Tag: adobe max

Fall Update

Fall Update

by ehueston ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

It’s getting to be that cozy time of the year where we are pulling out our sweaters, boots and cozy blankets. There’s also so many great ways to get into the mood this season. I have been sipping pumpkin spice lattes, working away in the studio, and I have a lot of wonderful fall and Hallowe’en products coming your way.

We have all kinds of cards, prints, stickers and new bookmarks in the shop this fall and I can’t wait to share them all with you. You’ve seen these ones already, but there are still a few more coming down the line. Make sure to follow to keep up with all things Hues & Tones this season.

New Product Alert!

We have a new product coming out for the market this month. Keep an eye on the socials and here on the blog to see what we have and where you can get one (or several) for yourself.

Where can you find me this month?

  • Market: October 12 at the Covent Garden Market in the courtyard from 3PM-7PM
  • Livestreams: Every Monday, 7PM EST on Behance, Facebook and YouTube.
  • I just finished my 30 Day Reel Challenge with the Mom Market. I had so much fun working through these videos. I’ll be putting my new skills to use moving forward. Check out Instagram and Facebook to see the reels I made and the ones I have coming up

What I am interested in this month

  • Going to start reading Dracula for spooky season
  • Started watching The Penguin on Crave – excellent start
  • Obsessed with Pumpkin Spice Werther’s originals
  • Made my own Pumpkin Spice Martini’s this week. A mix of Dark Roasted Coffee flavoured Vodcow and Pumpkin Spice liqueur from Junction 56, topped with a little Pumpkin Pie Spice. Solid recommendation.
  • Inktober is getting started on October 1 – check out the list on their website to follow along.
  • Adobe MAX also starts on October 14-16. There is an online element if you are unable to attend in person. Don’t miss out on all the new tools and features in your favourite Adobe products.

More exciting news!

For those of you who have been following my livestreams, you already know that I have started creating my own tarot deck! These are going to start going live this month!
Keep an eye on Instagram and Facebook to see how all of the cards are starting to come together. I can’t wait for you to see how they are coming together!

Creativity – Anthony Jones

Creativity – Anthony Jones

by ehueston ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I have talked a lot about my “experience” with Adobe MAX last fall. There were so many great talks and tools. I picked up so many great ideas for my creativity posts from all of the wonderful speakers. One of these speakers was Anthony Jones. I started writing today’s post based off of one thing he said, but ended up watching his whole talk again. I wanted to write everything that he said. Instead of doing that, I thought I would share his talk here. It is only 30 minutes but it is totally worth it.

https://www.adobe.com/max/2020/sessions/creativity-isnt-a-talent-its-a-skill-you-can-learn-od6200.html

Here are some of the things that spoke to me.

His perspective on creativity.

People are creative by nature (see? not just me). Kids are always singing and doing art. I liked that he pointed out that, how creative someone may be in their lives really depends on how that was nurtured and supported as an individual gets older. We are all creative. HOW you are creative is up to you. There isn’t a creative bone that people are born with.

Creative people work hard to get where they are.

I really liked his comparison of the art to a gym workout. You don’t start benching 400 lbs, you start smaller and work your way up to it. No one starts amazing, you need to work at it. All really great artists have worked very hard to get to where they are at, they have done a lot of work to get the way they are. Art is a skill that is worked for and earned.

You need to keep at it.

Some people might not feel motivated so they won’t draw that day, or they will stop drawing. You need to draw a lot to be a good artist.

If you don’t feel like drawing today, draw anyway! Set a timer for 30 minutes, don’t worry about quality, just the time. If you keep doing this it will build the habit. You might not be producing what you think is quality now, but you are working towards better quality art later. It’s not just going to click while you’re sitting around, you need to be working for it. Once you have a bit of a habit, you can accelerate forward. Don’t give up too soon.

Eventually, you will get to a point where some things feel like second nature. Do not even ask me what half of the shortcuts are that I use in Illustrator or Photoshop. My poor trainees have to listen to me saying things like “Use the ctrl shift B tool”. They are so patient. But if you get to that point, somethings will feel more natural or like second nature, facilitating what you are doing, and leaving room for more learning.

You also have to “pay your art bills”. Don’t let the skills get rusty, the longer you leave them, the harder they are to get back. This is a fact. Ask any art student who thought it would be a good idea to take the summer off. I’ll wait. Continuing to pay your art bills will eventually pay off in pride and confidence in your work, which can lead to even bigger things if you keep working at it.

Anthony also has a great cycle on how to not suck at art anymore. I really think you should watch this part, it can really be applied to anything. Some things do come to some people a little quicker, that doesn’t mean that you suck, or that they are more talented than you. Maybe something else that they have worked really hard at in the past helped them this time. They didn’t just get there by magic.

Keep learning.

Art is a skill. You need to feed it. No one is just naturally good at it. No one naturally knows how they would do their art either. You need to do the research. Put in the time.

For example, I did not know that I liked markers first. Or that a more paper cutout, hard outline style would be what worked best for my ideas right away. I went through A LOT of different things to get me there. I tried a lot of art supplies, I tried a lot of styles, I ran lots of experiments, wasted a lot of pages. At some point somethings really spoke to me more than others did. Some media felt more natural for me to use than others. I still think today that I am still reaching for my style, I don’t know if that really is something that anyone really decides on, it’s just a place that you get to. Listening to that and researching that is how we get where we need to go.

Don’t limit yourself either. Anthony’s example is a face. “Faces are hard. I can’t draw faces.” OK, I guess you’ll never do that then. OR, you can change the perspective. “Faces are hard to draw. I need to study.” I am doing this right now. I have a bit of a struggle with hands, so I could just stop drawing hands. OR, because I think that the hands and the eyes are the most expressive parts of my ideas, why let the art suffer? So, I am studying hands, figuring out ways to draw them and facilitate my process. I even got a visual aid that I hope will help me out. The point is, you can set up the barriers, or you can blow past the limits and learn all you can to make the best art you are able.

This is just a small piece of what Anthony talked about at MAX, so please take a minute to give it a watch.

To all you artists, creatives, and humans out there, keep paying your “art” bills, and own that talent. You have worked hard for it, you feed it, and you’ve earned it!

Creativity: “Don’t go in with too much of a plan”

Creativity: “Don’t go in with too much of a plan”

by ehueston ♥ 1 Comment

Hi everyone. My name is Erin and I am a perfectionist (Hi Eriiiiiin). Initially this might sound like an advantage for an artist. It pushes me to do good work and to push to get a great final result sometimes. But knowing when to push and pull, and where to let things take their own direction is something I am learning to be key.

I do find too, that when I go in with a specific idea with a lot of detail rolling in my head, I will get discouraged and stop when things aren’t going right. Sometimes it is a hard stop. So, trying to get past that is a challenge too.

When I heard the title quote from Taika Waititi at MAX, in response to how he stays creative, it sang out to me because it was something that I was coming to realize in my own art. Going in with a general idea has allowed me to develop my favourite pieces, especially when I let the piece do its thing.

“React to the art as it is happening.”

Oliver Jeffers

I have told people this in the past, and I am frequently met with frustration. “Oh, that just showed up in your sketchbook, eh?” To a degree… yes! When it comes to a lot of my sketches, I will go in with a certain idea, but the lines start to look like something else, or the layout looks different on paper from what I was picturing in my head. I could erase everything and start over (see my post on erasing, don’t do it!), or I could explore what I see shaping up on the surface. In the sketch up top, that’s exactly what happened. I set out to draw a lady, lying on her bed or on the floor, resting, surrounded by hobbies, books, snacks, and just relaxing. When I started to draw out her hair, some of the lines really looked like the shape of fish. The more I looked at it, the less I could ignore it, so I tried it. The end product gave me more of a relaxed feel than I was getting from my original idea, and I am pretty happy with the result.

“Be in the moment. Respond to it. Let the ‘being’ flow to whatever result.”

Naomie Harris

Working in this way, I am finding, really takes the pressure off. I am not going in trying to get the perfect final result, I am going in with an idea, seeing what the lines, tools, and feeling have for me at the end. This also opens the door for experimentation and trying something new. All of that learning will help you to see what you’re capable of during the next experiment. Going in with too much of a plan has the potential to limit what you and your art are capable of, or willing to try, with any particular piece.

This does not apply to just art either. This is the Creativity Series, we all have it remember? I think that this mentality could really help with a lot of new year’s resolutions people have. For example, instead of saying “I will run 10K everyday, and lose 32.45lbs before the end of the year”. Maybe try something like, “I’d like to incorporate a workout into my day, everyday, with the goal of losing some weight.” This way you are not roping yourself into a plan that, if you’re like me and have very little love for running, will grow tired, FAST. By going in with a less detailed plan, you have taken some of the pressure off, allowing yourself to try some different workouts that you might like better, such as dance or swimming. This could make the process a lot more enjoyable and less of a chore. That’s just one example, you can really apply this to so many things.

Now, obviously this one doesn’t work everywhere. I’d prefer that my surgeon have a pretty solid plan A-Z when it comes to surgery, or the architect of my building really plan out the structure so we don’t fall over. Things like that. But in the parts of the world where there is a little wiggle room, give it to yourself. You’ll be surprised at how much lighter you feel, and what you can accomplish when you trust yourself.

I’m going to stop myself here, I could go on and on about this all day. If I give you too many examples to use, or “rules” to follow, I would be defeating the entire purpose of this post. So go try it! It’s a new year, the possibilities are endless.

Creativity: Pandemic Impact

Creativity: Pandemic Impact

by ehueston ♥ 2 Comments

As promised, I am back with some more posts for my Creativity series. I didn’t realize how long it had been, sorry everyone.

I just finished compiling all of my notes from Adobe MAX and there is a lot to say. Before I get back into the who, what, how of all of this, I wanted to touch on something that hovered over MAX (and everything else lately), and what its impact has been on different levels of creativity. You know what it is… this pandemic. I have tried to keep this off of here for the most part, just to keep it light and airy. There were too many notes and discussions on the topic as it related to creativity though, and I couldn’t ignore it. Let’s rip off the band-aid, virtually hold hands, and get through this together.

It seems like all of the speakers were asked about their reaction to COVID-19 and the impact that it has had on their creativity. As you would expect, everyone had a different answer. Here’s a few of the answers that I saw:

“Stillness fed my imagination and creativity.”

A lot of artists talked about how their first reaction to the pandemic was that it was going to hinder their processes. Gwyneth Paltrow talked about how she was used to getting her ideas by being out in the world with people. How do I do that now? But she talked about how, sitting at home, in more of a stillness, she was able to really tap in to where her creativity really came from, allowing her to fuel it in different ways than she could before.

Ana DuVernay provided the quote above, that the stillness really pushed her creativity forward. The speakers talked about how, with less “noise” they were able to create in new ways that they never found possible before.

Personally, I have embraced the slower pace. Without a commute, or after work gym classes to run to, I have more time to get things done in a day. With less stress in my day-to-day, I am able to focus my mind on more creative ideas, digest them a bit, and actually act on them. I am not too tired at the end of the day to let some of this happen and I couldn’t be more grateful.

People talk about connecting with the things that matter the most. COVID-19 has forced us to stop. Take a minute. Look at what is really important to us. What really matters to you? What really fuels you? This connection will cause your creativity to grow.

“Creativity is fed through times of constraint.”

Many of the speakers opted to see this unique moment in time as a great opportunity, which I tend to agree with. The shift to ‘work from home’, and to more access to online services, has opened so many doors when it comes to communication and collaboration. Leslie Park mentioned that “we are more interconnected than we have ever been, which is good and bad.” She’s not wrong. There’s always a Jekyll and Hyde in anything like this, but the opportunities in education, communication and collaboration are really hard to ignore.

Neville Brody said that the doors opened by remote work has allowed for more international members to be brought into work projects. Teams are no longer limited by geographical proximity. The online world has been forced open in a way that we have not seen before, opening up to endless, international, and diverse opportunities that can create endless possibilities. As Rishi Magia put it, “work from home is creating inspiration rather than acting as a barrier.”

One of the first benefits I noticed, and hope will develop further, is the opportunity when it comes to education. Online learning could be life changing for some people. An international student could take the program of their choice in a different country if they are not limited by the cost of the move. Experts can take part in the educational process in all parts of the world without limitations of flight times and busy schedules. I have already been able to attend multiple education sessions in different provinces and countries that I wouldn’t have had opportunity for otherwise. Opening these doors really removes limitations on all people in so many ways. A wider access to educational opportunities can lead to amazing things. I really do hope that these benefits are seen and expanded upon.

These new possibilities have really given us so many new ways to create, learn, and communicate, changing the ways that we express ourselves and share our ideas with one another.

An opportunity for you.

When asked what advice they would give to the people out in the world, sitting at home, a lot of the speakers had similar answers.

“Do the things you want to do, not what you have to do. This is the time”

– Dan Stiles

“Take the time you’d spend on things you can’t do anymore to do something you’ve always wanted to do or get back to.”

– Sal Khan, Mala Sharma

“What can I only make in this time? I am grateful to be able to do this work in this time.”

– Miranda July

“This is an opportunity to find new creative outlets.”

– Naomie Harris

Almost every speaker talked about a new form of creativity that they turned to as an outlet. Some revisited old passions, others tried new ones. Personally, I have been dusting off my paints and markers, and find huge comfort in what they have to offer.

I don’t think that there is one person out there that hasn’t said “I wish I had the time to…”, or “I wish I was able to…”. This is the time. If there’s something you want to try, revisit, learn, experience, this is our chance. Now. Everyone is turning to social media to show what they are doing, how they are learning, and what they find works for them while they keep busy through this madness. The information is out there, it’s a matter of finding what works best for you.

Be gentle with yourself, don’t push too hard. You don’t have to be productive through all of this. I just find creating in any way, shape, or form, to be a wonderful outlet for my stress, overthinking and anxieties. There are so many things out there for everyone.

Now, I am fully aware that everyone has a different opportunity, life situation, and response throughout all of this. Not everything is as easy as it’s all written down. What I am getting at here, hopefully, is that, if there is a chance for you to see any opportunity in the world of 2020, I encourage you do it. It’s a tough world out there, and it is really easy to let it beat us down. But if we are able to see a tiny success in a day, see a tiny window to try something new, or help someone else to see an opportunity, then it won’t be able to beat us out entirely.

As David Tennant put it, “Creativity finds a way.”

Busy October Update

Busy October Update

by ehueston ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Wow! October just flew by. It has been a very busy, creative month. To start, I filled everyday with the Inktober prompts, and it has been so much fun. As we are not done quite yet I am going to save that update for next week.

Another highlight of the month came last week. I was able to attend Adobe MAX for the first time. It was free and virtual, so something a little different than the normal event run, but I was able to take some time last week and “attend” as many sessions as I could. They were amazing! I took the time to fill up all my creative tanks, I filled my huge colour notebook, and I am filled with a creative energy that I have not had in a long time. Most of the sessions that I attended were the celebrity ones, due to interest on my end, but because those sessions were not going to be available later. I heard creative inspiration from individuals such as: Annie Leibovitz, Mark Seliger, Naomie Harris, Wes Anderson, Awkwafina, Common, Taika Waititi, Ai Wei Wei, and Stefan Sagmeister. I was also introduced to so many new artists to follow: Magdiel Lopez, Anthony Jones, Lauren Hom, Octavia Bromell, Annie Atkins, and Anna Daviscourt. There’s a whole notebook full of more names but these were a few that stuck out.

The inspiration that came out of these sessions is almost overwhelming. I have always been interested in seeing the process that different artists go through, it helps me to better understand how they think. Getting an insight into the creative process behind the creative minds that have inspired me throughout my career was invaluable. It really shows how similar and simultaneously completely different we all are in our processes. Where does the inspiration come from? When is research a good idea, and when is it bad? Why do you do the work that you do? How do you use the tools, and then completely push them to their limits?

I have been taking some time since the live broadcast to catch up on some of the other classes and artist discussions. There is so much content available!

I could go on and on and on and on and on about this. But I am going to save it for now. I promised you lovely readers that there would be more Creative posts coming, and they are. Once I discovered that Creativity For All was the main theme for MAX, I decided to wait while I gathered all of my new material. There is more coming, I promise.

I really get a lot out of events like this, Adobe MAX, TIFF, Animation Film Festival, etc. Gatherings of people with some sort of connection, talking about things they are passionate about, and sharing their ideas. I always come out on the other side full of energy. This time it is creative energy and I can’t get the ideas down fast enough. There’s lots still to come here readers, don’t give up on me yet!

Happy Hallowe’en!