Chase Your Imagination

Welcome to Creatives Anonymous, a weekly newsletter that explores what it means to be a modern-day creative. It inspires, encourages, and empowers readers to take back their creative power.

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Years ago, I came across a graphic outlining the creative process's three steps—inspiration, imitation, and innovation. 

It’s stuck with me ever since, and it's a reminder I like to have front and center (I’ve probably taped it or drawn it in every single sketchbook or journal I’ve owned). 

As creatives, we gather inspiration, try to imitate it, and eventually make it our own. It’s why no two works look the same, as every artist’s interpretation is different. It’s a culmination of references from our interests and experiences that we use to create something completely new that didn’t exist before. 

But the true driving force behind this process? Our imagination. Our imagination makes creativity possible. We chase a thought, a “what if,” a concept. We tell ourselves, “Let me just try it and see.” We dream and allow ourselves to see all the possibilities and then relentlessly pursue them. 

We push the limits of our imagination, challenging ourselves to turn our vision into a reality. There’s no better feeling than seeing the finished product or piece exactly as we pictured it. 

This week, I chatted with my friend Curtis, an industrial and concept designer working in the beverage industry. His work can be found in bars, breweries, and restaurants worldwide. Curtis grew up in the Chicagoland area with a love for movies and design, which led him to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in industrial design at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Curtis also has a passion for entertainment design and painting for fun. 

Can you share a little bit about your background and how you got interested in concept design?

I grew up in the Chicagoland area & went to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for my BFA in Industrial Design. In high school, I wasn't sure what to pursue as an undergrad until I got a flyer for the Industrial Design program at the University of Illinois. I grew up as a standard art kid who clearly understood that it's very hard to make money creating just “art.” The more I learned about industrial design, the more I fell in love with it, as it rolls all the best aspects of art and engineering into one. The main point that pulled me in was that I had a say and ability to contribute to the things we see and use around us. Concept art for entertainment became my main focus in undergrad, as it's a concentration under industrial design. I just get to use my imagination a bit more.

What are your favorite things to design? What are your biggest sources of inspiration?

My favorite things to design are sci-fi and historical movie props, such as set dressings and hard surface objects. My biggest sources of inspiration are the Bible, archeology, antiquity, and pop culture movies and shows.

From the work you post on Instagram, it looks like you blend a lot of physical drawing with digital tools. Can you talk a little bit about what that looks like and the tools you use?

Most of the software I use is from the Adobe Suite, aside from Blender, which is for 3D modeling. Most, if not all, of my drawings start in a physical sketchbook, usually with a basic ballpoint pen. When the design or illustration is gearing up to be finalized or expanded upon, I scan it into the computer and work from there in Photoshop. Photoshop has an unlimited combination of paint brushes, colors, and ways to adjust any visual.

What does your creative process look like from start to finish, from ideation to finished design?

Depending on what's being designed, gathering references never hurts! After that, it is crucial to my process that I get all of the bad ideas out first. This all happens (or should happen) in my sketchbooks. The sketchbook stage is quick and dirty enough so that it's low stakes when I'm on the clock—the further along in the process, the higher the level of rendering. By the end of the design process, I should have clear expressions of the design by showing orthographic and perspective views, along with callouts and examples of the design in use.

What’s one creative project that you’re working on now?

A current project I'm working on now is a set of designs that could be found in a sci-fi film noir setting. This will give me plenty of options to pursue props and set dressings with a sci-fi twist!

You can follow Curtis on Instagram and view his portfolio. You can also contact him here. 

Interested in being interviewed for a future issue of Creatives Anonymous? Fill out the form here. 

Next week, I’ll have my first guest author, my friend Kara Detwiller. Kara writes Wishful Working, a weekly newsletter exploring self-employment, anti-hustle culture, and the future of work. I’ll also be writing an essay featured in her newsletter next week, so make sure you’re subscribed to her newsletter so you don’t miss it. Subscribe here.

CREATIVE CORNER

• 🎞️ What I’m Consuming: Martha on Netflix. 10/10 recommend.

• 💡 What I’m Loving: Using a pocket notebook for jotting thoughts on the go.

• 🎨 What I’m Working On: I’m two months behind on memory keeping, so I need to catch up before I start my annual Christmas card project.

• 💭 Weekly Musing:

Thank you 💕

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I’m so grateful for all of your support!

Alexa Phillips is a writer, brand strategist, and multi-passionate creative. She is the founder and Chief Brand Architect at Bright Eyes Creative, a creative studio that helps creatives monetize their zone of genius and creativity.

Where to find me:

• Join the waitlist for my new offer, Musing to Monetized, launching soon!

• Listen to my recent podcast episodes here

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