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Curated Confetti: 01

Curated Confetti - 01

 

I often set out to create very themed blog posts or methodical tutorials. I’ve been noticing that in practice I really enjoy consuming content that’s less structured and more like “Hey, here’s something that made me smile, this idea helped me organize my day, and this article I just read explained how to understand a thing. I thought I’d share all this stuff in case you like it, too. Also, here’s a cute shop, a great sale, and a video of a kitten.”

It finally dawned on me. That’s also how I share information in real life—kind of like a curated sprinkle of confetti.

This is Curated Confetti post 01.

The Un-Guide to the Enneagram

The Unfair, Over-Generalized (But Still Kinda True) Un-Guide to the Enneagram / Design and words © Charm Design Studio

In the process of making a set of Enneagram vector graphics for sale, I ended out making this satirical un-guide. Understanding the Enneagram has a bit of a learning curve compared to other personality typing systems, but it’s pretty fascinating. Whereas other systems focus on describing people, it could be said that the Enneagram focuses on what motivates people and how that plays into their actions, whether toward or away from personal growth. To be clear, this un-guide is SATIRE—more like a funny caricature than a portrait, and it doesn’t account for “wings” or “subtypes.” (So, no tomato throwing please.) If you’re having trouble figuring out your type though, a caricature might help you narrow down the features that are easiest to recognize. Plus, it might be good for a laugh!

Painting Progress

finished acrylic paintings on canvas hung up on wall | image © Charm Design Studio, LLC.

 

 

I have a lot of things started for Charm Design Studio that aren’t ready to debut yet as I’ve been neck-deep in client work for a bit. However, a few months ago I finally finished the last of some canvases I’d started a while back for my munchkin’s room. (Hooray!) Usually I do more watercolor or (lately) digital painting, but I thought I’d branch out. If nothing else it’s good to wrap my head around a medium I use less often.

If you’ve been intimidated to try acrylic (or it’s been a while), sometimes seeing more of the behind-the-scenes of something can help to demystify the process.

 

Repainting Your Nativity

Repainting Your Nativity - Eclectic Affinity

If you haven’t noticed, there are a LOT of nativity sets where the people are portrayed as having white skin, some even having blonde hair and blue eyes. It might continue to take a while to undo years of ignorant, unthinking, or even hateful representations of people in art and design. However, here are some tips on painting over existing sets in case anyone feels too unfamiliar with painting mediums to feel comfortable painting over their set.

What Happened When I Tracked my Project Hours to the Minute

What Happened When I Tracked my Freelance Hours to the Minute / Eclectic Affinity / small business advice

If you do a lot of flat-fee projects, it can be easy to let tracking your hours go by the wayside. It can seem like just one more thing to do. Except, in thinking that way, you’re missing out on some crucial data that can inform whether or not you need to periodically reassess your workflow, your pricing, and your hours.

Most projects I do are flat fee with add-on fees for things outside the scope of that and then hourly as needed. For an on-going project that was done exclusively by the hour, I started recording my time with a handy timer app. It got me back into the mindset of how much time goes into design. Out of habit—or curiosity—I then began tracking nearly EVERYTHING.

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