Arrest All Mimics: The Original Thinking And Creative Innovation Podcast

It's rough out there. We can't do it all on our own. Nor should we try.A ramble about protecting mental health by identifying our cause.Supported by Illustration X. https://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallonwriter.comhttps://bentallon.com

The 2nd in the new series of articles written for Design Week, brought to you in audio format by The Creative Condition, supported by Illustration X.The debates rage about AI art and design. Will we fall to the singularity, or can we assimilate this great tool into our profession? Only creativity and human empathy will decide.Read in full at designweek.co.ukbentallonwriter.combentallon.comillustrationx.com

DixonBaxi is 21. Founders Simon Dixon and Aporva Baxi return to the show after five years. A lot has happened.We talk about what it takes to stay fresh, creative, and energised over the course of a long-term project. Why it's critical to create work for yourself to ignite passion and the challenge of designing for football clubs.This one is jam-packed with advice and insights for those in the visual communication world.The show is supported by founding sponsor Illustration X. Their global portfolio of artists, illustrators, and animators can be seen at https://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://dixonbaxi.comhttps://bentallonwriter.com

What is a flow state? How do we enter them? When do we have them? I'm joined by Professor Anna Abraham, a neuroscientist and psychologist who specialises in creativity. We cover the value of switching off in a hyper-busy world, and why creativity has a critical role to play in our futures and human happiness.The show is supported by founding sponsor Illustration X. Their global portfolio of artists, illustrators, and animators can be seen at https://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallon.comhttp://www.anna-abraham.com/https://bentallonwriter.com

Illustrator Ollie Hirst joins me to discuss the importance of understanding the broader scope of illustration work, channeling our own adversities, and promotion.He is relatively new to the industry but has many valuable insights into working as an editorial illustrator and why it is unsustainable to rely on one market for income in these uncertain times.Stability is crucial for freelancers and he provides tips and experiences on the matter.Supported by Illustration X: https://illustrationx.comhttps://www.olliehirst.co.uk/https://bentallon.com

The 2nd in the new series of articles written for Design Week, brought to you in audio format by The Creative Condition, supported by Illustration X.'Be Yourself' is strong advice... if you know what yourself means. Ben Tallon explores the idea of the self and ways we can better embrace all aspects of personality and feeling to illuminate the right path for our creative lives.Read in full at https://designweek.co.ukhttps://bentallonwriter.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://illustrationx.com

Dan Kieran decided to leave Unbound, the crowd-funding publisher he co-founded in 2010. From the outside looking in, this was not a logical decision. But returning to his role as a writer felt right. We discuss this in-depth, why our instincts and feelings are often our greatest compass, and why we routinely defy them.This is a mazy chat about finding our way by learning to see the crumbs left in our path. Dan shares an inspiring story of overcoming adversity that will blow your mind!Supported by https://illustrationx.comhttps://twitter.com/dan_kieranhttps://unbound.com/https://bentallon.comhttps://www.idler.co.uk/

Dark nights, bad news and bad weather. The dangerous cocktail that awaits us in winter 2022 can be tempered and managed if we can find the right balance of physical activity, good nutrition and screen time.I'm joined by NuPhysio & Fitness founder Matt McArdle to discuss the vital importance of strengthening mental health by staying active and keeping our minds and creativity honed.With some great takeaway tips and insights for all levels of physical fitness.The show is supported by Illustration X. See their broad range of illustration and animation portfolios now at https://illustrationx.comhttps://www.instagram.com/nuphysioandfitness/https://bentallon.com

Public services budget cuts. Free public space built on, sold off, privatised. Poverty rising. Violent crime soars. The mental health crisis deepens.2022 UK is a fierce place to grow up in 2022 if you are born into a fight. Without love, kindness, money, or guidance, bad things happen. We know this. The research supports what we already see and know and yet education continues to allow these unfortunate young people, who are all of our futures, to fall into the cracks.Too many of them end up in various secure children's units, where great work is being done to give them a chance of rebuilding broken lives.I'm joined by an unnamed head of home from one of the units to discuss her experiences of using creativity, care, and respect to tune into young people who have suffered and caused suffering when it need not be this way.It's a fascinating look at why further punishment and demonisation are not the way, and why a broader life education is essential for those who have not had a good start in lif

Kerry Lyons shares an all too familiar story of chasing success on the wrong terms before changing direction for the better.As a coach for creatives, Kerry helps people change their narrative and break from ties to old lives, careers, and false beliefs about their personalities and capabilities.She provides some superb tips for those feeling any level of dissatisfaction, or simply wishing to streamline their own creativity.Today's show is supported by illustration and animation agency IllustrationX. Visit them at https://illustrationx.comhttps://www.kerrylyons.com/https://www.instagram.com/iamkerrylyons/https://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.com

In September 2006 began one of the toughest spells in my creative industry career. It was the big monstrous 'before' bit. Suddenly cut off from tutorial input, peers, and credible workspace after 7-years in full-time arts education, I lost all sight of the dream freelance illustration career while working a full-time job, completely demotivated. This is detailed in chapter 4 of 'Champagne and Wax Crayons: Riding the Madness of the Creative Industries.' My debut memoir, a book about turning creativity into a career will soon be released in a new e-book format, so here is a reading of Chapter 4: 'Welcome to Freelancing.'I hope it will help all you new, soon-to-be, or once-upon-a-time graduates in some way, or at least make you laugh.https://www.bentallonwriter.com/shop/p/champagne-and-wax-crayons-riding-the-madness-of-the-creative-industrieshttps://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://twitter.com/bentallon

The first of a new series of articles written for design week, brought to you in audio format by The Creative Condition, supported by Illustration X.We kick off this new series exploring creativity's capacity for catharsis in the face of seemingly constant bad news and its destructive impact on our moods.Read in full at https://designweek.co.ukhttps://bentallonwriter.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://illustrationx.com

Dotto founder, designer, and artist Dani Molyneux joins me to discuss the importance of visual communication's role in turbulent times. During the pandemic, while juggling work and homeschooling, Dani began to make her own work for personal reasons, in response to political and social triggers. The work sets a wonderful example of the power of the personal and offers a timely reminder that our role in inspiring positive change is key.Check Dani out, and sign up for her new Domestika course at: https://www.dotto.studio/The Creative Condition is hosted by Ben Tallon at https://bentallon.comThe show is supported by and Ben is represented by htts://illustrationx.comhttps://twitter.com/bentallonhttps://instagram.com/bentallonhttps://bentallonwriter.com

Why personal passion projects are vital as a creative compass - stylistically, building identity, and stating intent.I have so many stories of unexpected doors opening, unlikely relationships, and even building my identity as an artist in the first place, so here they are, told through a career-to-date worth of personal projects that worked, or didn't work in the best way.If you liked this, episodes 147/8 discuss some stunning passion projects by others.Supported be https://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.comhttps://instagram.com/bentallon

I'm joined by firefighter Joe Brady to discuss the creative thinking required to succeed in a job action-packed with intensity, unpredictability and high emotions. While not traditionally considered a creative profession, there are many wonderful takeaways and stories that will make you laugh, cry and shudder.https://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://twitter.com/bentallonhttps://instagram.com/bentallonhttps://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/firefighter

Agency coach and marketing expert Oliver Duffy-Lee joins Ben Tallon to talk about promotion and marketing for freelancers, agencies, and why the latest government marketing advice is utterly ludicrous to anyone who understands economics and marketing, especially in the creative industry.Visit the Authority Agency website: https://www.authorityagency.co.uk/Oliver Duffy-Lee on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverduffylee/Illustration X, show sponsor home: https://illustrationx.comBen Tallon illustration: https://bentallon.comBen Tallon Author site: https://bentallonwriter.com

Why I'm donating 25 copies of my creative industry book to schools and public libraries, and why I believe the creative industry needs to try counter arts, youth services, and arts education cuts.The show is supported by Illustration X: https://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallonwriter.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://twitter.com/bentallonhttps://instagram.com/bentallonhttps://instagram.com/bentallonwriter

Working from home. In the office. In the studio. In the pub. Cafe dweller. Out of our minds. Happy days.The environment we put or find ourselves in is a defining variable in our creative flow. But do we really pay enough attention to the effect of our surroundings on our energy, feelings, thoughts, and productivity?I sit down and share some stories about the good, bad, and bizarre of past workspaces as I prepare to move into a newly built garden studio space.This episode is supported by Illustration X at https://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.comhttps://twitter.com/bentallonpodhttps://instagram.com/bentallon

I stole a child's drawing. Here's why.This is an episode about what we can unlearn with the help of children, about what their flippancy, naivety, passion, and curiosity represent. Creativity gets butchered by adults, by industries, by education systems, and our pride - our unwillingness to try and our aversion to mistakes.It holds us back and causes us to get lost in trends, repeats, and replications as we blindly chase perfection in a world that has none.It need not be so.Get your thoughts over @bentallon on socialsShow supported by https://weareillustrationx.com

Creativity is humanity's defining asset. I've been observing, studying, and feeling it since my teens, subconsciously taking it in since I was a nipper. Finally, I'm writing it all down in a new book that will share its name with this show. I am also writing a blog over at bentallonwriter.com.Here is the introduction to the book and what you can expect from the podcast moving forward. Let's talk creativity.Show supported by https://illustrationx.comhttps://twitter.com/bentallonhttps://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.com