Luzinterruptus is an anonymous artistic group in Madrid who seek to highlight problems within the city using a wide variety of temporary light-based installations. The group is headed up by a duo including an artist and a photographer who have been using their art to create awareness of social and environmental issues since 2008.

Via their website:

We began to act on the streets of Madrid at the end of 2008 with had the simple idea of focusing people´s attention by using light on problems that we found in the city and that seem to go unnoticed to the authorities and citizens. But everything that we do does not have a subversive aim. Sometimes we simply want to embellish, or to highlight anonymous places or corners that seem special or objects to which we think extraordinary artistic value, although they have been left on the streets for unknown seasons, with artistic intention, by anonymous people.

From memorializing a public swimming pool taken from a community with empty governmental promises of a new one, to ghostly commentary on nuclear power, I find their work to be fun, original and always a pleasure to discover. Shown above is just a glimpse of my favorite five of their works, so make sure to check out their blog or Facebook to see dozens more.

Original Article

As a web designer, sometimes it can be tempting to try to incorporate the latest and greatest, trendy eye candy into a design. Or use a complex color palette. Doing this will often result in a web site that looks over designed and distracts from what’s most important – the content. More often than not, you’ll discover that it’s much better to take a minimalistic approach. So for today, we gathered 21 Stunning Examples of Clean and Minimal Web Designs to inspire your for your next project.

Mindful – Minimal WordPress Theme

RED

Daniel Gray

Fearon Hay Architects

Patrick Algrim

Harlo Interactive

Evolution Bureau

Campaign Monitor

B&F

Filip Slovacek

Olivier Staub

open121

Piccsy

Hochburg

Chris Linden

Reaching Quiet

Visual Supply Co

Frederic Christian

displaycreative.it

Studio Saus

Les Evades

Creativity is the result of how you think. Practicing the habits of creative thinking allows you to break the barrier of what’s achievable. Better freelancing skills, better clients, and the ability to get through tough situations are just a few of the things creative thinking brings.

According to a global study by Adobe, “only 1 in 4 believe they are living up to their creative potential.” That’s a sad fact due to what’s truly possible. But what’s the good news here? Well, freelancers know how important the strive for creativity is. Plus we have the opportunity to create all day long.

We may sometimes be interrupted by invoicing a client or getting organized, but creative minds always find time to be creative.

Whether you’re stuck in a creative rut or you want to maximize your creative thinking potential, here are the habits of creative thinkers to learn from.

1. Learn Something New Every Day

There’s one simple fact you need to know in order to succeed. In order to have the life you want. To live beyond the confined space of so-called life. And to spark your imagination so you can do the best work possible.

Here it is.

“Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you. You can change it. You can influence it. You can build your own things that other people can use.” – Steve Jobs

Well said Mr. Jobs. Well said.

Creative minds don’t let other’s achievements affect their own creation of something remarkable. If you think you can’t do something – write a novel, code a website, or make a product you believe people will need – think again. Think about the fact that everything you see right now was created by someone. Did they have some sort of superpower?

No. They were a creative thinker who practiced the habits of creative thinking truly and passionately.

Developing creativity means learning something new every day. Go to the best place to learn online to find new tutorials and articles posted daily on topics relating to your freelancing niche. Take time between working on projects and running errands to acquire a new skill. This could also mean experimenting with new techniques for the stuff you’re already working on.

Here’s an example for you. My friend is a photographer and has just recently starting drawing. Every day he makes sure to draw something – a sketch, a concept, a character, anything. What he told me is that the more he draws, the more interesting his art becomes. New techniques and approaches to drawing lines helps expand the creativity of his work. You know what happened next? His photography became more interesting too.

Creativity happens when you make the effort to learn or try something new every day. Pretty soon it will become a habit. Have good creative habits and your mind will be happy.

2. Connect The Dots

Steve Jobs talked about it in his famous commencement speech. He said that creativity is just connecting the dots. Creative thinkers produce ideas by finding the relationship between facts. Facts merely on their own are useless until one sees the connection between them.

Creative thinkers produce ideas by finding the relationship between facts. Facts merely on their own are useless until one sees the connection between them.

When you see the connection between facts, you’re able to create something different.

This is what your clients are expecting. Even if they aren’t aware of it, they’re really going to you because they rely on a fresh perspective.

Developing a wide range of skills is a great way to discover the connection of ideas. Don’t just stick to what you’re “naturally” good at. If you’re a web designer, spending some time learning how to code will make your designs better. Why? Because you’re opening up new venues of creativity based on technical aspects you weren’t aware of. For example, you may have never thought to design a website with vertical text. But with a little exploration into HTML and CSS you learned not only how to technically create vertical text with CSS – but it opened your mind into the possibilities of using vertical text for web design work.

The connection between ideas doesn’t happen unless you explore a little. Start enhancing your natural gift with the skills that complement it. Writers can learn about photography, designers can learn about development, and developers can learn about design. Clients will thank you for your ability to see above and beyond. You may even spot something they weren’t aware of and offer your advice.

3. See The Potential and Make A List

Don’t stop thinking just because the technology, money, or support behind your idea doesn’t exist yet. It will someday. Reality is the result of imagination. What you put into the machine of creativity is the actual product or innovation you’ll get out.

You can create your best work based on the amount of vision you put into a single idea. Even Einstein famously said, “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”

Some tend to think lists are too constraining for the creative mind. But this only partly true. A list telling you mundane tasks to do at a specific time sure can be limiting to creative thinking. But good list-making is about more than simple task management.

Creative thinkers use lists as mental roadmaps. As a place to see all their ideas before they get overrun by another wave of creative thought. Thomas Edison, John Lennon, and Leonardo da Vinci are among some of the creative thinkers of history that have used list-making as a creativity tool. Designers and illustrators can either make lists of concepts or keep a sketchpad to quickly draw out their ideas. When a new project comes up, it’s easy to be inspired when you already have all your creative thoughts written or drawn in front of you.

Here’s what you should do. Make a list of the things you want your freelance business to do, to be, and to achieve. Without editing, without thinking too much, and without believing something’s impossible – just write a list.

Now take a good look at your list. Keeping in mind the habits of creative thinking, what is stopping you from making the things on your list a reality? Remember that reality is what you create. Think creatively and you’ll find solutions to the issues that may come up when you’re working freelance. Besides – clients are trusting you to be a good solution-finder.

4. Don’t Shut The Door On Creativity

We all know it’s important to listen to other’s feedback. But if someone is telling you something can’t be done or shouldn’t be done without hearing the full story – don’t listen to them. Create without interruption. You don’t want someone knocking down your ideas before those ideas flourish.

You don’t want someone knocking down your ideas before those ideas flourish.

When it comes to being a freelancer though, we have to sometimes tone down our creative mind from getting too wild. But don’t do this right away. If a client asks for a logo with very specific requests, don’t immediately follow those rules.

First, design with your initial instincts. What could you do with their concept that they hadn’t asked for? Then tone it down to meet their requirements. Perhaps you could even include this concept design in your preliminary draft. It may even inspire your client to think of something they would want to include in the design. But if you’re going to do this, make sure most of the work you present them follows what they asked for. The point is to keep the door to creativity open. When you write, don’t stop to edit. This is when you loose all the good thoughts that prompted you to open a blank document in the first place.

Create now and edit after. Who knows where your creative mind will go?

5. Keep a Broad Perspective

As a business person (and that’s what you are as a freelancer) you know that the nature of business is to constantly evolve. Roll with the punches, adapt to demands, and carve out a new path in the direction of what a client wants. If you’re going to achieve all that, you’re going to need to think outside the box. Come up with creative ways to take one person’s vision and make it a well-rounded piece.

Many artists throughout history have displayed the effort to think beyond a one-way street. Picasso went through many stages of different styles of art. He had the Blue Period, the Rose Period, and the Surrealist Period, among others.

Over time he evolved. He changed his art to reflect the outside situations he felt and experienced.

As a creative freelancer, you need a broad perspective. Creative minds are curious about how the world works. They find various topics fascinating. This is especially important when it comes to working with your clients. The types of clients we work with vary. Many probably aren’t like you, but you need to know how they think in order to write the best copy, design the best website, or take the best photos for their type of business goals.

6. Say No A Lot More Than You Think

Sifting out the stuff that doesn’t work is just as important as keeping the things that do work. Saying no to clients is actually an important aspect in preserving your creativity. Getting overloaded by requests for extra work will reduce the quality of the work you already have on your plate. But it’s not just about saying no to clients. Saying no also means refining your creative ideas….eventually.

First, let your imagination soar. Write without editing and design without rules. But after that, reel in some of the crazy concepts you caught. Refining the results of your creative thinking and revising out the parts that don’t fit is what creates a solid piece of work.

7. Share Your “Ah Ha!” Moments

Two minds are better than one. Collaboration is key to developing ideas and taking them places you hadn’t thought of before. This habit goes hand in hand with connecting the dots.

It’s like picking fruit from a tree that grows apples and pears and bananas and mangos all on the same branch, instead of picking an apple from an apple tree.

Sometimes an idea flourishes when you talk about it with a friend, co-worker, or partner. Other times, you (and the people you’re talking with) end up with a long list of new ideas that strayed so far from the original thought. This is good. This allows you to connect the dots between all those ideas which, really, has more substance and depth than a singular concept.

Imagine a blank whiteboard on the wall. How many creative ideas could you write down in 5 minutes? What would that whiteboard look like? Now think of 5 creatively-minded individuals (you included) writing down all their creative ideas in the same 5 minutes. You get a different image in your head about what that whiteboard looks like now, don’t you? There’s more to explore and expand upon. It’s like picking fruit from a tree that grows apples and pears and bananas and mangos all on the same branch, instead of picking an apple from an apple tree. The variety of possible creative connections gets you drooling.

Freelancers have the great advantage of collaborating with other freelancers. Not only does the work of individual freelancers improve that way, but the entire value of freelancing in general goes up because we’ve just helped each other reach prime creative levels. People choosing to go the freelance hiring route will feel more secure in their decisions knowing that what they can expect from the freelancing community is a high standard for creativity and effective results.

Putting in the Creative Effort

Inspiration doesn’t come from the sky above. It doesn’t come from spending countless hours on social media sites. It comes from you.

Put in the effort to develop creative thinking habits and the quality of your freelance skills will grow.

Right now I’m looking at a painting on my wall. Don’t ask me what it is. It’s way too bizarre to explain. All I can say is that this artist created a completely different world. A world so different from the one outside. It took guts to create the kinds of creatures he did and to imagine the type of landscape they flourish in.

It may take some effort to get your creativity flowing, but as soon as it starts it doesn’t stop. Just practice the habits of creative thinking and you’ll become a better freelancer. Not only will your skills improve, but all the other hats you wear will improve too. That’s what creative thinking does.

Original Article: http://freelanceswitch.com/inspiration/7-habits-of-creative-minds/

I’M COMIC SANS, ASSHOLE.

BY MIKE LACHER

To be an entrepreneur traditionally means that you start something, usually a company.

But this is not an entrepreneur.

It is to look in the face of intolerable odds and know that you will conquer them.

It is to stand as David, in front of Goliath, and to feel not fear.

It is to conquer your insecurities, for at every point, everything will be at once going great and falling apart, held in precarious balance by some force that you don’t understand.

An entrepreneur is an emotional warrior, one who succumbs not to the tides of life, or accepts the hand he’s been dealt, but who deals a new hand himself, who changes the rules if the rules don’t work for him. There is no time to be knocked down or upset, only time for action.

As entrepreneurs we do impossible things, we dream big dreams, we know the toil and tears of hard work, the pain in the eyes that comes from working hours on hours, the ache in the back. The feeling of at once needing a shower from personal neglect but also not needing one, because today the keyboard is your only companion.

To be an entrepreneur is a way of life, it defines our relationships: with God, with our significant others, with our family.

We are the ones who do not settle, who know no gear but our highest, who aren’t afraid of failure as a part of who we are; for we know that if we don’t fail on occasion, we aren’t aiming high enough.

We are dedicated people—to our work, to our life, to those with whom we’re close.

We know the feeling of living on pure adrenaline and you can see it twinkle in our eyes, dangerous and fierce.

To feel the triumphs of life, and the sorrows; to breathe them in as a beautiful, artistic experience; to enjoy the vicissitudes as others do the Mona Lisa.

This is how one is an entrepreneur. We are people of passion.

 

Original Article 1

Original Article 2

Stefan Sagmeister’s ‘Happy Show’ at Institute of Contemporary Art

Ryan Collerd for The New York Times

Stefan Sagmeister during the installation of “The Happy Show” exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia.

The quest for happiness has been the direct or indirect subject of a huge chunk of intellectual endeavor: philosophy, theology, psychology, economics and, of course, literature, which has tended to cast a jaundiced eye on the matter. “To be stupid and selfish and to have good health are the three requirements for happiness,” Flaubert wrote, “though if stupidity is lacking, the others are useless.”

The world of design aims ultimately at happiness, too, through the elegance of a font or the feel of an iPhone. But a few years ago the Austrian-born graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister decided to take on the problem of happiness more directly, in much the same way he has approached ad campaigns and the celebrated album covers he has designed for David Byrne and the Rolling Stones.

“I know how presumptuous it sounds,” he said recently, smiling, in his offices on West 23rd Street in Chelsea. “I also knew I had to find a way to limit it, because it’s just too crazy-huge a problem. You could spend your whole life on it, as lots of philosophers have.”

Happiness is not a problem that Mr. Sagmeister has struggled with much personally. On a scale of 1 to 10, he rates himself a provisional 8. But in 2008, during a yearlong sabbatical in Indonesia that he chose to devote mostly to making furniture, he received some blunt feedback from a close friend. “He said if I was taking a whole year off, and at the end of it I had only some tables and chairs to show, then it would be pretty skimpy, wouldn’t it?” Mr. Sagmeister said. “And that somehow seemed true, even though I didn’t want to hear it.”

So he started to work instead on an ambitious, unusual feature-length documentary, “The Happy Film,” a kind of delivery vehicle for several years of thinking and reading about the nature of happiness. The film is not yet finished, but it has spun off an equally unusual art — or maybe design, or maybe amateur sociology — exhibition, “The Happy Show,” that opens on Wednesday at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia and later travels to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.

The approach of the show to its momentous topic can be gauged partly through one of its invitations: a thin, scrumptious-looking slice of Austrian beerwurst, vacuum-sealed in plastic, with the word “HAPPY” cut out of it.

“Because, when you get down to it, it seems that the two things that lead most quickly and reliably to happiness are having sex and eating rich, fatty foods,” said Mr. Sagmeister, who worked for weeks to perfect the sausage invitation with a fellow designer, Jessica Walsh.

But Mr. Sagmeister’s extensive reading — primarily in the field of positive psychology, a movement focused on well-being, pioneered by Martin Seligman at the University of Pennsylvania and explored by fellow psychologists likeJonathan Haidt — led him to a slightly more complex view. The conclusion he reached was that the three most widely agreed-upon routes to happiness were meditation, cognitive behavioral therapy and psychotropic drugs. He decided to spend a considerable amount of time testing each on himself, while filming the process.

“The question I wanted to answer was, could I train my mind to be happy, the same way one trains one’s body?” he said. “In running, I know that I can train as much as I want and I’m never going to break the world record for the five miles. It’s partly genetics; I’m just not built for it. But if I worked really hard, I might be able to cut my time by half. Could I do the same thing with my mind and my well-being?”

With Dr. Haidt signed on as an adviser to the film, Mr. Sagmeister began his positive-psychology self-research project in 2011 in Bali, where he went to meditate for the first time in his life, spending three months in intensive sessions.

Back in New York, he began therapy (another first), taking a camera crew to each visit. He and his therapist, Sheenah Hankin, talked about issues like the recent death of his mother, to whom he was very close, and his desire at 49 to settle down and have a family.

“The guy came in, and he was basically happy,” Dr. Hankin said. “That doesn’t happen often here.” The Philadelphia exhibition, which features an extended trailer for the film and a virtual funhouse of didactic interactive displays, functions much less like a design show than like an three-dimensional glimpse into Mr. Sagmeister’s travels in self-improvement.

“I went in thinking I was going to be doing a project with a graphic designer, and it’s only in the past few months that I’ve realized I’m doing a project, really, with a writer and poet,” said Claudia Gould, the longtime director of the Institute of Contemporary Art who left last year to take over the directorship of the Jewish Museum in New York. “Maybe he won’t end up being a graphic designer when everything is said and done.”

Mr. Sagmeister isn’t ready to answer that question just yet. He is willing to report, midresearch, that therapy seems much more effective than meditation in increasing overall happiness. But he will soon begin the final phase of the film — drugs — so the verdict is still out. The pharmaceuticals will probably be by prescription, though he had entertained the idea of sampling heroin, “because when are you going to get a chance to try something like that in a controlled environment like this?”

In an e-mail last week, he reported that he had spoken to a friend with some experience in the area and had decided that it was a level of happiness he probably could not afford. “Truly awful the first time, you just throw up, and by the time it actually gets to be enjoyable, you are already hooked,” he wrote. “I will leave it alone and stick with the pills.”

ORIGINAL ARTICLE