4/27/2009
Blog, Blog, Blog
Episode 7 is here! We’re chatting about blogs today, which is exciting because, well, I’m a blogger! Listen to a few of my favorites discuss inspiration overload, blogging saturation, and when to ignore your Google Reader.
Enjoy, and comment below to join the dialogue!
IN THIS EPISODE: KATE BINGAMAN/ CRAIG ATKINSON/ KELLY LYNN JONES
Related Episode(s): How Do You Balance It All?
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Kind
i really love these video dialogues, erin! but i do wish they’d talked more about HOW to get up and walk away from it all. :-) i struggle with making myself do that and totally agree with you that you can definitely have inspiration overload.
:-)
/julie
Great video as always. Blogs are all over the place.
Julie you should just not work on your comp when you wanna walk away from the good but sometimes evil blogverse. It’s tuff, but worth it.
Great to see everyone else’s points again, thanks Erin. Something I should have said is that as inspiring as blogs are and can be, galleries and libraries still exist – people are forgetting that, I think. I know a lot of my students just go online for research which is great – there’s stuff you can’t find elsewhere. They forget about the libraries though.
Great Post! I think blogs are way more apart of our lives then used to be. I tend to stick to a small group of favorites so I don’t become overwhelmed by the mass quantity of design blogs!
And I totally agree with Craig, we all need to explore libraries more often!
Craig brings up a good point. People often do forget about galleries and libraries. Galleries are amazing and let you see the work up close and in detail, and are a zillion times better than blogs because of that. Libraries are packed full of awesomeness. I go to both pretty much every week. Damn fine point sir.
Ooh, I agree with Craig on that one. Blogs are inspiring, and they are motivating, but if you’ve got the opportunity, you’ve gotta go and see these works in person, because that’s the only way to truly appreciate it.
Of course, on the other hand, being in Australia, I absolutely love having so much more access to other artists (and their works) from accross the globe, and the majority of that is thanks to blogs.
As for just closing down Google Reader for the day: I’ve definately made that a rule. And I’ve found I need to be more ruthless with which blogs I do or do not follow. Unfortunately, if I followed every single great blog I came accross, I’d never do anything but read blogs all day!
I just found out about this site about a week ago and then I discovered these videos. They’re really interesting. The thing is there are tons and tons of blogs out there and I love getting inspired by them, but true books and the real thing are still out there and it helps to look at them as well. Having my own personal library one day, is still one of my dreams, hehe …
One of the most interesting thing about the internet is the fact that you can connect with people all over the world and with artists you look up to.
agreeing with a lot of points. i love blogs, & i quite often also see all this amazing work & it gets me all hyped up & i too want to go make amazing things. i love being able to keep up with other artists & illustrators, & it’s great to get feedback via comments. really interesting points about the saturation of some styles & ideas, although i guess while blogging may be an aid in this happening, it’s more down to the individual.
one more thing: i love that ray fenwick poster that kate has.
I just recently started using Google Reader to try to keep my blog-reading more organized and I am finding it a bit overwhelming! Every time I open it, there are 30+ updates and when I get through those, there are 5 more new posts at the top. It never ends! I do love getting so much design/art/photography eye candy in the click of a button. But sometimes it makes me feel like I can’t keep up, or I’m not doing enough with my own work and blog. So yeah, sometimes you definitely just have to click the X and resist the urge to look for awhile.
Hit it right on the nail! There are def loads and loads of inspiring blogs. You just have to know when to stop looking as it can be inspiration overload.
I just love these dialogue videos. I definitely agree that people need to stay motivated to go see art in person (myself included…..) But I think blogs are great. Interesting point about how there is a lot of work of the same aesthetic- I can’t decide if that’s a good sign or bad.
I agree with Craig about the libraries and galleries which I actually did talk about when I was taped for this. Being out there in the tangible world is extremely important, so it is good to not lose site that as much as there is a million things to look at in the world of the internet there is even more out there in the real world. I still to this day go to the library to check out books on artists and go see work in person all the time. Nothing beats the real thing.
it’s good to know I’m not alone in feeling the inspiration overload. At times I wish I could blog about everything I find. Then there are days when I get that feeling of being completely overwhelmed with it all and just wanting to shut my computer off!! It’s really important to find that balance and not let yourself get carried away. There will always be SOO many things to find and make and the world of blogging will only grow. Even if it’s too much at times, I believe I am fortunate that artists share what they are making. I see it as educating each other across our nation and other countries.
loooove your points! and yes, craig— awesome point. in kelly’s footage, she mentioned how research in her undergrad years required visiting the library and actually flipping through many books to find just ONE image that could potentially work.
we are definitely lucky to have inspiration and research at our fingertips, but it comes with a price. we need to learn when to shut it down!
Hey all!!! one of the main points I try to get across to my students is to not only look to the internet for inspiration. taking a walk, going to the library, looking at trash on the ground, taking note of the color palette of an outfit that someone on the bus is wearing…all of this stuff plays into visual inspiration. I get sick of the 2-d non-tangible stuff online a lot. I like to touch things and getting out and looking and touching and writing is a great way to get inspired!
loved this episode! i try not to read too many blogs because, as was mentioned, it can be a bit overwhelming and disheartening to see other people succeeding at something similar to what you’re trying to achieve. now i think about it, most of my (brilliant!) ideas come when i’ve spent time away from the internet – when my mind is fresh and less likely to be influenced by things i’ve seen others doing, so i guess i see blogs as an escape from thinking about my own stuff.
Some great points! You discussed a lot of what has been going through my head.
@erin yeah totally agree. Difficult sometimes, the computer seems to magnetise my eyes.
I totally agree with so many points especially with “inspiration overload” sometimes I get so many ideas flooding into my head my brain just crashes! I also have to be really disciplined and know as (Erin says above) when to shut down the computer as I could spend hours- actually days probably :) looking at blogs if I allowed myself to!
Great post Erin- thanks!
Another great episode! Erin, I truly appreciate this series and the discussion of these topics and I really hope you are able to continue the series for a long time.
This topic especially is one I have been thinking about a lot. I am currently working a day job that requires 9 hours a day in front of the computer- with very little actual work to do! It’s obviously a great time to catch up on blogs, but I’ve also realized that I need to step away from the computer and get inspiration elsewhere as well. I’m not only getting overloaded, I also start to feel like my work doesn’t live up to everything I see on the internet- so helpful to hear other artists speak about this honestly.
Love the weekly videos Erin… good dialogue all around. Since starting my blog last year, my entire world has changed. It’s great to be able to hear directly from admirers (and critics) of your work, and reach a vast audience. Having a blog can be therapeutic, and I’ve found my viewers to be like a family! Blogs make the world smaller and more connected…
In today’s economy, artists need to learn to market themselves, and a blog is a great way to start. Your career truly is in your hands, and an online presence is crucial. Don’t get discouraged or overwhelmed by everything you see on the internet– just remember to always stay true to yourself. To me, processing what I see online is no different than processing what I see in museums, galleries, art shows, etc. Filter in what you find inspiring and helpful!
i loooove all of your input so much! keep it coming— these are GREAT points!
gosh…I’m kind of an addict. I get so close to finally reading them all and feeling full of ideas and pretty thoughts. And then I get sucked back into life and tests and lab work. Ah well—one day soon enough I will just pour myself a cup of tea and just enjoy them.
another great dialogue, Erin! My favorite point was saying sometimes you need to walk away from your Reader. So true.
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That was fun! Thanks- great idea too :)
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nice one!