If you’ve never heard of this phrase before - outside of schoolchildren showing off pet rocks - this is an increasingly common activity in creative and digital industries, allowing colleagues or peers to share what they’ve been working on in a presentation. Having this scheduled event means that the act of sharing what you’ve been doing becomes prioritised and not merely swept aside for more ‘critical’ deadlines. Often, these events offer more than simple updates - they facilitate sharing ideas and collaborating on solving problems. As an independent designer who works from home (even outside of the context of a pandemic), what I was really in desperate need of was some objective viewpoints.
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For 2019, I’m living in Tokyo for up to one year, running my freelance design operation from there and studying Japanese in immersive and intensive month long modules. It’s a bit of a jump from my usual lifestyle or working from home in Croydon with my cats. Also - my husband still lives in London so that makes things even more dramatic!
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My process of pattern design came about through trial and error and various other guides and mentors along the way. The importance of having a process, as a self-employed creative professional, is something that I underestimated at the beginning of my career.
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There's almost too much choice for inspiration with the internet and social media at our fingertips. It's overwhelming, to say the least. This is where I look to for creative inspiration.
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Stress, over-work and anxiety are growing issues for many people in the UK, especially freelancers and creatives. My perspective on avoiding the burn out of creative pressure.
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In any new skill, there's no way to outsmart, or outrun, the need for many hours of practice. Despite that, we all want a way of scaling the learning curve as quickly as possible and I was no exception. Until I started learning Japanese.
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It’s a valuable skill that you will inevitably have to call upon at some point in your life. Why wait until you’re in a complete state of panic before a written document deadline? If you follow even a few of these suggestions, you’ll soon have a busy and varied journaling routine.
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There is a risk you are putting off getting important treatment or further tests because we’re all trying to be superheroes in a modern, busy world. Don’t assume that it’s not a big deal - I regret not seeking help earlier.
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Working on replacing green in foliage prints with unexpected colour palettes.
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Working on replacing green in foliage prints with unexpected colour palettes.
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Thinking about how to use sketches of herbs in a romantic but contemporary way. I think loose, inky sketching outlines will provide the romantic look and the colourways can look after the modern edge. Would more or less texture and detail be helpful for these designs? Still mulling.
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