You need a wingman

As an artist you may know exactly what you want to say but you may not see your work clearly from inside the creative bubble. Whether you’re developing personal or commercial work one thing will be constant: your objectivity will probably suck.

That’s why you need a wingman. Someone to keep you honest, on-target and motivated. A friend, an art director, an editor, or colleague who knows what you’re trying to accomplish. What you see isn’t necessarily what anyone else sees and sometimes it helps to have someone to ask, “Are you drunk?”

Yes, even the best artists, writers, directors and dancers have agents, directors, and editors to help focus the message. To make something great even better. If you don't have a wingman, find one. Be critical of yourself but also invite focused criticism.

Horstman's Law: You're not that smart, they're not that dumb

Unless you're some kind of sociopath or super-spy the people around you will know if you're holding back. And if they're worth being part of your life they're worth the truth. If you choose to hold back you can expect they will follow your lead.

“You can’t fool people. Ever. The fact is, people know when you mislead them. Yes, they might go along with you, but they know that it doesn’t feel right. That you don’t feel right. After all, didn’t you used to be “them?”

“Tell the whole truth. Don’t leave anything out. When in doubt, tell everyone. Use candor as advantage, rather than seeing it as weakness.”

Find more great ideas and information at Manager Tools.

Drink beer, learn design

I’m obsessed with beer and liquor packaging. I still draw tons of inspiration from book covers but the past ten years or so the label design of beer, wine and alcohol has become more creative and adventurous as microbreweries, microdistillieries, and local vineyards compete for distinction. 

A good label is efficient: it combines strong typography, illustration, and clear focus to communicate what the product is, to whom it’s speaking and what separates it from the competition. Not an easy task when a consumer is scanning a shelf of beer at the store. And that’s the thing: people don’t read, they scan. This is especially true in packaging but it applies across all media in varying degrees. Why am I using bold text to emphasize points in these blog posts? My hope is that it helps you scan the page and spend a little more time with the content.

Next time you're at a grocery store, craft beer bar, liquor store, bar or wine shoppe take a minute to review the labels. Soften the focus of your eyes and observe what stands out and why? What are the label designs trying to communicate and to whom? What does the Bud Light design say their audience? Does the packaging of your favorite brew reflect you?

I love book cover design for similar reasons but here’s the difference: a book cover describes the contents but a beer label describes both the contents AND consumer. As the craft beer market matures so does the packaging and the identity statements are becoming more nuanced and brave. I'll drink to that.

Interview: Sean Mosher-Smith

You may not know Sean Mosher-Smith by name but I’m willing to bet you know his work. For almost 20 years he has been a go-to visual designer for the music industry and, in recent years, has expanded his vision in other markets. He has developed a distinct photo-illustrative style that is elegant, dark and immune to trends. Like many of the creatives I’ve featured he is disciplined with both hemispheres of his brain and works well solo or collaboratively. 

How would you describe you what is it that you do?
I am a Creative Director and Image maker.

Have you always done this for a living or did you transition from something else? What triggered your decision to make a change?
I have always done this since graduation, I started in the music industry and still draw a large amount of inspiration from music but 7 years ago left the industry in order to expand my portfolio and start including a bit more branding as well as digital (Iphone apps and web) with my own company.

What is the most challenging thing about practicing your craft? How do you deal with that challenge?
I have 2 challenges…

Since it is only 3 partners at my company now, soliciting for new work and promotion is difficult while also trying to keep current clients happy and make deadlines, The other is “shutting off”  I am getting better but the one thing non-creatives don't understand (and sometimes this includes clients), is that creativity is hard to switch on and off, when an idea hits you, sometimes in the middle of the night, it has to be worked out. On the other side of that, trying to pull something out when you are not in the mindset at the time is not easy. I don’t believe in forced brainstorm sessions for this particular reason, unless its for more business than creative purposes.

Do you still practice? If so, what do your practice sessions look like?
I do. I get myself in a comfortable place and explore the things that inspire me. Sometimes its music, sometimes its something I see or read, other times I explore what my peers are doing and it gets me inspired to create..

Where do you find inspiration?
All around me. Like the answer above it can come from anywhere. Sometimes my moods dictate the style of art I do as well.

Where are you when you have the most a-ha moments?
Looking out over Lake Ontario at my lake house. Sometimes I have to get to the point of desperation with a creative block before I hit on something that ignites the creative flame

What do you do to maintain a creative flow?
Step away.

How much do you rely on feedback from other to help shape your ideas?
An occasional different point of view is a good thing, especially if you are working alone. In order for a project to be successful for a paying client, you have to listen to that client. With skill, you can sway a clients bad ideas to your point of view also.

What is the greatest obstacle to creativity?
Money, time, and commitments.

When you complete a project, how often does it resemble your initial concept or conceived idea? How important is this for you?
Sometimes it is dead on, sometimes it has been manipulated so much that it does not resemble it at all. Sometimes thats a good thing. As you design or create, you learn, subtle changes can begin to take shape that can expand on the original idea, sometimes complete accidents occur that make something amazing happen, I like those moments, the work has a life of its own.

How do you know when you’re done?
I’m never done.

How do you resolve creative differences with clients or creative partners?
As long as you can stand behind your decisions, and there is a rationale behind them, its up to your powers of negotiation to convince others. It doesn't always work and I believe in compromise. There have been times when I have put my foot down and refused to do something if I don't agree with it. It works both ways, even with my partners, I argue my case, they argue theirs and we see where we meet.  I have fired clients who I have felt were not working with me for my creative views but as just a pair of hands. Life is too short to waste time.

What keeps you motivated even if you don’t connect personally with the project?
The hope that I will learn something from the experience and put it in the toolbox

What do you do when you are stuck and have some sort of deadline or other pressure?
Keep calm and trust that it will come, sometimes hours before but something is always there to build on, even if its not “The” idea.

How do you achieve your creative vision with a limited budget?
The internet is a wonderful thing. I connect to people online to share work, promote myself or just reach out to people.

What are the top 3 tools in your creative tool kit? ie. software, pencil, paper, journal etc.
Cintique, iPad (with a stylus and sketching app that allows me to transfer to my computer) and a good ol’ #2 pencil

What are the top 3 creative habits that have proven to be the most useful for you in your career?

• Trust your creative instincts.

• Stay alert and open to new things.

• Go outside.

If you could offer a single piece of advice to a budding professional, what would it be?
A terrible trend I have noticed with younger creatives is a feeling of entitlement and superiority trumping experience and traditional skills. Advice would be listen to your peers and have a good work ethic, don't expect everything to be handed to you...stay grounded and work hard.

Learn more about Sean Mosher-Smith

The four horsemen of the creative apocalypse

Stress doesn’t come in a sudden rush. It creeps up, easing into the subconscious and slowly strangling creative flow. Learn to recognise these four obstacles to creativity and stop them in their tracks.

1. Fear: Usually the fear of judgement or rejection. The desire for perfection probably kills more great ideas than anything else. Give yourself space to make some mistakes. The fail fast movement was the development mantra a few years ago and while the excitement around the phrase has waned there's still value in giving yourself permission to take risks. Ideas are made better when tested. This approach might result in critique and that's cool, feedback will test the strength of your ideas and help you refine your concept. Remember: you won’t be judged for accepting feedback but you will be judged for shutting down input. 

2. Time: It's painful when you haven’t budgeted enough time or underestimated a project. You'll resist critique and new ideas regardless of whether they're good for your project because every change means lost time and revenue. Develop the ability to estimate accurately. How? Start doing it now. The only way to improve is to try something over and over and over. Eventually you'll learn how to estimate time and you can more effectively budget time for dialog and revisions. Don't short yourself in this regard. If you've accounted for the time you won't resist change nearly as much.

3. Tools: If you can't use the tools needed to complete an idea or project you have three choices: propose a new tool (one that you can use), learn the tool thats requires or find someone to fill the gap in your skills. The tools we use to make stuff are constantly changing and it isn't easy to stay on top of all the options. I've seen countless projects stall because the maker busy themselves with distractions to avoid dealing with the elephant in the room: they don't know how to make whatever it is they're proposing. Talk to experts, pad your time and manage your teams expectations.

4. Distractions: Email, SMS, TV, Facebook, personal hobbies, etc. These are your enemies when you're trying to get something done. At a roadblock in your project? Resist the quick dopamine rush of collecting Likes, tuck your chin and work through the difficulty. Nothing worth doing is easy so don't chicken out when things get tough. Block out time to focus, close your email/Facebook/Instagram/IM/etc and let yourself be productive. Your distractions can always be a reward for getting something done. 

Kill your babies

I can’t take credit for this wonderfully grim phrase. I can’t even remember where I first heard it but it stuck with me and that’s what counts. Our babies are the ideas we are attached to that prevent us from shifting gears and letting our concepts evolve.

Babies usually contain the seed of a good idea, which makes them hard to release. They consume your time and distract you from alternatives. They are the ideas that no ones else seems to 'get'. They are the amazing ideas that you can't seem to finish. They are the things you defend emotionally but can't describe their quantitative value.

Recognize when you're defending a time sink. If you feel overly defensive when an idea is criticized there's a good chance it's one of your babies. Step back and shift gears.

Anticipate Needs

There are few things worse than then doing a review with your client or PO and getting clobbered with questions you didn’t anticipate. Ideally you would have interviewed them about their goals before you started any actual work but inevitably something slips by.

Think like your client. Internalize their goals as your own. If you work with the same people regularly write down the feedback you anticipate and compare it to the feedback you receive. Do this enough and you’ll see patterns emerge. Most of us have a limited set of scripted needs and we express them over and over. You boss/client/PO is no different.

Regularly step away from your work and anticipate your client's needs. Write them down. Developing this empathy will focus your work, reduce revisions, save time in reviews and your boss or client will trust you more.

Horstman’s Law: How You Feel Is Your Fault

It's so easy to blame circumstances, and other people, for our frustrations but that's just offloading responsibility. Don't let other people turn you into something, or someone, you don't want to be. If other people determine the conditions of your happiness you're giving them too much power. Your feelings are your responsibility.

“If you find yourself saying, “that guy/situation/boss makes me mad,” you’re wrong. They did something, and then you decided how to respond. Think about the word responsibility. (Response-ability) You’re able to choose your response.”

“Choose the right response. Choose not to get angry. Choose to understand why they behave the way they do. Your response will be more powerful.”

Find more great ideas and information at Manager Tools.

Interview: Rob Mastrianni

It was New Years Eve, maybe fifteen years ago, when I first saw Rob playing guitar at a small downtown music venue called Baby Jupiter. I was struck by the realization that he was an artist - not a person cultivating the identity of an artist, but a true honest-to-goodness creator. Fourteen years later the club has come and gone but Rob has continued playing and I’ve been fortunate to call him a friend and we have gigged on occasion. He is a deeply passionate, ego-free, person who is always composing, practicing and learning. He's also a park ranger and expert on birds of prey. 

How would you describe you what is it that you do?
I’m a guitarist and composer. I love to create music. I play unconventional guitars like the Coral Electric Sitar guitar (aka Electric Harp Guitar). I utilize the 13 sympathetic strings like a high pitched harp by playing melodies with my right hand, while hammering bass riffs on the guitar neck with my left hand simultaneously. I also play finger-style guitar that is inspired by Spanish classical, flamenco, punk, Jimi Hendrix and the late great American guitarist Michael Hedges.

Have you always done this for a living or did you transition from something else? What triggered your decision to make a change?
I’ve been performing my music in bars, theaters, music venues and restaurants for 20 years.

I also have a day job as a Park Ranger. I lead environmental education programs, wildlife management which includes rescuing sick or injured wildlife in Manhattan. I’ve been working as a Ranger for 8 years now and I love it.

Do you still practice? If so, what do your practice sessions look like?
I don't have a set routine. When I sit down with my guitars I work on composing songs, riffs, melodies, finalizing new ideas and memorizing tunes that are finished. Some of the music I compose is challenging to play, so it takes some time for me to learn it and get the music into my fingers. So I’ll break it down and practice the music slowly, especially when I'm composing for my sitar guitar, which has a 13-string harp with high-pitched treble strings. Those 13 harp strings are very close together, so I spend a lot of time practicing melodies and finger picking patterns on those strings.  

When I first started playing guitar at age 12, I would have a practice routine of playing scales and classical guitar repertoire. I would do this for up to 7 hours a day. A few years ago I got really into practicing traditional flamenco guitar. This involves a lot of work on right hand techniques called picado (alternate picking with index and middle fingers), rasguedo (strumming techniques that involve all the fingers of the right hand), golpe (percussion accents that are done by striking the guitars top like a drum) and improvising in the "compos" 12 beat rhythmic cycle. I've been working on the traditional "Solea" compos for a few years now and practice improvising melodies in that 12 beat cycle with the accents on 3, 6, 8, 10 and 12.

Where do you find inspiration?
Inspiration and composing are very mysterious to me. It just happens naturally without much thought and sometimes it can be a challenge. It's always a different experience. Sometimes I'll wake up from a dream with a melody and rhythm for a new song. I seem to write a lot when I'm tired and exhausted.

My passion and obsession for the guitar as an instrument is a huge inspiration to me. I'm in love with the sound and tone colors the guitar and sitar guitar (harp guitar) can create. I have a collection of guitars and I believe that music is alive in the instruments and it’s my job to discover that music.

I also find people watching, especially when I busk in the NYC subways inspiring. The fast paced rhythm of the subway commuters rushing around, inspired me to compose my songs "Passing By", "Revolt" and "Wish". I wanted to create something that would grab the attention of New Yorkers in a rush. So "Passing By" was actually born at the busy Union Square station.

Actively listening to different styles of music and of course everyday life, love and relationships are always inspiring.

Where are you when you have the most a-ha moments?
When I'm commuting to work on the train or walking alone on a busy city street.

What do you do to maintain a creative flow?
I record my ideas right away with my iPhone voice memo app. Some music gets done fast and easily while others can take weeks to finish. I’ll usual focus on working on 3 tunes a day.

How much do you rely on feedback from other to help shape your ideas?
It's always helpful to hear what people connect with. The best way for me to shape ideas is to perform live and see how the audience reacts to the music. Performing for dancers also helps me get a grasp on what inspires dancers to improvise and choreograph.  

What is the greatest obstacle to creativity?
Having a day job is an obstacle. I’m lucky that I truly enjoy my day job but it takes me away from my music 8 hours a day. I wish I had more time to professionally record my music a few times a week. Being overwhelmed with ideas can also be an obstacle and of course the biggest obstacle is procrastination.

When you complete a project, how often does it resemble your initial concept or conceived idea? How important is this for you?

I’m rarely happy with my performance in the recording studio. As far as a project that closely resembles my initial concept would be the recent Beatbox Guitar “Duality” CD. That CD captured the energy of a live performance, which was our conceived idea.

How do you know when you’re done?
You know you’re finished, when your instinct tells you to move onto the next project or song.

How do you resolve creative differences with clients or creative partners?
Communication, integrity and compromising are the keys.

What keeps you motivated even if you don’t connect personally with the project?
Sometimes that tension and disconnect can push you to come up with something unexpectedly cool. A positive outlook also helps.

What do you do when you are stuck and have some sort of deadline or other pressure?
I drink a lot of Yerba Mate tea.

How do you achieve your creative vision with a limited budget?
Make the best with what is available in that moment.

What are the top 3 tools in your creative tool kit? ie. software, pencil, paper, journal etc.
My sitar guitar, flamenco guitar and the voice memo iphone app.

If you could offer a single piece of advice to a budding professional, what would it be?
Don’t try and imitate others. Develop your own style, sound and stay true to your integrity.

Learn more about Rob Mastrianni.

Horstman’s Law: Control is an Illusion

This is so true. As a manager there's a strong temptation to over-validate our presence by controlling the conditions and people around us. However you can't control everything. Ultimately you, and your team, will be happier and more productive if you learn to step back. 

“There is not a single person whom you think you “control” who would agree with you. If you really think you’re so good as to control another, then who in your organization thinks that way about you? Stop trying to control. You’re wasting your time. Build relationships that allow you to influence.”

“Build relationships based on trust. Say, “I trust you.” Let your team choose their path at times, even when you disagree.”

Find more great ideas and information at Manager Tools.

Interview: Tamalyn Dallal

I know people who are adventurous but Tamalyn is one of the few whom I would describe as an Adventurer. She is a dancer, a teacher, an author and filmmaker. In a world where safety, lawsuits and cultural conservatism are rampant she consistently seeks out those corners of the world that would be deemed by the mainstream as dangerous or unworthy of attention. And in these remote villages she finds stories that are more human than anything we see on the news. Everything Tamalyn does is a reminder of what someone can do when they stop worrying about what other people think and follow their heart.

How would you describe you what is it that you do?
I teach bellydance, and produce supplementary cultural information in the way of books, music, and films. These can range from instruction on Middle Eastern dance, to an introduction to life in the Muslim world, and films about dances of East Africa.

Have you always done this for a living or did you transition from something else? What triggered your decision to make a change?
I have always been a bellydancer, but over the years it has transitioned from being a performer to running a dance school and non profit organization, then being a touring instructor, allowing me time and resources to make films and write.

What is the most challenging thing about practicing your craft? How do you deal with that challenge?
The most challenging thing is the stigma that goes with this dance form. I deal with the challenge through trying to educate dancers and the public about dance as art, culture and how it can enhance and heal people's lives.

Do you still practice? If so, what do your practice sessions look like?
I do. It depends on if I have a show coming up. Preparation for a show is merely warming up, then doing the dance between 3-7 times. Otherwise, I practice in 2 hour segments, with warm up, Ipod shuffle (improv to random music), and targeted work on shimmies, veil, zils or vintage songs that I want to better understand and express.

Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration from watching people on the street, from watching non-professionals dance for joy, and from what comes out when I am practicing.

Where are you when you have the most a-ha moments?
Usually in a studio - either teaching or practicing.

What do you do to maintain a creative flow?
Practice, keep learning and travel.

How much do you rely on feedback from other to help shape your ideas?
I don't.

What is the greatest obstacle to creativity?
Negativity and fear that there is not enough for everyone. Or holding onto ideas/knowledge and not sharing.

When you complete a project, how often does it resemble your initial concept or conceived idea? How important is this for you?
It develops and unfolds as it goes along. I have a concept, but never expect to control the outcome. That is how I do theater shows or festivals.

How do you know when you’re done?
My dances are improvised, so they are never done or never done the same way twice.

How do you resolve creative differences with clients or creative partners?
I try not to have creative differences. I collaborate with people whose artistic vision I respect and who respect mine.

What keeps you motivated even if you don’t connect personally with the project?
If I don't personally connect I am not motivated.

What do you do when you are stuck and have some sort of deadline or other pressure?
I don't usually feel stuck.

How do you achieve your creative vision with a limited budget?
I usually visualize the outcome and enough money usually comes my way to do what I want.

What are the top 3 tools in your creative tool kit? ie. software, pencil, paper, journal etc.
Ipod, glue and rhinestones.

What are the top 3 creative habits that have proven to be the most useful for you in your career?
Visualization, tenacity, and lots of work.

If you could offer a single piece of advice to a budding
professional, what would it be?
Don't stop learning.

Learn more about Tamalyn.

Horstman’s Law: It’s All About People

“This is actually a hard-nosed, scientific and financial reality. Any hour you spend on people is a better investment than an hour spent on systems, processes, or policies. Great people can overcome average systems; average people won’t live up to great systems.”

Surround yourself with talented people and get to know what makes them tick. Conversation about work is great but that will only give you a shallow understanding of who they are and, if you're working with someone, do you really want to settle for partial understanding? You can invest in technology and great ideas but without reliable, talented and communicative people to execute ideas you'll be stuck cleaning up other people's messes and that's just not a good use of your time. 

“Spend time with your folks every week. Learn their strengths and weaknesses. Learn their projects. Learn their children’s names.”

Find more great ideas and information at Manager Tools.

Interview: Marc Scheff

Marc is a renaissance man. That’s going to embarrass him but it’s true. He is the rare breed of artist who equally occupies all spheres of his brain - an illustrator, painter, art director and former computer scientist who approaches his work with discipline and humor. I don’t know for sure but I’d bet he can also cook.

He’s an inclusive, articulate, social person (and professional) who surrounds himself with talented people and he’s eager to share the glory. I expected I’d learn something from his interview and I wasn’t disappointed.

How would you describe you what is it that you do?
I am an artist and an art director, so I make art for clients, and I hire artists for other clients. I also write, and work on creative side-projects.

Have you always done this for a living or did you transition from something else? What triggered your decision to make a change?
I was a comp sci major in college. After a few years in the tech field I took an art class, then two, then three. Then I quit my job and went back to art school. I have always loved art but a career as an artist seemed CRAZY to this fairly conservatively-raised Boston kid. Still, I knew from my first day in tech that I wanted to be on the visual side, and focused on front-end engineering which interfaced directly with the design teams. It really just took that first class to get me hooked. I worked in games, and after moving to NYC and working with the nothing-short-of-brilliant Brad MacDonald, I went freelance started doing my own collaborative projects and going to workshops like the Illustration Master Class (the IMC). When one of those went viral, I was offered a gig doing AD work for custom merch for big video games at Treehouse Brand Stores. That was an easy yes. After years pounding pavement, I understood the trials of finding work and getting paid, so I was happy to step into a position to help others like me as I continued to develop my own work.

What is the most challenging thing about practicing your craft? How do you deal with that challenge?
On the illustration side, finding my voice has been the biggest hurdle. Every artist deals with this, especially commercial artists who not only have to find something personal to say but something that they can market as well. Because I have been able to create multiple income streams through AD work and teaching, I have made that exploration a priority. My most recent challenge here is doing this work with real paint, not pixels. I have been focused on this for a month or two now, and post progress shots on my instagram.

On the AD side, it’s all about communication. I recently co-authored an in-depth article on the challenges herein with Lauren Panepinto on Muddy Colors. I would say the biggest challenge is just making sure everyone has what they need and a clear understanding of how to get the best product. And when things go wrong, it’s up to me to figure out how to navigate the project to success. If that sounds vague, I encourage you to read the article.

Do you still practice? If so, what do your practice sessions look like?
Every day.  I sketch, paint, and gather feedback on my work. On the AD side I read a lot about leadership styles, effective management, and keep up on what and who is hot. When I can, I get to a figure drawing session too, but with the constant juggling plus a family, it happens less than I care to admit.

Where do you find inspiration?
Is “everywhere” too pat an answer? I really do try to approach even mundane day-to-day with an eye out for possible ideas. My iPhone is my notebook, and I keep a lot of reference pics, some of which may just be a reminder of an idea or an actual reference for a painting I’m working on. I went to Morocco with my wife and I think I have 400 close-up pics of hand-carved doorways, which I recently used to design patterns for a piece for the Science Fiction Book Club.

Where are you when you have the most a-ha moments?
Falling asleep at 3am. If I’m up that late, it’s because my mind is running. Again, my iPhone is my trusted friend and I often wake up to find drowsy emails from myself with a few words, a quick sketch in the Brushes app, and reminders of ideas.

What do you do to maintain a creative flow?
I try to eat well, exercise, and take breaks. I also try to focus when I’m working and make sure I have the time to do so. I don’t check email on weekends or before noon. I look if I have a project that I know needs attention, but for the most part my teams and clients have my cell phone and are welcome to use it. So I feel relaxed about unplugging and letting my mind and body rest. There’s plenty of research on this, and 99u had a nice piece on the subject.

How much do you rely on feedback from other to help shape your ideas?
I have a mentor, the fabulous Rebecca Guay who does both illustration and fine art work. She is my good friend, my boss, my mentor, and my go-to for feedback on work I’m creating. She has helped me fine-tune both my style and my message.

In general, I’m a big fan of peer review when working on new work, especially as a freelancer. I can’t think of a piece that wasn’t improved by a second set of eyes. I have even just killed pieces that weren’t working and started over with a better, fresher idea.

That said, at some point, every artist has to make their own way and stretch themselves. I have been creating new work this month and seeing how far I can take it on my own. I recommend a mix of both.

What is the greatest obstacle to creativity?
Life? Kids? Wanting to sleep or watch a movie? Anything can get in the way if you let it. I think you have to shift perspective and let everything else you do serve to feed your creativity. Like I said, breaks are good, and they can provide the inspiration you can’t find at your desk.

When you complete a project, how often does it resemble your initial concept or conceived idea? How important is this for you?
For client work, that’s pretty important. If I ever do deviate from my original I _always_ get the AD approval. And as an AD, I always appreciate it.

Sticking to your concept is good, however, if a better idea comes along and you don’t chase it, that’s can be a missed opportunity. Every painter and project manager has had that moment where they notice something is off and is faced with the choice to fix or try to get away with it. My advice is fix it, get the better piece, learn something, and maybe lose a little sleep to get it. I have never regretted making even big changes when I knew it was in service of a greater idea.

How do you know when you’re done?
Da Vinci said it best, “Art is never finished, only abandoned.” I have definitely put a piece down, with plans to come back, and when I came back I realized it was done. In fact, I never really know until I step away for some time. Still, it is often hard to tell with your own work and that’s where peer or mentor review can help.

How do you resolve creative differences with clients or creative partners?There are three things that help: Communication, Communication, and Communication. Everyone has a different way of asking the same questions, and it’s easy to assume they mean something they don’t if it’s not the way you would ask. The ability to step back, even count to ten or take a day to reply to an email you found challenging. That ability can set you apart from the pack.

 What keeps you motivated even if you don’t connect personally with the project?
I always try to make a project work for me, and if I can’t I try not to take it. I recently did a series of 25 portraits of famous scientists. It’s not necessarily “in my wheelhouse” but I used the project to explore some ideas I had around digital paint application. Right place, right time for them to approach me. With other assignments, I always try to come up with ideas that meet the client’s needs as well as my own portfolio. However I come in to a project, I try to make it serve either exploration or portfolio. If it really can’t do either, I don’t take those jobs.

What do you do when you are stuck and have some sort of deadline or other pressure?
I ask for help, or take a walk. Sometimes a friend, or my wife, might have an idea that I can work with or change to fit the assignment. An environment change also does wonders, especially if my eyes are out for ideas. I will go to my living room and look at art books, or take the dogs for a walk, or go for lunch with a friend. Anything to shake something loose.

How do you achieve your creative vision with a limited budget?
As an AD, I am lucky enough to have a decent budget and can get some great artists. Still, we know we have a limited number of opportunities to review the work and we build our communication lines with our client to get as much as we can early on so the artist isn’t making big changes after a finish. That doesn’t always work, and when things drag on diplomatic communication is key.

As an artist, I always try to create the best piece possible, regardless of budget, but I don’t take every job. I know enough now to look at a brief and budget and know if it is the right project for me. I will occasionally take a low budget project if it’s something that is just the perfect thing for me to work on at that time.  

What are the top 3 tools in your creative tool kit? ie. software, pencil, paper, journal etc.
Other than approach and process:

• Photoshop CC
• Sketchbook and pencil
• My 3 year old son. That kid says the funniest things, and a few of my recent personal pieces have been inspired by his obsessions with wolves and other things. 

What are the top 3 creative habits that have proven to be the most useful for you in your career?

1. Seek inspiration.
2. Seek education.
3. Seek connection.

These are all ways of approaching the world, and can be habitual if you make them so.

If you could offer a single piece of advice to a budding professional, what would it be?
Be good and be nice. If you’re not good enough, keep working and do whatever it takes to get better. If you’re not nice to people, good luck, you’ll need it.

Learn more about Marc

Horstman’s Law: The “Other” Way Often Works Just Fine

One of the great things about working in teams is that everyone approaches their work differently. If someone makes a suggestion that doesn't jive with your process or philosophy give their idea it's due. Especially if this is a person whom you respect. It worked for them well enough to earn your respect so there must be value. 

“There’s someone else out there who has succeeded to the same level you have with exactly the opposite intuitions you have. (They wonder how you got where you are too.) Your idea that your way is the right way is routinely controverted. You just think it’s right because it’s yours.”

“Try the opposite every once in a while. After your first thought, wait for a second then try a different one.”

Find more great ideas and information at Manager Tools.

Horstman’s Law: The River Is Wide, The Currents Are Messy, But All The Water Ends Up In The Ocean

If you haven't yet discovered Manager Tools I highly recommend you spend some time with their podcasts. The focus is on becoming an effective manager but I found their content is just as applicable to the lone wolf or freelancer.

“Watch water flow down river sometime. It doesn’t march in nice straight lines. It meanders. It’s messy. Scientists say 20% of it is actually going up river. Your organization is organic–it’s made up of people–just like a river. Your projects and timelines are going to be messy and defy control. Stop fighting it.”

“Don’t worry about or punish every missed deadline–wait for a pattern. Think about a chinese finger puzzle. Sometimes a light touch is the way out. Let go–flow–to get ahead.”

Find more great ideas and information at Manager Tools.

Interview: Paul Dinletir

I don’t know anyone who has invested as much time and energy into their own personal growth as Paul Dinletir and the results show. He’s a gifted composer and creative power behind Audiomachine, one of most successful companies producing music for movie trailers. That’s a niche, right? Well, he’s turned this niche into a success story because he’s motivated, disciplined, talented and loves what he does. Everytime I hang out with Paul it’s a life affirming event and listening to his music will make you want to wield an axe.

Do you still practice? If so, what do your practice sessions look like?
A few years ago, I read an interview with John Williams where he gave advice to up and coming composers, he said to work on your craft every day even if you only have five minutes. I took that to heart and I have been composing something everyday since then, I sit and work on the piano for as little as two minutes or a few hours working in and out of my comfort zone, eventually the good ideas make it to the studio where I can then explore them further.

Where do you find inspiration?
Inspiration comes from odd places, I once saw a Michael Jordan documentary that had a lasting effect on me, with the hardwork and dedication of his craft, I wanted to translate that to my world. I’m inspired from watching a great dancer (like my wife), or the underdog that wins the Ironman, a great piece of music that is not in my style gets my juices flowing in a direction I don’t usually take, and sunsets, walks on the beach blah blah blah.

Where are you when you have the most a-ha moments?
When I’m working on something for a very long time and I do something by mistake, all of sudden a light bulb goes on, and everything starts flowing.

What do you do to maintain a creative flow?
I get away from it, a little hike or a yoga practice even a couple of days away makes me more creative.

How much do you rely on feedback from others to help shape your ideas?
I usually accept critical feedback and always reject the good stuff, I don’t need a pat on the back, I don’t rely on it that much at this time in my career as art is very personal and can mean a lot of different things to different people. I however, will be very critical and try to observe it from a different angle, difficult but can be done.

What is the greatest obstacle to creativity?
Interruptions and time, It’s like a runners high, you need a few miles before you feel it. If I get interrupted then I need sometime to ramp up again to my composer high, if I don’t have enough time that day, I treat it like practice.

When you complete a project, how often does it resemble your initial concept or conceived idea? How important is this for you?
In my field, most of the time I start with a piano and finish with a 90 piece orchestra and a lot of adjustments in the middle, I used to be more attached to my original concepts in the beginning, even if it didn’t translate well. Now I feel that my pieces are more of an organic fluid creations that comes together at the end with all the nuances that get added along the journey, sometime my original concept is completely different from the finished work.

How do you know when you’re done?
I just know LOL, I say it took me 20000 hours before I could make the call.

it’s just one of those things, after you put in the hours and get good at your craft, you get a feeling in your body saying “that’s it”. Before you get to this point, you keep messing with it for hours or days with no added advantage.

How do you resolve creative differences with clients or creative partners?
With clients, I tell them “I am a soldier and I’ll do whatever you need” and usually cry myself to sleep LOL. Kidding aside, in my world there’s a lot of egos making decisions and whoever I end up dealing with, has a bunch of people that they have to answer to and they don’t need more ego from me, so I’ll offer up my point of view and most of the time end up doing two versions (my idea and theirs) so they’ll have options and choices. With creative partners it’s no different, I will present my idea but I will also try not to impose my methods, and try to see it from their point of view.

What keeps you motivated even if you don’t connect personally with the project?
To be able to do it at the highest level, the idea is to push the boundaries of every project, if I don’t connect with the style or concept, I then concentrate on the production value, there’s always a lesson in every project.

What do you do when you are stuck and have some sort of deadline or other pressure?
I plow through it, I step away for a few minutes when I’m stuck, then come back with another approach, also a little research of similar finished works can be very helpful.

How do you achieve your creative vision with a limited budget?
I create for the tools I have. Most of what I do starts with me writing with samples emulating instruments in a music program (Logic), when the sample doesn’t react well (sounds unnatural) with the line I write I change the composition to fit the sample so it will sound good, at the end of the day you want to be proud of what you do and you learn how use the tools you have.

What are the top 3 tools in your creative tool kit? ie. software, pencil, paper, journal etc.}
Software, piano and amazing sound libraries.

What are the top 3 creative habits that have proven to be the most useful for you in your career?
1. Take risks
2. To improve from the previous project
3. Research and inspiration

If you could offer a single piece of advice to a budding professional, what would it be?
Work on your craft, if you love what you do, this should be easy. The most successful people have worked thousands of hours with a lot of ups and downs before they got where they are now. Your craft becomes your passion. I fall asleep and wake up thinking about it.

Check out the epic music at Audiomachine

Fear the Pie in the Sky

Creativity is fueled by constraints. The challenge is finding the right amount of information to get you started but not so much that you have no room to explore. 

Here's the example I use with my students:

1. imagine sitting down with a client who's commissioned you do do a painting but they don't know what they want. First of all, send up some red flags. You either need to start asking questions or prepare for heavy revisions and budget accordingly. They are not okay with you doing anything - they just didn’t know what they wanted until they had something to react to.
2. Next imagine that same client specifying they want a painting of a duck. Ah, your life just became easier. You have subject matter, a host of questions you can ask them (Why a duck? Male or female? Just one?) and a clear path for collecting reference material.
3. Finally, what if the client asks for a blue duck. Awesome. You have all the same questions from above plus - why blue? What does blue represent? 

Learn how to interview clients, and yourself, to establish the right amount of enabling constraints. Too many and you'll find yourself boxed in by all the conditions. Example: the client wants a beautiful painting, in the style of Cy Twombly, of a blue duck walking east to west across the street she grew up on, while a group of children are playing kick-the-can next to a large fir tree that represents age and the bittersweet loss of memory as it relates to past relationships, specifically this one person from college who the client thought was the 'one' but the person ended up joining a monastery after knocking up the client's best friend. 

You'll either want to walk away from that project or have a long conversation with the client about their priorities. It'll save you time down the road.

Money doesn't matter

Someone always freaks out when I talk about this. "I need money to realize my dreams!" Sure, we could all use more money to fund our dreams, but what can you do while you're waiting for all the money to appear? Funding and revenue don't just appear for someone with great ideas. In order to get the money to dream bigger you need to start making things with what you have.

Don’t wait for the perfect conditions to be creative. Often we use conditions as excuses to not be creative or to not work towards your dreams. There’s not enough time, not enough money, not enough support from friends and family, etc. Over time we’ll break down each of these excuses and stories can get in our way but, for now, let’s talk about money.

Money has nothing to do with creativity. The blues came from poverty. Flamenco came from poverty. Most of the arts you love have their roots in poverty. Money is great for funding larger projects but you don't need it to get started. You may not be able to afford the recording equipment you'd like, or the laptop or the dance costume but none of the those are an excuse to not create. 

Not having enough money is an excuse we throw in our own way. It's a story we tell ourselves to let ourselves off the hook, to take fewer risks. Don’t let money be your story.

Embrace the bad ideas

Seeing is believing. Sometimes the path to resolution, and evolution, of an idea means embracing the bad ideas. Yours and the clients. Sharing the good and bad, and soliciting responses, will tune your understanding of what is important to someone. Its great to hear what works but sometimes, painful as it is, it's helpful to react to something that doesn't work so well.

At some point a client will ask you to do something that you think is a bad idea and, despite your genius, the best thing to do is to show them what they ask for. Scenario #1: their idea works (or leads you to an idea that does work) and you discover that you’re not the genius you thought you were. Scenario #2: the client sees first-hand that their idea doesn’t work and they trust you more. In either case you’ll learn a little more about the project by embracing the request and trying it out.

When I'm working in photoshop, mocking up UI or doing concept work, I save some of the ideas that I anticipate the client would want to see. This is key: I can't archive every idea so I put myself in their shoes and imagine their requests. This is usually pretty easy because they've been vocal about their ideas or I've grilled them for a creative brief before I started working. I can't count the number of times a client has asked to see something that I tried and dismissed it but failed to show them. Now I save myself time and just do what they ask to see (its been budgeted for, anyway) so we can all move along happily.

This doesn’t need to be a source of stress. If you’re working with a new client and you don't know if they're an I-know-what-I-like-when-I-see-it kind of person make sure you budget for iteration. It'll improve the quality of your work and make your clients happier because they'll feel like they've been heard.

Interview: Keavy Landreth

I first met Keavy a few years ago, right about the time she made the bold decision to switch careers so she could bake cupcakes for a living. She was friends with some of my co-workers and was bringing batches of freshly baked cupcakes to our office for feedback on her recipes. Since then her business Kumquat Cupcakery has taken off and she’s begun a new venture, Butter & Scotch, a baked goods and booze bar in Brooklyn.

Do you still practice? If so, what do your practice sessions look like?
I guess my practice would be when I get to play around in my own kitchen.  To be honest this doesn’t happen often.  I’m typically so exhausted by the time I get home from baking that all I want is a large glass of wine and a movie. 

Where do you find inspiration?
Lots of my inspiration comes from what I ate and loved growing up. My mother used to make me this sheet cake that she would poke holes into and drench with caramel sauce before topping it with whipped cream and toffee bits. I find myself still wanting to do that to most of the cakes I bake!

Where are you when you have the most a-ha moments?
After I’ve stepped away from the product for a little while. 

What do you do to maintain a creative flow?
Giving myself time in the kitchen to play. Most of my days at the moment are spent doing stuff I’ve made 1,000 times over and when you make something that many times you can forget that it’s even food. Forcing myself to be in the kitchen when we don’t have orders coming in is a great way for me to get back to that place where I can just play around and have fun.  

How much do you rely on feedback from others to help shape your ideas?
So much!  Having a business partner who basically shares my same palate is wonderful - we are constantly bouncing things back and forth when coming up with new recipes.  

What is the greatest obstacle to creativity?
Having to work all the time. We are still so small that I’m basically in the kitchen producing 6 days a week. It’s exhausting!

When you complete a project, how often does it resemble your initial concept or conceived idea? How important is this for you?
Not often. I’m constantly updating and adding things to the recipe as I go along. I can become really obsessed when I have an idea in my head, so I will end up tweaking it (and not be able to think of anything else) for days until I think it’s perfect.  

How do you know when you’re done?
When it taste fucking delicious.

How do you resolve creative differences with clients or creative partners?
Allison and I don’t often disagree with many things when it comes to matters of taste - but we do have some personal quirks: she hates fruit blended with cream, and I hate dry cake or anything bready touching ice cream.  Somehow, so far, we’ve simply been able to avoid those two things completely! So I guess avoidance? 

What keeps you motivated even if you don’t connect personally with the project?
I try to connect with every dessert that leaves our kitchen - whether it be for smorgasburg or someones wedding. People pay us because they like us and our desserts…..so that’s what we give them. There’s no compromising.

What do you do when you are stuck and have some sort of deadline or other pressure?
Get it done! make it work! All those things. With food you just gotta hussle.

How do you achieve your creative vision with a limited budget?
I don’t find that I get more or less creative when it comes to budget -- it’s more about what the person wants from me. If it’s something that I can immediately connect with it’s going to be way easier.  

What are the top 3 tools in your creative tool kit? ie. software, pencil, paper, journal etc.
Sugar, butter, SALT.

What are the top 3 creative habits that have proven to be the most useful for you in your career?
Snacking on everything, having a huge sweet tooth, and always thinking about food.

If you could offer a single piece of advice to a budding professional, what would it be?
Make sure that you pick a product, or style of pastry, that is really all about YOU.  People will be able to connect with your desserts much more if they are really honest and made with love (and lots of salt).  

Learn more about Kumquat Cupcakery

Learn more about Butter & Scotch