I (Sort Of) Stopped Using Instagram And This Is Why
Over the past year, I’ve decided to stop using Instagram. To some, it may seem like this is based on recent business decisions from Meta and the rise of AI. But this decision has been brewing for a long time, since at least 2021, and I finally got to the point where my problems with Instagram vastly outweighed the benefits I was seeing from it. Okay. Here’s my problem with Instagram; and the reason I’ve sort of stopped using it. Stories, Reels and Maps (oh my!) A long time ago, Instagram was a platform for sharing photos. But it was more complicated than that. You would take a photo, and…
My Digital Commonplace System ~ Studio Diary #8
In this studio diary I am in Glasgow to visit the Botanic Gardens. I’ve spent so much time in this part of Glasgow over the years and somehow never went to the Botanic Gardens. I’m kicking myself after finally getting to visit. I love seeing the glasshouses (especially after visiting Belfast a few years ago). There was also a second hand book sale on the weekend I was visiting which was well worth a visit. There was lots of ephemera on sale, postcards, photographs and newspapers, as well as lots of books. I ended up buying a few illustrations taken from a larger book which have worked well as a…
The Best Calligraphy Inks and Nibs
I might be biased when I say this, but calligraphy is a fantastic form of art to try out. It’s great no matter if you’re looking for a hobby or something more serious. There’s so much you can do. From just improving your everyday handwriting to learning traditional scripts such as copperplate or Spencerian. Or you can even get artistic with lettering or graffiti. The world of calligraphy is literally whatever you make of it. So today I want to share some of what I think are the best calligraphy inks and nibs. Calligraphy depends on a few very basic tools. You’re going to need a medium and a tool…
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron – Will It Help You Be Creative?
The Artist’s Way is one of these books I had heard people talking about, but never went much further than that. That was until I learned more about the process, and the routine of journaling, or writing morning pages every morning. Over the years I have had to deal with anxiety and imposter syndrome, specifically related to my art. After learning about how journaling is incorporated into this process. Something I’ve been doing for years. I knew I had to give The Artist’s Way a try and see if it helped my creative process. About The Artist’s Way The Artist’s Way, originally published in 1992, has become a cult-classic self-help-styled…
Craeft by Alexander Langlands (and Calligraphy)
One of the most interesting classes I took at university was run by the fine art department. This class was about looking at spaces, the outcome was to be a response to a specific space. I ended up making a lantern which told the story of a witch trial which took place very close to me. Something which came out of this project was this idea that a connection to the land had been lost through the persecution of witches. Witches were more like herbalists and this knowledge had been lost because of the witch trials. It was an idea which fascinated me but as a design student, I was…
