Category Archives: Creativity

How I Got to Be an Illustrator at Google, with No Qualifications

In the summer of 2012, I was hired on a freelance-basis to work with Google in their Mountain View HQ (now remotely) as an illustrator.

I’m self-taught and have no qualifications in art or design. A lot of people have asked me how I did it.

'Genius Is…', A Comic About Your Inner Genius, by Grant Snider

I recently asked one of my favourite comic artists, Grant Snider of ‘Incidental Comics‘, to create a comic for Red Lemon Club. A lot of his work looks at creativity and creative people, so I felt it a must to bring his perspective to RLC. I was pleased when he happily obliged.

Red Lemon Club Interviews Illustrator Dan Matutina

I first came across Philippines-based illustrator and designer Dan Matutina’s distinct work many years ago. His hard-edged, original and absorbing creations drew me in, and I featured his earlier stuff on my other site Ape on the Moon.

10 Daily Habits that will Empower and Strengthen you as a Professional Creative Person

There is no doubt that a large chunk of what determines the fortune of a person is rooted in the little things that we as people do every single day. As such, the power that lies in a habit, good or bad, cannot be overlooked as we all find a means to get ahead in this busy world.

Ignorance and Self-Loathing: the Two Most Important Hurdles to Progress and Success

This is a fairly bold statement, though it has not been made without some thought on my part. I honestly think these two concepts, if addressed, can lead to a big reduction, if not complete obliteration, of various or most problems at all levels, personal up to international.

26 Lifestyle Changes Guaranteed to Substantially and Quickly Boost your Creative Productivity

Being makers of things, one of our most important assets is our ‘creative productivity’. In this case, our ability to actually create new things through doing; through taking action, not just thinking about it.

11 Easy and Efficient Ways to Build Knowledge, Self Teach, and Learn Every Day

I’m a firm believer in the massive benefits of ongoing self-teaching in contributing to not only increased knowledge as we progress through life, but in self confidence, creativity, improved imagination, memory and, ultimately happiness (or at least a glimpse of it!).

The Positive Way To Becoming More Creative, And Overcoming Creative Block

Our culture is populated with the stereotype of the tortured artist, who suffers emotional pains and struggle in the name of creativity. If we buy into this stereotype, we may be tempted to assume that by dwelling on negative emotions we are broadening our creative potential.

How Not Being Creative is Harming Your Very Survival

Creativity and survival are more closely linked than you might think.

I read recently that one of the things (and I think this is majorly important) that holds people back from enjoying life, seeing success and moving ahead, is a little thing known as reactivity.

On Why It's No Good to Try, You Must Do!

With the passing away of hugely influential science-fiction writer Ray Bradbury I wanted to cobble together a quick post to discuss one of my favourite quotes of his:

“Don’t think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It’s self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can’t try to do things. You simply must do things.”

Though the first part of the quote is hugely important, I’d like to take a closer look at the latter part (which relates to the first part anyway).

Why It's Ok to be Introverted, and an Interview with Writer Susan Cain

I’m someone who could be considered ‘in his head’ a great deal and definitely what one might call an ‘introvert‘. When Susan Cain’s book, ‘Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking’, came along, I dove into it with some enthusiasm, possibly as a means to find some comfort in dealing with and understanding the ‘affliction’.

15 Reasons to Stay Focused on Developing your Craft

Let’s great straight into this idea of ‘craft’. What is it, and why is it worth pursuing?

My own thought on craft is that it is more a honed skill, style or application, than a tangible object. Craft is your technique; your brain’s neural connections, sculpted over hours of practice. Your craft is the way in which you apply paint to a canvas, how you think about a new musical composition or how you structure your written sentences in a short story.

25 Inspiring Quotes for Creative People

I find one of the most effective solutions to feeling unmotivated or disinterested in what I’m doing is to read a couple of quotes from others who have been and done it.

Red Lemon Club Motivation Tip #10 Leave School

Most of us have been through school, and experienced all the highs and lows that accompany those years. High school-level school is a period in everyone’s lives when one is impressionable and easily molded by the pressures to fit in and conform.

29 Ways to Stay Creative Animation

The guys at TOFU design, have come up with a nicely executed short animation providing some straightforward ways to be and stay creative. Despite the simplicity, it’s useful to get a nicely packaged reminder of all the good stuff, we need to keep doing. Have a look!

Red Lemon Club Motivation Tip #9: Find Your Inner Einstein

Every one of us has the capacity within us for genius. You probably already know what it is.

Make sure you don’t neglect that element of you. You can do this by using your imagination, and then using it some more. Spend time writing down or sketching out your imaginative ideas whenever you can, like a child would plan building his fort. Bring a notebook around with you to document your plans, dreams and ideas.

Red Lemon Club Motivation Tip #8 Swim Laps Under Water

It’s so easy to forget about how easy it can be to strengthen the most important organ of our bodies: our brains. Getting oxygen to it can increase your mental and creative power by 20% or more.

Don't Just Do Something! Red Lemon Club Motivation Idea #6

Think about what we tend to do least of on a daily basis.

Is it doing your admin? Is it promoting your work by calling up people? Is it exercising in between long desk-based creative sessions? I’ll be willing to bet doing absolutely noting at all is actually something you barely do.

Red Lemon Club Juicy Motivation Idea of the Moment #5

When you are faced with a new challenge, project or brief, particularly one that is a struggle to get motivated about, start lazy.

This means that starting a new project doesn’t need to be difficult if you are not worried about starting off in a slow, lazy way. Do a bit of research on Google, chat to someone, draw a sketch, write a note.

Red Lemon Club Juicy Motivation Idea of the Moment #4

Here’s one for you lot thinking creativity is about being original or unique…

Just be unexpected. We are all creative. Creativity has nothing to do with originality. Come up with all kinds of unexpected solutions to things in life.