January 21, 2022

#59: Jordan Gray — Creative Friction, Storytelling in Design, Passion Projects & the Beginner Feeling

1 hour 51 minutes

Jordan Gray on creative friction, the fine line between passion projects and work, storytelling in design, and overcoming the beginner feeling.

Jordan Gray works as a Visualization Specialist at Hanbury.

Architecture and design always have a narrative—an evocative, deeper meaning. From napkin sketches, to drawing sets, to post-construction marketing, each medium for client communication is key to architectural storytelling. I've always had a passion for the visualization toolset, recognizing how renderings, photography, and filmmaking go hand-in-hand with the design process. It's my proverb to practice openness to new methods when there's a better way. Always explore; always collaborate.

Links

Gray Collab - Jordan’s renderings, photography, and film. Started while freelancing.

Jordan on Vimeo

Carolina Day School — Asheville, NC by Jordan Gray

Kappa Achievement Park: A Place to Belong by Jordan Gray

Hanbury

xkcd: Is It Worth The Time?

Unreal Engine

Lumion & VRay

Rhino & Grasshopper 3D

Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Revit

Google Books Ngram Viewer

Austin Kleon: Pencil vs. Computer on Hurry Slowly

Books

Less But Better by Dieter Rams

Faculty Department Volume 1 by Justin Chung

The Photography Storytelling Workshop by Finn Beales

So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport

You Can’t Make This Stuff Up by Lee Gutkind

168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam

People mentioned

Steve Martin

Tim Ferris

David Allen

Cal Newport

Jocelyn K. Glei

Austin Kleon

Dieter Rams

Chapters

00:00 · Intro

00:16 · Start

01:25 · How did you get into photography as an architecture student?

02:54 · How do you cope with not having time to pursue new things?

06:42 · Have you been doing much deliberate practice lately?

11:42 · How knowledge translates across tools and disciplines

18:21 · What's your personal way of maintaining growth and creativity?

32:13 · Does that friction become positive?

35:19 · Can everyone make their passion part of their work?

38:43 · Asking yourself "Does it feel gratifying? Is it fulfilling? Is it satisfying?"

44:27 · Have you been hearing about "storytelling" in your field?

48:17 · How can we focus on the human experience instead of other designers?

51:58 · How do you make sure a rebrand isn't just skin deep?

58:34 · What makes people feel something?

01:00:59 · What's most important to focus on if you want to change how you are percieved?

01:03:23 · How do you get to the point where people seek you out?

01:05:45 · The concept of the podium

01:09:14 · The chaos of taking pictures

01:13:20 · How much is just overthinking or overdoing?

01:14:34 · Will anyone notice the time you spend on the details?

01:17:23 · How do you go about capturing creative moments?

01:21:03 · Do you have any daily routines that make you happier or more productive?

01:22:45 · What would be some book recomendations?

01:24:59 · What would be your message to the world?

01:27:05 · Enjoying the process of grinding the beans

01:34:39 · Using your brain to design things vs just grinding mouse clicks and workflow steps

01:37:08 · How would you define simplicity?

01:42:15 · What have you learned about simplicity from making this podcast?

01:46:28 · Where can we find you?

01:50:53 · Outro

I'd love to hear from you.

Submit a question about this or any previous episodes.

Join the Discord community. Meet other curious minds.

If you enjoy the show, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps.

Show notes, transcripts, and past episodes at gettingsimple.com/podcast.

Follow Nono

Twitter.com/nonoesp

Instagram.com/nonoesp

Facebook.com/nonomartinezalonso

YouTube.com/nonomartinezalonso

...more

View all episodes

By Nono Martínez Alonso

3131 ratings

January 21, 2022

#59: Jordan Gray — Creative Friction, Storytelling in Design, Passion Projects & the Beginner Feeling

1 hour 51 minutes

Jordan Gray on creative friction, the fine line between passion projects and work, storytelling in design, and overcoming the beginner feeling.

Jordan Gray works as a Visualization Specialist at Hanbury.

Links

Gray Collab - Jordan’s renderings, photography, and film. Started while freelancing.

Jordan on Vimeo

Carolina Day School — Asheville, NC by Jordan Gray

Kappa Achievement Park: A Place to Belong by Jordan Gray

Hanbury

xkcd: Is It Worth The Time?

Unreal Engine

Lumion & VRay

Rhino & Grasshopper 3D

Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Revit

Google Books Ngram Viewer

Austin Kleon: Pencil vs. Computer on Hurry Slowly

Books

Less But Better by Dieter Rams

Faculty Department Volume 1 by Justin Chung

The Photography Storytelling Workshop by Finn Beales

So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport

You Can’t Make This Stuff Up by Lee Gutkind

168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam

People mentioned

Steve Martin

Tim Ferris

David Allen

Cal Newport

Jocelyn K. Glei

Austin Kleon

Dieter Rams

Chapters

00:00 · Intro

00:16 · Start

01:25 · How did you get into photography as an architecture student?

02:54 · How do you cope with not having time to pursue new things?

06:42 · Have you been doing much deliberate practice lately?

11:42 · How knowledge translates across tools and disciplines

18:21 · What's your personal way of maintaining growth and creativity?

32:13 · Does that friction become positive?

35:19 · Can everyone make their passion part of their work?

38:43 · Asking yourself "Does it feel gratifying? Is it fulfilling? Is it satisfying?"

44:27 · Have you been hearing about "storytelling" in your field?

48:17 · How can we focus on the human experience instead of other designers?

51:58 · How do you make sure a rebrand isn't just skin deep?

58:34 · What makes people feel something?

01:00:59 · What's most important to focus on if you want to change how you are percieved?

01:03:23 · How do you get to the point where people seek you out?

01:05:45 · The concept of the podium

01:09:14 · The chaos of taking pictures

01:13:20 · How much is just overthinking or overdoing?

01:14:34 · Will anyone notice the time you spend on the details?

01:17:23 · How do you go about capturing creative moments?

01:21:03 · Do you have any daily routines that make you happier or more productive?

01:22:45 · What would be some book recomendations?

01:24:59 · What would be your message to the world?

01:27:05 · Enjoying the process of grinding the beans

01:34:39 · Using your brain to design things vs just grinding mouse clicks and workflow steps

01:37:08 · How would you define simplicity?

01:42:15 · What have you learned about simplicity from making this podcast?

01:46:28 · Where can we find you?

01:50:53 · Outro

I'd love to hear from you.

Submit a question about this or any previous episodes.

Join the Discord community. Meet other curious minds.

If you enjoy the show, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps.

Show notes, transcripts, and past episodes at gettingsimple.com/podcast.

Follow Nono

Twitter.com/nonoesp

Instagram.com/nonoesp

Facebook.com/nonomartinezalonso

YouTube.com/nonomartinezalonso

...more

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#59: Jordan Gray — Creative Friction, Storytelling in Design, Passion Projects & the Beginner Feeling

#59: Jordan Gray — Creative Friction, Storytelling in Design, Passion Projects & the Beginner Feeling