Tech For Graphic Designers

Hello Creatives!

In a world immersed in technology, designer's have plenty of choice for hardware and software to use to create. Designers and creators of all kinds used to be limited to their desktop computers. Now we have desktops, laptops, phones and tablets of all kinds to create and showcase our work. With so many types of products, how does one choose?

HARDWARE

Most of the buying decision of hardware is up to personal preference and the needs of the creator for the hardware to perform certain processes required by the creators programs.

Things to Consider

1. Speed (Processor)

2. Storage (RAM)

3. Visuals (Graphics Card)

Some things to consider for hardware are speed, storage and visuals. The speed of the device is important when it comes to downloading, uploading and loading data/media. Speed is controlled by the Processor; the faster the Processor, the quicker the software and data will load, download and upload.

Processor= How fast hardware processes data/media

(input & output)

RAM= Storage space on the device so

the device can hold data and

recall data quickly

The storage on the device, or the RAM, allows for the device to hold numerous amounts of data and media and be able to recall that data quickly. This is partially why programs seem to run faster when a device has more RAM. A decent Processor will run about 2.7GHz (gig-hertz) and sufficient RAM would hold about 16GB (gigabytes) even though 8GB (gigabytes) is standard.

Ex. Gaming Computers have powerful Processors

and a lot of RAM to run the gaming programs

smoothly without lag

Graphics Card= Controls the output (visual data)

to a display screen

Let's look at visuals because creators rely on visuals and graphics, how things look on screen. The Graphics Card controls how visuals appear on a display screen. For creators, designers and artists, we want a powerful device with a strong Processor, lots of RAM and a massive Graphics Card to work within multiple programs quickly.

Apple? Android? Gaming?

Many creators use an iMac, Macbook Pro, iPhone or iPad tablet and customize the hardware to have a powerful device. These devices are very aesthetically pleasing and can be optimized to specification requirements for designers and content creators. Other creators prefer devices optimized for gaming that are already setup with strong Processors and Graphics Cards. Regardless of the brand, there are many devices out there to customize for any creators needs.

SOFTWARE

There are a few options for software based on personal preference and budget. The mainstream forms of software is provided by Adobe and the Adobe Creative Cloud service. Other forms of software are called open source, which is available for free to download like Gimp and Scribus.

What's the Difference?

1. Price

2. Ease of Access

The price is the main difference to the majority of consumers. Depending on the available budget, there's a few options: A monthly recurring charge for the Adobe Creative Cloud service, purchasing the full Adobe programs at $300 each or the free open source programs like Gimp and Scribus (plus others).

Gimp=Photoshop

Scribus=Illustrator

The programs look very different and the layout of the workspace is different between name brand and open source. Adobe has more ease of access and connectivity across all programs. Gimp and Scribus are simple to use but the programs are segregated. Either way, no matter the budget, there is great software and hardware out there to create designs and content.

See You Soon Creatives!

Moving Past Being Unmotivated to Creating

Hello Creatives!

Choosing to work in a creative field can be rewarding but ultimately can lead to being unmotivated and burnt out. We all feel this dark cloud of being unmotivated while getting up and working in the same processes day-to-day in a never-ending loop. Moving past these feelings of dread and tiredness is possible with discipline, passion and a break.

Discipline

The most common cause of being unmotivated is monotony and complacency, two words a creative person never wants to hear. When we are complacent, or comfortable, things start to become boring and mundane. This cycle of boredom leads to a narrow view and creativity starts to take a back seat. Creativity thrives on change, excitement and a little risk.

Where does discipline come in? Well, we can't all wait around for inspiration to rain down to wash us out of the creative rut we seem to be stuck in. With deadlines looming, plan "B" is to simply create. Create anything, it can be as simple as sketching your morning coffee. The point is not to create a masterpiece, it's the fact of creating itself. Pushing to create something consistently will often lead to something amazing. Keeping in the habit of making things is the lifeline of creation. Discipline yourself to start and then challenge yourself. Challenge yourself with limited tools or a specific color palette; keep it exciting because creativity loves change, you might even enjoy the process.

Passion Projects

Keeping creation exciting can be a challenge while staying disciplined. So, create something that's special and has meaning. We call these forms of creation passion projects; they don't have to have a deadline or have to go anywhere. The point of these projects is to spark new interest in something, anything. Being unmotivated and burnt out with creativity is like falling out of love. Passion projects help us to fall back in love with creativity by creating something fun and special to us individually.

This can become that creative excitement that's needed, we don't all have to follow the path of tortured artists and creatives. Most important, keep these projects separate from your day job. This work is personal and should be a journey of trying, failing and loving every moment of it. Creativity isn't always serious, it can also be a game.

A Break Date

This stage may be a bit of a stretch for some, but take a break date. In the words of millennials, 'treat yo'self'. Treat yourself to a break from creation, even for just a day or a few hours. Taking a break is sometimes necessary to recharge when all that is being done is creating. Being on a constant overload is only going to lead to an emotional breakdown, or worse, a physical breakdown.

On these breaks visit a favorite place, have some nostalgic favorite food and a nice rest. A break date can be the best medicine before jumping back into life and gearing up that creative brain. This allows for the pressure to be taken off and the worries of responsibility to go on hiatus for a day.

Take a chance, make a change and allow for a break. Discipline keeps skills sharp, passion projects will ignite new interest in life and work and a break will allow the stress and worry to leave for a bit. If time is an issue, replace watching Saturday night news to creating something simple or meaningful for five minutes. Trying and failing is a lot better than quitting before getting started and staying in the same monotony of life. Take a risk for something exciting to change the creative game.

See You Soon Creatives!

How To Reach Past the Top and Crush Self-Competition

Hello Creatives!

At one point or another in your career, you will obtain success. Success is found on many levels and reaching "the top" can happen with hard work. Both of these terms have multiple meanings depending on the individual creative. What does "the top" look like? Is it measured by the amount of awards received or how many clients that can be maintained? How can we compete to reach "the top" and once we reach it, how can we surpass the competition within ourselves?

Admit There is No "Top"

Once a label is placed on a form of success we reach, we limit ourselves. Internal competition, fear and obsession begin to wreak havoc on our creativity. The way to combat this is to admit there is no "top". For some of us, reaching "the top" gives us an excuse to quit or stop trying due to the fear of not being able to surpass previous success. This mindset tends to kill the remaining creativity living in us. Imagine what could be created if artists and creatives kept going instead of quitting out of fear.

Admitting there is no "top" or no "winning" removes the pressure, stress and anxiety of having to create to surpass someone else; it allows us to create for ourselves. We always have more to learn, reaching "the top" gives us a metaphorical ceiling. Who wants that? The more that can be learned, the farther we can go in our careers and the stronger we become in our specialties. Don't fall into the trap of acknowledging a ceiling with reaching "the top"; we can always reach farther.

Surpassing Self-Competition

Self-competition can be difficult to overcome. It requires us to reflect inward and ask hard questions. Why do we compete so desperately to beat ourselves when encouraging ourselves to improve is more beneficial? This is a change in perspective of how we view our success. The notion of beating ourselves leads to unnecessary pressure, there are no external forces here (this happens in our own minds). We all face this wormhole of beating ourselves up for bad ideas, poor execution or having no ideas at all.

Shifting the perspective of needing to beat ourselves, which sounds painful when you think about it, to encouraging ourselves to constantly improve our skills is a better use of time and energy. Our creative sides will thank us one day with future successes. Let's try not to outdo ourselves but to improve to be the best we can in our own time. This is not to say there is no competition out there, but at least it won't be within us killing our creativity. Creativity can not come out to play amidst fear, doubt and anxiety.

Don't Stop, Just Create

When the realization of success, the fear of self-doubt and the need to surpass ourselves creep in, we tend to over-react or quit completely. Some of us enter the wormhole while others don't for-see future success, so we quit. This is not beneficial, don't quit. Keep creating, even in the face of fear. There's only one true outcome when we quit creating, we don't succeed. As a wise man once said,

"The way to get started is to quit

talking and begin doing"

- Walt Disney

Don't listen to that voice of fear, be courageous and create. By continuing to create, a possible outcome is success. Keep creating anything and everything; success will show up in different forms along the way.

Keep the creativity alive by letting that voice of self-doubt and fear go in one ear and out the other. The "top" is a glass ceiling we place on ourselves, don't entertain it. Continue learning, growing and creating. The fear, anxiety and internal pressure will fade in the light of forthcoming success.

See You Soon Creatives!