Today is our last episode for season one, and we will be talking about strategic personal projects and creative expressive outlets.

It’s really important to try and be strategic and I really wanted to talk about it this week before we send everyone off and talk about strategic personal projects and expressive outlets. What’s the difference, what’s the benefit, and how you can work on them in these wild and wooly days [of quarantine] that we’re living in right now.

Featured Music

Walking on a Dream by BANNERS & Carly Paige

 
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 On this week’s episode:

“When you use uncommon inspiration AND you use the process correctly, you will by default be expressing yourself because your voice will be infused into your work.”  -BrandiSea

How to Use Strategic Personal Projects & Expressive Outlets:

1. 1. Strategic Personal Projects are projects that you decide to do that will achieve some tangible goal
      • I am doing book covers because I want to get more book cover jobs
      • I write blog posts because I want to show that I am a good writer
      • You basically choose projects to do strategically that will help you show and therefore get the kind of work you really want to do
      • There has to be some sort of plan or goal to reach
   2. Expressive Outlets are basically anything that you do creatively that don’t need to achieve a goal
      • This is where it’s really appropriate and encouraged to go with your feelings, this is the kind of project that you just “feel” like doing or are randomly inspired to do for no reason whatsoever
      • The benefit to this is that it allows you to pour yourself out without any expectations and sometimes we need that freedom to play and have to goals or plans
      • The difference between this and personal projects is that one will have measurable progress and one will not
      • I thin kit’s really important to incorporate both into your creative practice to be a well-rounded designer
   3. Have you ever thought “I want to make something but I don’t know what?
      • This is a good time to figure out what to do, by asking yourself if there is something you want to do that simply is playful creation or do you want something that feels really tangible that will help you reach some goal or another
      • Either way: I would suggest you keep a list of both
        1. Strategic Project Ideas
        2. Expressive Outlet Ideas

      • Lists are there so that when you have the opportunity to create something you have a jumping off place for when you don’t know what you can do.

This Week’s Uncommon Inspiration

• • “It’s a Small World” cover art for Sleep
  • ing at Last by Jason DeMeo 

“It’s a Small World” cover art for Sleeping at Last by Jason DeMeo

Visit his Small World page