The Craft: Exploring the Creative Process

Whether or not you’re conscious of your creative process, you have certain ways of working on your craft. These processes come in different shapes and sizes, but beneath the idiosyncrasies, they share common denominators. In this new series, “Creative First Principles,” Carter and Colby theorize the foundational building blocks that underlie every craft. They suggest a framework [Create, Revise, Share, Sustain] that can act as a trellis for creative discussions and questions. 

In this episode of The Craft, they explore the second creative principle: revise. This discussion centers on the importance of revision within the creative process, distinguishing its mindset of critique from the mindset of creation (Pt 1). Furthermore, Carter and Colby engage the challenges of revision, especially as it relates to collaboration and freelance work. 

Send feedback or topic ideas to [email protected]. 

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Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.

Whether or not you’re conscious of your creative process, you have certain ways of working on your craft. These processes come in different shapes and sizes, but beneath the idiosyncrasies, they share common denominators. In this new series, “Creative First Principles,” Carter and Colby theorize the foundational building blocks that underlie every craft. They suggest a framework [Create, Revise, Share, Sustain] that can act as a trellis for creative discussions and questions. 

In this episode of The Craft, they tackle the first creative principle: create. The discussion explores theoretical as well as practical questions about generating ideas and creating art. Additionally, Carter and Colby explore the places and times that they create within their crafts.

Send feedback or topic ideas to [email protected].

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Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.  

The odds are, as you become more and more serious about your craft, you will ask the question: “Could I do this full time? Should I?” The line between hobbyist and professional appears clear at first glance, but to what degree is your craft defined by your paycheck? Can you be a real (scare quotes) artist and keep your day job? 

In this episode, Carter and Colby discuss how the craft transcends the professional / hobbyist false binary, exploring how numerous artists have leveraged their day jobs while working on their discipline. They also discuss questions of artistic value in regard to popularity, acknowledgment, and reputation.

Send feedback or topic ideas to [email protected].

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Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.

Have you ever felt like you are constantly juggling different items on your to-do list? We live in a world where multi-tasking seems inescapable. The idea of monotasking, however, offers a potential solution to scattered, distracted work. 

In this episode, Colby and Carter explore the benefits and difficulties of monotasking, emphasizing how batching projects can be a tenable remedy for task switching. Additionally, they discuss issues of artistic originality and imitation.

This conversation was prompted by the Art of Manliness podcast #768: “Become a Focused Monotasker”

Send feedback or topic ideas to [email protected].

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Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.

We share our biggest wins and losses in creativity in 2021. Carter's been working on a lot of reading and writing, Colby's wrapped up several productions for his friends, and there's a lot of exciting ideas for what the future has in store. We also talked about Carter's War and Film class, favorite books we've read this year, and a lot more. 

Have you ever encountered a project that seemed to have no end in sight? Your to-do list was so long that you didn’t even know where to start. Large, extended projects can be intimidating, but they often produce our most meaningful work.

In this episode of Off the Clock, Colby and Carter discuss slow-burn-projects. Their conversation begins with an attempt to define what types of projects qualify as “slow-burn.” They explore the nature of these projects by discussing personal examples. In addition to the conversation about slow-burn projects, they also discuss the importance of this paradigm within both the professional and personal spheres.

Later in the podcast, they address the unique challenges of slow-burn projects, offering thoughts about fostering sustained progress and motivation. They conclude the podcast by sharing brief personal updates and recent inspiration.

We go all over the map in this episode. Recorded remotely December 31, 2020.

A new podcast.