Over 3 exclamation points in one post

2 minute read

We had a group creative sharing session yesterday, it went really well! Matt, Tom, Dara and even Luke shared something they were working on - there was a diverse range in story themes and type, and in levels of finish and prep.

It was encouraging to see everyone taking ideas they'd had in their minds and bringing them into existence. That process always shone light on unexamined parts of the idea, creating more robust work and more realistic creative ideas.

One member didn't show up, I think in part because they felt nervous about not having anything to share - I've tried to encourage them in the group chat:

"we missed you! It feels like a lot of pressure leading up to the day, but I think you'd be surprised at how even the smallest thing yields discussion and development."

I'm self concious about the academic or sterile wording, but I really want to use specific language, I guess so that it's clear that we're taking each others work and our creative needs seriously? Not in a professional way, but in the sense that creativity is such an important part of our lives and we ought to pursue it!

the pigs themselves

Here's the draft I printed out and shared in the meeting, if you want to print it out

• cut out the hole in the bottom, the big apple overlaps the edge - cut around the apple
• fold like so:

It was good to have to bring it to this level, it feels luxurious to have it this well developed and still have heaps of time left to rework it. Of course, the challenge is too actually do that! Going forwards I'd like to

• do some duotone / spot colour research, and do some semitone coloring research.
• reposition some of the pigs to sit better on the page.
• change some of the wording a little.
• re-letter it.
• elaborate the back - have it all dark even.
• try out some full bleed examples, trimming the edges with a sharp craft knife.

Other ideas, after the meeting and after thougths I've had during the making process

• Another bee zine, but using vr. Print it in black on yellow paper. Similar to bee heaven in model, make it a little more unhinged too.
• A sci-fi zine, with silly characters but hard-ish scifi ideation
• Not a zine - an animation, or tool, or poem

Chatting to Alex

I've been messaging Alex about "connecting". Got carried away! Need to finish this blog post. A short one today again, I'm expecting to have a couple of longer ones this week. Tomorrow, I'll reflect on the tasks I set myself last week and how they differed from reality, and why.

listening to

Waiting Game by Banks

questions

This week paraphrased and slightly modified, from some questions Alex asked:

• Why am I studying?
• To get a job?
• Why get a job?
• To earn enough to sustain oneself?
• Why sustain oneself?
• To connect?
• What does it mean to connect?
• What do you do if you can't?

what else?

It's nearly time for me to start looking for work