Design Nerds
The nerds at theClubhou.se have established a different kind of meetup to create on a shared theme, discuss the importance of the creative design process, and “go behind the scenes” of their own creation, in an old-fashioned critique. Once a month, the Design Nerds choose one topic to design their creation around. The goal of this meetup is to give the nerds a fun creative outlet, build camaraderie and help people overcome perfection paralysis.
Co-creator, Chase Lanier, explains, “This meetup is a chance to have an objective critique that allows you to get out of your head, and to ensure that your intended outcome lands in the mind of the viewer.” Any medium of expression is valid, and encouraged. We want to see what your minds can do! Whether your creation is a poem, a sketch, an art installation, or perhaps a photo, a mural, or an essay; anything and everything is welcome. Your imagination and creative process have no limit!
The idea for Design Nerds began last fall when Chase Lanier and Eric Parker discussed people’s fear of sharing their creations and receiving negative feedback. This observation quickly turned into the realization that architecture and design schools actually prepare students to think critically and embrace the iterative process. Parker explains, “We want to bring the value of design school critique to entrepreneurs and innovators. It gives us a chance to do something fun and creative outside of the daily grind of work.”
When it comes to the creative design process there are lots of things to keep in mind, as a creator and as a critic. Critiques not only broaden your skills as a creator, but open your mind to things you might not have thought of before. You must be able to receive constructive criticism and providethorough, helpful critiques in order to take your creations to the next level. Both Parker and Lanier studied design oriented academic paths, in architecture and painting respectively. Lanier shares, “The critiques we participated in along the way helped us understand that design is the undercurrent of the shared visual experience. Receiving feedback from other creators shapes our greater understanding of how we collectively digest and interpret visual information.”
Chase Lanier’s first project “Response to Relativity”
The first month’s topics was RELATIVITY. The twelve images above were Eric Parker’s contribution to January’s theme. Eric created the twelve images along with accompanying information and posted the entire arrangement to Instagram. You can read more about each image on his Instagram: @ep_aia. At the end of each session, the group votes on the most successful creation. The winner’s achievement allows them to choose the next month’s topic! Eric won hands down, though having picked the first month’s theme, February’s selection went to Chase.
So don’t be shy, this month’s theme is WAVES. If you’re a creator of any kind, join the Design Nerds next meetup on February 9th, from 12 to 1 p.m.