Painting – Todd Chambers

October 20, 2015 — No Comments

A Brief (first) Look at my Browser

I noticed recently that every weekend – as I begin to unwind – I go through a bit of a debriefing ritual. I open my laptop, pull up my browser (I prefer Chrome these days) and methodically tab through all my open windows trying to determine what deserves to be read, re-read, shared as a tweet, clipped for Evernote, set aside for a future presentation, etc.

Ya see, I'm a collector of information. It's kind of in my DNA. I love reading about new ways to conduct user testing, review updated features on software I rely on or keep up with the local UX meet-ups. I also like to dream about personal stuff. Maybe it's planning a steelhead fishing trip for next spring or something far more practical like building a backyard smokehouse. I am admittedly a research junkie. They say recognizing the problem is half the battle. I hope they're right.

So, partly in an attempt to help myself stay organized but also as a means of sharing what's on my mind, I thought I'd let others in on my madness. Behold a first-hand summary of the wacky mashup that is my browser for the week ending 10/16/2015:

I'm considering taking a painting class from a master painter.
An article about organizing design systems.
A fine article from the folks at UIE on the connection between content and design.
Alan Cooper argues that independent consultants offer perspective as their main value.
Nymph tying recipes for the upcoming delayed harvest trout season.
Apple writes a privacy policy that people actually read.
And finally, a quick link over to NoiseTrade.com where I've been listening to new tunes from The Bear and the Bride.

I enjoy looking back over the week and seeing what piqued my interest. Patterns emerge of course, for me it seems to always be UX, design, family, faith and of course fly fishing.

So, what's your browser say about you?

Published by Todd Chambers in Family, Fly Fishing, Painting, Personal, UX

May 14, 2015 — No Comments

Feeding My Creativity Is My Responsibility

Working in the creative field for nearly 20 years has allowed me plenty of time for this truth to sink in. No one else is responsible for fulfilling my creative needs. There, I said it. Not my boss, not my coworkers (as talented as they are) or even the biz dev team. And no, certainly not my clients. Let's face it, as creative professionals we have a ravenous appetite for new and interesting creative outlets. We want to explore new design techniques, try out alternative website navigation schemas, exercise our video production skills. We want to be the first to write about a bleeding edge UX theory or convince a client to try a crazy new layout. But if we're brave enough to face reality, we'll quickly realize it's simply not fair to go around asking those that pay us to also act as our muse and creative patrons.

Truth be told, this isn't the first time I've come to this liberating conclusion. Nope, sadly there has been times in the past I've found myself secretly holding others responsible for the harsh reality that client work isn't always as fulfilling as I'd like. I've suffered, as most you probably have, the painful valleys of creative burnout when you just couldn't find the joy in the work at hand. Those days (or weeks) where everything feels more like a task than a passion project. The elephant in the room? Sometimes work is just that - work.

Recently I decided to combat this nagging reality head on. I decided to begin drawing again. I deliberately look for opportunities to put pen to paper - or as is the case of the image above - chalk to blackboard. I figured why not go back to the basics. Drawing is as rudimentary a creative outlet as there is. Like cavemen with manganese or iron oxide, there is no simpler creative exercise. And the best part, I don't need anyone's permission to do it and I can take it with me anywhere. A sketch book and a ballpoint pen is all it takes to get in the game. And yeah, I've also volunteered to help keep the company break room's new chalkboard up to date. The good news is, I love it. Drawing recharges my batteries, it keeps me thinking creatively and prepares me for those opportune moments when my boss or a client says "We need something cool, something new, something out of the box. Whatcha got?"

So, let's hear it, how do you feed your creativity when the work just isn't cutting it? How do you fight the demon-monster of creative status quo?

Published by Todd Chambers in Art, Creative Process, Marketing, Painting, Personal

October 16, 2014 — No Comments

Art Lessons #3 Shapes (continued) Part II

The home school art lessons continued this week with another exploration of shape. As you may have read in the last installment my burgeoning artist daughter and had completed several drawings of our Gerber daisy still life. We had also procured some salvaged wood from an old family armour and had begun the process of sanding and prepping it for painting.

This week we focused on deconstructing the previous drawings and remaking them into simpler more basic shapes. Removing much of the superfluous lines, unneeded shading elements, etc. Basically an exercise in editing. Hannah took to the task straight away. It's interesting but after all these years I still find it somewhat disconcerting to take an eraser to work that I'm quite happy with. I'm glad to see that she's not struggling with that same hesitation. The fact remains that more often than not my work benefits from the refinement. Whether it's drawing or painting, copy writing or crafting code, the second take is all but guaranteed to be better than the first.

Next week we'll break out the paint and brushes and really start having some fun. At this rate the painting should be ready for place of honor in the new office by the end of the month.

Published by Todd Chambers in Art, Creative Process, Family, Painting, Personal

September 24, 2014 — No Comments

Art Lesson #3: Shapes (continued)

I had a great time with HLC again last evening as we continued our 8th grade art lessons. We've been studying shape and specifically how shapes interact with space. This time around we decided to incorporate some home improvements (or at least decor upgrades) into our lesson curriculum. A recent furniture minimization exercise had left us with some surplus wood supplies lying around the house and the opportunity to craft some hobo-chic, upcycled wall decorations was simply too good to pass up.

Knowing that my wife is a big fan of Gerber daisies, we decided to create a wall hanging highlighting her favorite flower. First, we wrestled the big patio planter full of daisies into the house, positioned them on our kitchen counter (I should have know that might leave a mess) and then we began sketching our subject matter. This gave us a chance to talk a little bit about perspective and how to altering your position to the subject could affect not only the shape but the light as well.

Then we got to break out the power tools. A quick trip to the garage and we were sanding the 30 years of shellac off an old wood panel from an aging armour. Next we began prepping it for painting. A primer coat was all we had time for but it was just enough to have us chomping at the bit for next week's lesson.

We're looking forward to the chance to refine of our sketches and transition them into a simpler, graphic style that will translate well to the medium which at this point looks like will include acrylic paint and a lot hand-distressing. Stay tuned, this one's gonna be a winner. And hopefully completion will coincide with mom's birthday. Shh, don't tell.

Published by Todd Chambers in Art, Creative Process, Family, Painting, Personal

September 6, 2013 — No Comments

Spring Cleaning in the Fall

Well it's time to go through the camera roll and pull out all those random landscape shots I've taken over this past year. A culmination of those one-off moments when I see something and say to myself 'hey self, that would make a great painting'. Ah, the ease and directness of smartphones. But there's a downside (isn't there always?). I've come to realize just how easy is it to to snap that picture, put the phone back into your pocket and forget all about it. I haven't quite figured out just yet how to manage all those great pics and carve out the time it takes to turn those images into working sketches, drawings and paintings.

Now's as good a time as any to admit past failings and resolve to do better. I'm looking forward to working up a new schedule that has me either sketching or drawing twice a week. Going to try a couple of different approach – both morning and evening time slots. I tend to be a night owl when it comes to producing creative, but I'm not sure how that will play with my work schedule. Ah, if I could just do something about that dastardly commute. Hmm ... there's a thought. I could hire a chauffeur and sketch while in transit. Love it.

More to come.

Published by Todd Chambers in Art, Creative Process, Painting

Tags: Art, Painting, Studio