I am well aware of the expected failings of a 'New Years Resolution'- give up drinking, chocolate, smoking, lose a stone, find a new job- all common and all with a high likelihood to fail. But I do like the structure and opportunity that a new year brings- like starting a new note book or sketch pad- it has the potential to be anything you can stretch your brain to. Admittedly, in January, the brain is not necessarily at it's most limber after the holiday season's over-indulgence of rich food and non-taxing TV.
Therefore, this year, as last year really, I see it as an opportunity to set out a statement of intent for myself, or just a big, vague to-do list for the year. While I'll not go into the full details of this 'big plan' (and give away all my secrets!?) the main driver behind this is to 'know more'.
Read MoreAfter a library reservation came in, I went to pick up Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell. Sub-titled 'The Power of Thinking without Thinking', I first came across this title a while ago while researching what our unconscious eye sees, from a designer's perspective. Even from my early art classes, I was taught about rules of composition, the rule of thirds, and later on the golden ratio et al and now it is without thinking that I arrange things in odd numbers rather than even where possible as it pleases the eye without, without the person knowing they like it better for that reason. These can be powerful tools and I wanted to find out as much as I could around this subject. While I understood just from the blurb alone that this wasn't the exact direction the book goes in the general power of our unconscious reactions interests me greatly.
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