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STUDIO JOURNAL
No. 3
 
STUDIO SWITCH-UP  |  VIDEO SHOOT BTS  |  BOOK CLUB  |  INSTAGRAM TIP
Hello First name / friend!
 
Welcome to my third journal instalment — grab a drink because it's kinda long!

STUDIO SWITCH-UP
Who says you need a dedicated studio to run a thriving creative business!
Sometimes we fall into the trap of thinking our careers — and even our spaces — should look a certain way… but I want to remind you that it is OK to do things differently.
 
During our gloomy winter here in Australia I realised that I really don't need a whole room dedicated to being my ‘studio’. After all — it's just another space to clean and keep tidy; and I know that I don't need to be surrounded by ‘stuff’ to be creative. (I'm a minimalist at the best of times!)
 
When it comes to ditching my static studio space, it's helped that I don't use a desktop computer for my work. That was a choice I made a couple of years ago when I had to upgrade my ancient 9 year old iMac. I decided then that I'd invest in a MacBook Pro for the flexibility of being able to work from anywhere... even while at home! And in case you're wondering — no, I don't have an extra monitor. I only have my laptop and iPad.
 
As I bundled up my studio bits + pieces and organised them into a few drawers and a kitchen cupboard, the phrase mise en place was in my head (a term I learnt in hospitality, translating to "everything in its place"). I figure, having a place for everything and my main tools easily accessible is going to be key to keeping the house clutter free.
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Above: The work ‘spot’ in my main living area. Everything gets packed away afterwards and the bench is left bare (great spot for a cuppa!)
Our home is quite modest by today's standards but it does have a large main area that's split-level, with a kitchen and sitting area upstairs and a long living room downstairs.
 
We had a timber-top extension made to slot into the end of our kitchen island bench, so that I'd have somewhere to perch and work. BUT if we didn't have the bench-top made, I could easily work from the nearby couch with a small collapsable laptop table. The couch is a good spot to curl up and draw on my iPad because it overlooks the entire living area (which is great when the kids are home).
 
Overall, I've been loving the simplicity of working in this space so much!

VIDEO SHOOT
behind the scenes
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As part of my Peppermint x Spoonflower interview, I had to shoot a video for their socials. Above is a super-speed blooper reel (I'll share the bloopers after the video has been published…. there were plenty!)
 
The brief was to record myself ‘face-to-camera’ to introduce who I am and what I do, plus record some footage of my work environment to go along with audio of me answering a few of the interview questions.
 
Shooting is always a bit of a task. Especially with a child underfoot!
Left: Soft box lighting (it was a really dark day) and Dan with his camera
Right: Chocolate break to cope with the stress. Ha!
I'm not putting together the final video, but I still wanted to make sure I provided footage that reflected the topic of my answers (so that the visuals can depict the story of the audio).
 
It was a little tricky to shoot because I'd already moved out of my dedicated studio space and I didn't want to show myself working braless from bed, or tucked up on the couch in our living room with Lego and little-kid-sized dirty socks strewn everywhere (which is the reality sometimes… sigh) — so you'd be right in saying the video was a little 'curated'.
 
As you might imagine… watching a video of yourself brings out the harshest of critics (ie: yourself!)… how you look, how you sound… and if it's an authentic representation of yourself (which I care about a lot).
 
I was also conscious of the fact that you don't get a lot of time to capture someones attention when they're scrolling Instagram, so I did a lot of takes for my intro to try and be engaging, upbeat, happy, and enthusiastic (because that's who I am) without being OTT. I definitely overthought it all, but first impressions count — right?
 
In the end, it's no cinematic experience but I'm thrilled just to have been given the opportunity! I think the footage we shot was a good snapshot of how I work, even if it was limited to our home (when in fact I work all over the place — including in the car).
 
I'll always say yes to these opportunities because the reward always outweighs the discomfort. It gets a little easier each time :)
 
Now we wait to see the final edit when Spoonflower publishes the video!

BOOK CLUB
Welcome to my Studio Journal 'Book Club'!
 
OK, ok… so I must admit that this heading is a little misleading because I definitely won't be forming a book club because I'm just not a reader. If you love to read, First name / friend… then I understand that you might not be able to imagine how that's even possible! I am, however, a listener…
of gold & dust
SAMANTHA WILLS
A memoir of a creative life
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Samantha Wills is an Australian entrepreneur who built an iconic jewellery brand (key word being brand); and while she isn't an artist in the same way we are — she is insanely creative designer and instinctive visionary.
 
I absolutely loved listening to Samantha tell her story (I shed actual tears) in her own Aussie (voice via Audible.com). Warning: there are a few f-bombs.
 
Samantha is candid and funny… authentic and heartbreaking… relatable and inspirational.
 
In her memoir, she shares her entire journey of building an incredibly successful mutli-million dollar international jewellery empire and personal brand. From her entrepreneurial tendencies as a child, to how she never set out to sell handmade jewellery… to making some pretty big mistakes and bad decisions along the way.
 
As surface designers, I think it's so important to look outside of our own echo-chamber of industry peers. Samantha's story is relevant to any emerging entrepreneur.
 
I related to so many aspects of the story — I couldn't help but physically nod my head in understanding! I'm certainly not claiming that I'm as successful as Samantha, but I was fascinated by how many parallels I was able to draw to my own story. Especially the times ‘the universe’ seemed to help her navigate her path (I relate to this SO much!)
 
All in all, Samantha's journey was not at all smooth sailing (in fact Samantha's personal life was falling apart at the height of her success, when she discovered her boyfriend was having EIGHT affairs!) but she pushed through. 
 
I truly admire her in every way… as a creative visionary and as a business-woman — and especially for the ‘true to herself’ reasons why she decided to close the door on the Samantha Wills jewellery brand at its peak.
PS I've created an Amazon shopfront to save you searching for resources that I share. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. But of course, you can purchase from elsewhere if you'd prefer :)
 

HOT TIP: Leveraging your Instagram ‘Name’ field
Are you using the Name field on your Instagram business account to its full potential?
 

 
I sincerely hope you've enjoyed this journal as much as I enjoyed putting it together for you, First name / friend.
 
Let me know if you take up my book recommendation or implement my Instagram tip — I'd love to hear from you!

Erin K. x

 
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