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Captain's Rant #1 – Organization and Writer's Block

derrickutz
Ahoy and welcome ta’ the beginning of arrrr lit’le adventure!
This bee the first rant of many i’m sure!
I will be discussing one main topic with this first rant, my task list systems.
Before any real quest starts out, a true traveller needs a plan and a map. Nothing is different with what we face here and the the more important the task, the more important the preparation. To start, lets discuss a personalized system; your own task list. This is a very important topic with me expecially right now with this new blog being added to the mix of projects that I maintain. They are all very important to me so I needed to create a system to monitor all of their details and stay on top of the progress. 
As with anyone who knows me, I am a very visual person. A regular planner just won’t do. I created a visual task sheet that I can write on that show a picture of the different projects with a list of its current work and a space to put the percentage of progress. This works for me but may not for others just take what would help you from it. 
With this task sheet I can write the little projects and check them/cross them out as I accomplish them so I see progress on a smaller scale as I reach the bigger goal. This is an important lesson I have learned from my friends at Paper Wings Podcast. I recently added a new tool to my organization system following the podcasts’ latest episode, “The 5 Lies of Creative Block“. In this excellent podcast they breakdown the logical path to dismissing and getting past creative blocks. They also mentioned a new, free cross-platform task management app called Wunderlist. I now have it on my iPhone and my home laptop and can sync everything with a single click. Between the written task list I have created and the new Wunderlist task manager app I believe that I have the best hold I have ever had on my little project shipmates. This will help me to track and move each one with more intent and I will also be able to add in more ideas on the fly. 
A blank copy of my task sheets are below if you would like a copy to help you out.
8.5 x 11 – Letter size
11 x 17 – Tabloid size
Please feel free to respond and let me know what kinds of systems you find useful and what way you may have modified them. That information may just save someone else a huge amount of time and long headaches.
My next post will discuss the mental and physical ways I directly prepare my mind and workspace for a project. How I begin my journey, just as we are doing here.
Till then me mateys, keep yee feet wet!
Captain Dutz

Updat'n the' BLOG!

derrickutz

Greetings Visitors!

This is an update to the first entry of the BLOG!

I have completed the Commemorative Contest Book for Paper Wings Podcast‘s first contest. This was created to be a gift for all of the entrants to walk away with and for fans to enjoy. I ask that you also enjoy if you would like. It contains an explanation of the contest and a forward by one of the hosts of the site and podcast, Lora Innes, creator of the web comic, printed and renowned story, The Dreamer.

This Commemorative Contest Book (<– click to download) contains all of the entries, randomly gathered by section aside from the acknowledgment of the quote section winners. Both the forward and almost every entrants page has a link that "clicks-out" to their website so you can enjoy more of their art or contact them for hire. They created the content, I designed and constructed the book and the very last entry is my addition to the contest.

Note: The PDF is a 12MB file so I wouldn’t suggest it for download to your phones. It is best seen on computers and tablets and looks even better if you view at “full screen.” It is almost 100 pages of inspiring creativity.

Please enjoy and tell others of the awesome community of PaperWingsPodcast.com.

Take care me mateys and i’ll see yee at the next post!

Captain Dutz

And the Journey begins…with the Flutter of Paper Wings

derrickutz

Ahoy Mateys upon the Internet Sea. This be me first entry int’a The Captain’s BLOG.

Hello Crew and visitors aboard this fine vessel. I am an illustrator and graphic designer setting out to create and map his place in our growing and inspiring creative world. This journey will hopefully be full of discovery and mystique, learning and entertainment. I am asking you to join me on it and share in its plunder.

The title of this entry is not meant to be vague, it is quite literal. I was finally encouraged to create this extension of my freelance venture due to a vast sea of Paper Wings. I recently became a frequent visitor and fan to an amazing website and team. The site is called Paper Wings Podcast and it is designed to help visual story tellers realize and attain their dreams and create the time to do so as efficiently as possible. They have been coaching and inspiring me since I first found them and I am greatly appreciative of them, both the site’s hosts & team and the many visitors.

What does this have to do with my blog? Well, thats the interesting part. As of the writing of this first post, I am beginning my journey as their first contest’s week worth of judging is ending. I created a piece for the contest and I am very thankful that I could participate. I love the piece.

Pretty awesome, huh?
Well, what I realized is that the contest was wonderfully designed with 2 goals; awesome quality of art and excellent self-marketing. It was based on Facebook “like” button clicks on the site and before the start of the contest, I didn’t even have a Facebook page. I wanted to win a contest judged by social media and I barley even existed in that realm. This twit had no Tweet. I know I have not won and it is not completely because of the quality of my art. It has emboldened me and made me stronger. The contest was meant to mirror the entertainment industry and to teach us the importance of both quality and marketing. This is one of the most important lessons any professional artist should learn.
 That is when I decided to stop stepping around the digital world, and dive right in. If I didn’t create my identity, I risked giving someone else that privilege. I wanted to captain my own destiny and create as many proper opportunities as I could handle.
(P.S. – I will be posting a commemorative issue I have constructed of all of the Paper Wings Podcast Contest entries post soon to come. Keep yer ayes peeled!)
That, me scallywags, is where you come in to play. You can visit and join my travels as I take on new tasks and ventures and watch and help me grow as a creative and professional.
Here are the loose ideas I will be setting forth in the times to come;
Captain’s Orders – A series of digital and illustration tutorials showing some of my techniques
Art-Gazing – Different inspirations that I come across, online or in-real-life
and possibly a Captain’s Rant section for random ideas and topics for discussion
So..please hop on board whenever you pass by me port and I will try to keep the scenery interesting.
Now as one of my dear friends, Captain Jack Sparrow, loves to say…
“Bring me that horizon.”
Captain Dutz