially when I use my computer to facilitate my creative process. My computer is also my #1 source of distraction (can I get an amen?!)…

When I’m “in the zone” and the creative sparks are flying, I don’t need this type of discipline. But, let’s face it, how often am I “in the zone?” Not enough. Most of my creativity is expressed through blood, sweat, and tears, which is exactly why I found this article to be helpful.

So, without further ado:

How to Concentrate on Writing

Decompressing After A Writer’s Conference: Connection [Part 3]

Part 1 (Blogging to Writing) | Part 2 (Story) | Part 3 (Connection)

What I pay for at a writer’s conference: Good food (5 days without doing dishes), Amazing speakers (the time to sit still and listen), and knowledge I could never get elsewhere.

What I don’t pay for at a writer’s conference (but still got anyway): connection, community and unbelievable friendships.

Nowhere else would I be able to find people with the same passion, the same belief foundation and the ability to make me feel as included and loved as I did. This year at Mount Hermon I both renewed relationships that I begun last year and made new ones.

Writers need writer friends. We can be lonely souls so knowing others who love the same craft is invaluable. Writers also need communities for both encouragement and critique. We simply need each other.

And nowhere else than a writer’s conference would I be drinking coffee with literary agents, eating meals with editors of major publishing houses and laughing at 11:30 at night with other writers from all over the country.

What sets something like this apart from something else is that we share passion. It isn’t like we are all in town because of a shared hobby. Golfing, knitting and fishing aside, writing for us is who we are. It is what we do. It helps define us.

And being in community with other people like this is worth every penny.

Sarah Markley blogs at sarahmarkley.com. She is the wife of Chad and the mother to two little girls and is convinced that she is living in the BEST DAYS of her life thus far. She runs, she writes and she works for her husband’s business, usually for free.

This is OUR Creative Process

So, I laid down the gauntlet and YOU came through. What an amazing response. We’ve had such a diverse response to the creative process.

So, although, we’ve already posted our links to our blogs in the comments section, I’d like to go ahead and create THIS post to link back as well.

Here’s what you had to say about YOUR creative process:

“I get it at the weirdest times. I’ve actually found I have some of my wildest ideas in that stage right before I fall asleep. With some of the craziest stuff I’ve gotten up and wrote down my ideas. Sometimes they’re so strong I remember them when I wake up the next day.” —Shawn

“…the thought that something I help to create might be the element that finally makes it click for a non-believer is all the spark I need to get me all fired up! I say almost weekly to someone nearby – I still can’t believe I get to do this every week!” —Lori

“I struggle to create when the everyday tasks I need to complete seem insurmountable and tiresome.  Yet when I turn my thoughts to see those same tasks differently my creativity resurfaces and a spark returns.  I find new inspiration from chatting with friends, communing with God, particular inspirational blogs and simple everyday life.” —Cee

“Quite apart from the fact I feel like being creative nearly all the time, I get inspired by others’ creativity.  A play, a song, a sculpture, a book, a solution…a tweet, a blog post.  Etc. I think it’s at the root of my being, which makes sense since God is there, and He’s the Master Creator.” —David

“Usually things come in a rush. So I’ve learned one thing. Let it come. Wherever I am, I need to be ready to be in for the long haul. There are times when I’ve been up to three in the morning writing a sermon, because the inpiration came at midnight. Once I wrote almost an entire Christmas cantata script in the middle of the night. I wrote a song once during a lunch break at a weekend encounter. It just happens.” —Mike

“This is creativity — using known ingredients in a new and different way. I think this is true with all artists. There is no new chord on a guitar that hasn’t been played or no new color painted on a canvas. All the ingredients are there; we just have to use our energy and ourselves to create something new and flavorful.”—Sarah

“When I feel uncreative, I just don’t even try…I’d rather focus on something else that I need to do or enjoy doing instead of getting frustrated trying to shoot when I really don’t feel like it. There are few things less enjoyable than carrying a camera around everywhere when you really don’t feel like shooting anything.” —Nate

“When I get an idea, I get this huge burst of energy, and it’s when I share it and talk about it with other people that I’ll get even more excited. I literally bounce. No seriously. I really do!” —Sophie

“There’s always been something in me that drives me to be creative. As a kid I was always in the art classes, and bands. I honestly think it’s something that God has put in me.” —Janki

Mandy has a video explaining her process and Love has a photography page to share! Here’s my (Russ) post.

Creative Community Spring Challenge

This week I’d like to challenge as many of you as possible to write a post on your own blog specifically dedicated to THE CREATIVE PROCESS.

What ignites that flame inside you to create?

What sparks that passion inside you?

How do you channel your creativity into a finished product?

What do you do when you struggle to create?

How do you celebrate your wins?

Do you enjoy your creative process?

How do you share your creative elements with others?

Feel free to answer these questions in any way you like. Video blog, text blog, photo blog, etc. Be creative.

Let’s get linked to as many posts about creativity as we can! I’d love to see a diverse and multitudinous response to this challenge.

This week, link back to your post in the comments section OF THIS POST!

Ready! Set! Create!

P90X is Creatively Kicking My Tail

Almost through a full week of P90X. It is indeed extreme!

I’m inspired by the creativity in putting together this workout program. I’ve done a few 12 week programs before and never have I been as excited each day as workout time comes.

Now this won’t necessarily cause you to BE creative, but I just thought how creativity in creating a workout program has inspired me to pursue a fit body like never before. I sound like an infomercial.

What are some things that aren’t (on the surface) creative, but might inspire you to greatness because of the creative way in which they are put together?

Creativity Outside YOUR Area of Creativity

So, I’m a musician. I’m a graphic designer. I make a living doing both of these things. It’s a very fun way to put food on the table, and I am so thankful that God has me where I am for this season in my life.

Technically, I guess you could call me an artist (both in music and graphic design). I draw fairly well, but have never pursued it.

Monday I found a whole new area of creativity that I’ve never scratched the surface of.

Photography.

I know it’s pretty trendy and with the advent of cheaper more accesible digital equipment everyone and their brother thinks they are a photographer these days. First off, I don’t claim to be any good. Second, I’ve taken photos for one day. Third, I absolutely loved it!

Now, I’m not going to throw everything else I do to the side and pursue becoming the next big thing in photography, but let me tell you, looking through the lens gives you a whole new perspective on life. Capturing moments in time. Freezing landscapes and wildlife with the click of a button to share with the world. Pretty amazing when you think about it.

Here’s a blog post recapping my adventure in the swamp and my first real photography experience.

What are some areas that you LOVE to be creative in that are not your primary area of creativity?