The basement space was unused, and I had already built a workshop space into the back corner; so I needed to split the basement into equal parts for office and workshop. The following images show the progress to where it is thus far. Today, I put up a few more framing strips for insulating the stairwell and closet, but those images will have to be added later. I intend on putting in the drywall this weekend. Hopefully, if I stick with it, I’ll have the whole thing done by next weekend.

The office will have sconces on each wall for mood lighting (I’m making LED bulb based Steampunk themed sconces when this is done), electrical outlets at least every seven feet,  CAT6 and Cable wall outlets, an under-stair storage closet with coat rack, and a full 38″ width door to access the workshop area. I also wired the office space for integrated 7.1 surround sound to future proof the audio space. The interesting part here is that the room I just put together is more “up-to-code” than any other space in the house. I’m going to seal the flooring with a few coats of sealant, but I think I’ll just use area rugs instead of spending on the flooring right now. I got a couple big grey area rugs at Lowes for $30 each. Eventually I’ll be building a desk and bringing in a coffee table and futon for the space too.

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I wanted to shoot something memorable. I wanted to tell a story with the shot. I wanted to convey an emotion that resonated with anyone who would view the photo in the future. I finally was able to nail down what would really make me happy to shoot. It wasn’t events and weddings, though those met all the requirements. It wasn’t photojournalism, though those are the shots history often holds in high regards. The ultimate choice in photography for me is creating a set or scene designed to tell a story, convey an emotion, and etch itself in one’s mind forever. I want to make staged photography similar in concept to the art of Gregory Crewdson. Crewdson and others who label themselves as staged photographers create their story in a single frame using elaborate sets and lighting similar in structure to film sets. The idea that I could convey an emotion or story of my choosing in a single image is very appealing.

I have not yet done this type of photography, but I think I’ll try it this fall/winter season. Now to come up with a few low budget workable ideas that I can try out.

This month, I have been studying for a certification test in a field I know little to nothing about. The work contract I signed stipulated a need for this certification, though they felt confident I would be more than capable of passing the tests involved in receiving the certification, and so contracted me prior to the test. Test taking terrifies me. The little piece of paper allows for no mistakes and is judged by an impartial machine.

I likely have ADHD but never got diagnosed as a child due to some controversy over early ADHD medication side effects. I have, therefore, never been prescribed medication for it. In college, tests were the bane of my existence. I could do the class related projects well enough, but the actual tests all indicated that I was not retaining the information as expected. At the time, I didn’t know what the problem was. After seeing my grades decline with every passing year, I began to fear that I was “turning dumb” for some unknown reason, and having been a top quality student prior to college added to my confusion. I wasn’t a drinker or “partaker” and always seemed capable of grasping the in-class concepts well enough, but the tests told a different story.Eventually I began to fear the very concept of tests, which didn’t help the situation.

Now 10 years later I’m studying for a new test, and though I should not be, I am terrified yet again. I’m reading through the material a loud, making flashcards, and even recording the notes on MP3 to listen to on the drive down to the testing facility. None of that makes me any less terrified.
At the time of my writing this, I have not yet taken the test. I hope to have a positive outcome to report prior to this posting, but right now I am illogically terrified of even taking the test, let alone finding out the outcome (pass/fail). It’s irrational, I know. If I take a step back and look at it logically it reminds me of people’s fear of bees or other insects. Simply being reminded of the fear inducing subject is enough for their mood to change drastically. I suppose that this is my irrational fear: written Scan-tron tests.

*Update*
I took the certification test and passed. Weirdly enough, I felt no relief from passing the test – having found out that in order to retain this certification the testing process is scheduled at recurring intervals. I wanted to have a neatly wrapped up post for Grasping @ Creativity, a post that oozed hope for people in a similar situation, but right now all that seems unrealistic.

The only real moral for this story is “don’t do nothing.” Don’t let fear hold you in a perpetual state of inaction. Things may get harder, they may get easier, but for creativity’s sake they must never get stagnant.

Good luck!

P.S.

At the end of October I’ll be starting a new series on in home builds and projects that I’ve been doing since the move at the beginning of September. They’ll likely be bit shorter than usual, but I’ve been told that shorter is better for blog posts. I hope you all enjoy them.

The month of August has had me off the internet for longer than expected. I’ve been on the road around the states and in the process of moving for the entire month. That said, the best creative advice I have for today is “make good friends.” I can’t emphasize enough how awesome good solid, help-you-move-during-a-hurricane friends are.

Often really good friends are actually interested in your projects, have things in common with you, and want to talk in depth about all aspects of life. All these traits are good for boosting your own creative output as well as raising your overall mood.

Be the kind of friend you want to make, and you’ll find that when the time comes there will be people who step up to the plate to help out.

Oh, and good solid friends often have really cool ideas so join up and make something together.

If you’re ever needing to sketch the reflection of an object from scratch, here’s a quick tip to keep things looking right. Sketch a “reflection guide” copy of the object on a scrap piece of tracing paper and darken the lines. Now, just flip the reflection guide and position it over the desired location. Rub your eraser on the back of the guide copy to leaving faint lines on the artwork. Then, remove the reflection guide and sketch in the details on the art.

There is a lot more that goes into creating a realistic reflection (resource for drawing reflection angles correctly), but this little tip will help you avoid blunders like the image below (as seen in “The Incredible Hulk: Season 1 – Innocent Blood) and ease the reversed drawing process.

Eating properly keeps your brain healthy and your reaction time high, both key elements in responding to your own creative bursts. There’s a great list of “Brain Foods” found at Brain Ready, but also consider looking into Chia seeds as an additive to your normal morning routine. Chia seeds have all the fun stuff like protien and omega-3, but are also super cheap and can be added to all your current food favorites without affecting the taste, though they do affect the color.

Despite my best creative efforts, exercise is still one of the top ways to encourage creativity. Physical activity exercises the mind’s adaptability and increases hand-eye coordination; it also improves your mood. One of the quickest ways to exercise both your body and your creativity is through participating in a regularly changing obstacle course. The physical activity strengthens your muscles and the varying landscape or “obstacles” help expand your brain’s ability to solve puzzles quickly and efficiently, as well as boosting your creativity. A common trial method for exercising your creativity is switching your dominant side for a day. Try tossing and catching a tennis ball with your non-dominant hand for a while. Exercising your body and mind in this way will increase neural pathways used for adaptability and creativity. Go try it.

Yes, it feels odd, but stick with it until you can catch the ball or run the course efficiently, then switch activities. Keep your mind and your body on it’s “toes” and you’ll find yourself more ready to make quick decisions or come up with new ways to do things.

 

 

Go check them out on PurePhoto: Ships in the West, Anchored in the Fog, and Fog Rolling in the West. Prints will be available within two days.

My wife just asked why Grasping @ Creativity doesn’t have a lot of photos “like it used to.”

I’m keeping two blogs updated and one is dedicated to photos only, so if you’re ever missing the photography side of things here on Grasping @ Creativity, just head on over to Jon Decker Photo and browse the constantly expanding selection. I’ll post more images here soon too, just to appease Jean.