Figuring out what works for me.
I don't have a specific project that I'm working on. Still trying to break the "seal of hesitation," but I found this class was incredibly helpful for sorting out my ideas and process and turning into time spent actually doing the work.
I loved the part of this class where Tanner said to ask the question "Why" 5 different times to your idea.
So here was my attempt at that exercise:
What am I excited about? Crafting and Designing
Why? because I like to make things that are pretty AND useful
Why? because those are the best kinds of things to give as gifts
Why? because giving gifts that inspire others makes me happy
Why? because I was able to have a positive effect on someone else
What is my drive? To make useful and beautiful things, mostly for the crafting community
Why? Because I love the way well designed paper products make me feel and I want other people to feel that way too.
.... I didn't get too far on that one.
What am I unhappy about? My lack of confidence in my skills
Why? Because I allow that to hold me back from putting my work out there, sharing my ideas, and finishing projects.
Why? Because I sometimes feel like I need to have my Bachelors Degree in Graphic Design to be able to make stuff.
Why? Because somehow that title would make people like my work more and make me doubt myself less.
Why? Because I haven't always spent the time I should at home dedicated to gaining knowledge of design and practicing it.
Why? Because I get distracted easily and I have a long history of procrastination.
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That last one was so easy for me to answer but it really helped me get down to the root cause of my concerns. I'm working on setting up a good routine/schedule for myself so that I can make better use of my time and minimize distractions.
The other questions (and other thoughts I had during this class) helped me identify that while I like both crafting and designing, I felt like I really enjoy making things that people can use and that can make them happy. I'd love to pursue projects that focus more on paper goods that people could use for crafting, home and office, or as gifts. Really excited to see where this will take me and working on gaining confidence to share my ideas.
One way I'd like to explore sharing my ideas is through instagram. I find that it is a place full of inspiration and I love the way certain people have built their own brands out of it. Not neccessarily that it promotes their business, but the photos they post have a very cohesive feel that depic more of a lifestyle rather than "this is what I had for lunch."
I live in Hawaii and one other idea that I've had was to find a way to connect with the local businesses in my community and helping them with branding and social media, and possibly try to build a community with other creatives in my area.
Anyways, this class was super helpful and I'm really excited to put into practice what I've learned.
Thanks!