I’m pretty shy. Not always just to begin with. I often find it hard to start conversations with people just out of pure nervous. So I decided to organize and host my own design meetup in Leeds, inviting 100 designers into 1 room. Where for around 15 minutes they would sit and judge me while I try and present. I was scared, felt sick, wanted to do a poo and I love every minute of it. Here’s how it went…
Create an event / club was on my list this year (if you don’t know what I’m talking about start here). I had no idea what my club or event could be, but I knew I wanted it to be around design or creation. So I did a list, here’s some of the not so good ones:
Speed dating for designers
Come design with me
Run & Think (30 minute run where you would have to think up an idea for a brief given 5 minutes before)
Design to the death (or Deadsign I had no concept just a name)
After 3 months of thinking I came across the Dribbble Meetups page and started to wish there was something like that in Leeds… Lightbulb! I quickly messaged Dribbble asking to host the 1st Leeds meetup and within a week I had a yes back from them and a box full of stickers, note pads and pencils. And that's how the 1st Dribbble Meetup in Leeds began, this was my event.
Like most things I began to see how big a task this might become. I got way too over excited about this without thinking it over. There was so much I’d have to do. Hire a venue, this might be pricey. Get some speakers, what if no one wanted to do it? Invite a load of designers, what if no one comes. Then the biggest one hit me. I’m going to have to host and speak to a bunch of people I don’t know!
I’ve found myself recently in situations that make me feel uncomfortable and oddly I always enjoy myself. Saying yes to something that you really have no idea about feels brilliant, you almost have no limitations because you have no ideas what they could be.
So I found a venue, The Adelphi Hotel. They let me have it for free! I found 4 local speakers. First up, Rosie Manning, who like myself was a nervous first time speakers, but she was amazing and did a brilliant and inspiring talk. Huge thanks!
Next up, Luke Hodson promoting his new site Mercht (you should go check this awesome site out). Mercht also provided some free T-shirts and stickers every all. You rockstars, thanks!
Finally to the stage, Chris Brown & Marcus Silva from First10, showcasing some really impressive work they’d recently been doing and bringing some laughs to everyone in the form of a dead bird (not much happens up north). Thanks so much you two!
Over 80 designers came down, 36 of them emailed me afterwards to say well done and thanks. 4 of them I drafted on Dribbble. 2 of them are going to be speakers at my next meetup.
I’ve honestly never felt so proud. Seeing all these people come together for one night for a few drinks and a chat and meeting some truly interesting people was amazing. I did a brief talk on my list and how it started the meetup, I was so scared, but once I started to talk the nervous just went. I loved every minute of it and can’t wait to host and organize the next Leeds meetup!
Just want to say a huge thanks to the following:
Dribbble
Mercht
Rosie Manning
Luke Hodson
Chris Brown
Marcus Silva
Jasmine Barnes (push me to do a short talk on my list and how it started the meetup)
Printing in my opinion isn’t dead and I can't wait to create some more work with these very soon. This is something I can cross off my Made in 2016 list, but I’ve also added something to it from this experience. I’m going to make my own DIY screenprint kit.
A few days ago an old friend of mine, from college, got in touch and asked if I wanted to attend his screenprint workshop. I had to say yes! I tend to design everything on a computer. And recently its being killing me. I miss creating things I can hold and touch, there's something amazing about a physical product or print. Maybe it's because there’s mass behind it and it feels like it has more worth. I had no idea what it was, but I went along for the fun and to cross another item off my list.
Me in the read shirt trying to create a master piece.
When I arrived at the workshop I was instantly hit with the fact there were no computers in the studio. No laptops, iPads or anything like that, just stacks of paper and a few books of inspiration. I liked it. I imagined being creative without the internet would be difficult, but honestly it gave me an amazing sense of freedom.
Not having someone else's work of art on Behance glaring in my face and only a few scraps of paper and my own thoughts made it so much easier to start making something. In no way am I saying what I made was amazing. I only had a few hours to create some ideas and get them printed, but I loved every minute of it.
The process of screen printing is just beautiful (and I fully suggest you try it!). It’s messy, you don’t really have to have a great idea or even have anything sketched to create something that looks awesome. I just ripped up some paper up and began to print. It was simple yet I had to think about how my paint would layer up and the effect it would have.
My first print was my only one. The idea was to create some mountain shapes. If I’d have started this on my computer I would have deleted it right away, it’s so easy to hit a delete key and start again, but with print I felt that I had to see my idea through. And I’m happy with it.
Here it is. I created a CD cover for a mixtape (mixcd of course doesn’t sound as good) I made for my girlfriend, I know this isn’t the 1980’s, but I’m bring the mixtape back. And she loved it! I love my print, not just the design but the feel. It’s amazing how making something with your hands makes your feel more proud.
Printing in my opinion isn’t dead and I can't wait to create some more work with these very soon. This is something I can cross off my Made in 2016 list, but I’ve also added something to it from this experience. I’m going to make my own DIY screenprint kit.
So I’m hosting an event as part of my made in 2016 makers list. And everything is now set! Its Leeds’s first ever Dribbble Meet Up at the Adelphi on the 5th May. And you can get your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/leeds-dribbble-meetup-tickets-24244277286
I now own 2 hand made camera dolly’s. One I made at the start of the year and haven’t brought it home from work since to show off. The other I made this morning from a few bits and pieces lying around the flat. Here the wee beauty... and some test footage!
Yes it tiny, but as everyone agrees size doesn't matter (this is a fact ok I know it be true everyone loves small stuff... right?). The base is built from Maccano 10 by 10 sheet. This has 4 very small industrial sized wheels bolted on to it and then a cheap tripod head screwed in the middle.
Altogether this thing cost me £6 to make and only took me around ten minutes to put together. And the results... it’s pretty good. Of course it has to be a fairly flat and smooth surface, but its glided across wood floor and tables quite well. Here’s a little bit of demo footage I took using it.
This is very rough and I plan on doing a little video interview with a friend of mine soon so will get to test this out a little more. Yes that is the sound of terrible day TV in the background, but I wasn’t watching it I swear!
I’ve had my camera for over a month now and recently found it slowly getting further and further at the back of my draw, I could make up a 100 excuses, but last night around 10pm I took my camera out into my new home of Leeds City. Here what I got!
I’ve always been a massive fan of gaming and all things old. Theres something amazing about how simple an NES game is, but how perfect it can be. So at the start of the year I began to see if I could create a catalogue of all these amazing gaming systems and games and it lead to an awesome little project.
Say hello to my RetroPi, or Bitt as I’ve called it. A tiny computer packed with every retro gaming system down from the PlayStationOne! It can hold a massive 32gb of retro gaming heaven and doubles up as a little media.
So whats it built from? A £25 mini computer. This is my Raspberry Pi project, my first ever one! The Pi itself is running Retropie an awesome piece of software developed by PetRock, this software lets you load has many roms and play a massive amount of games.
I decided to go the NES look with my mini console and order 2 SNES controllers and a small 3D printer case. And this thing really is tiny. If you thinking of making one of these babies yourself I have written a list below of the pricing, overall the time it took was around a month, but this was mainly waiting for parts to arrive.
Another social networked joined! As part of my Made in 2016 list I’ve decided to join 500px to add all my best photos. And so far I only have 3, not a lot right? Quality not quantity. At the end of the year I plan to create a book with all my photography of this year.
I’ve been away for a little while moving home! I live in the merry city now! Not really been able to do much this past week, but now I’m all settle and have a lot on my mind. First off using my camera more, so tomorrow is a full day of learn how to take some pictures.
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