Eric Kim: "Eternal Return to Creative Every Day" | Talks at Google

I. Want. To take a minute to introduce Eric. Kim he, is a good, good friend of mine just so happened to be my random roommate first year of college. And. So. Eric, started, off in tech actually, and then very quickly realized, that he did not want to do that and he quickly, pivoted, to the, much more exciting life of the. Professional. Photography. So. Nowadays, he, travels the world and puts on professional, photography, workshops, for. Aspiring, street photographers, and pretty much any photographers, that just want to learn more about being creative every, day he's, also a big proponent of the. Open source movement and so he's released, quite a few of his books open. Free online, and, he has some books on Amazon, and through his store it's also a big entrepreneur, he's, started. A photography, social platform as well, as opened, up a physical goods store so he's got, lots of things going on thank, you so much for coming and without further ado please help me welcome Eric, Kim. All. Right how's everyone feeling good. All. Right so raise your hand if you had your morning coffee already. Lunchtime. Coffee all, right so I'm just gonna try my best to make this not as boring as possible because. I don't want to put anyone to sleep so first and foremost thank, you guys so much for coming danke Kevin, everyone at Google Cindy, for making, this possible I'm. Super, excited to be here because I. Think. All of you guys you know I met some of you guys at the door first. And foremost I consider, all of you guys artists, artists. In the sense that we're. All born as artists. As children like Picasso said and, according. To his quote how, do we remain, artists. As we get older because I do think that once you go to school it's. Like oh test taking tests taking taste test taking so the creativity is kind of a little bit beaten out of you and Michael. As a, person. And you, know grown child and artist is that as I'm, getting older I actually. Tried to become more childlike, as I get older rather. Than becoming more adult like so, first and foremost. Everyone. In this room so, we're, here about creativity so I just want to ask you guys so, why. Do you think creativity is important. So. Why do you think creativity is important.

Yeah. I'm gonna be one of those bad teachers, but the rule is if you don't make eye contact with me I'm gonna call you yeah. Is. It on okay, so. Why is it important to become or, to be creative. Well. That. Depends on what, you consider important. I think if, you consider. Happiness, and joy and inspiration, to. Be important then you'll want to be creative because without that you. Know life is just kind of, you. Know you just do what, you have to do you go through the motions, raise. Your hand if you like to be happy. All. Right who's not reason okay, can, you throw the box to somebody randomly, and then have them answer. Yeah, toss, it over right, so why is creativity, important, to you all right if you're creative. You, get to have variety, in, your life and express. Something. That you want to express is, there a certain something you want to express. Certain. Images, or like a picture. A nice picture that I want to capture or, something like do you like the target and. You trying alright raise your hand if you like photography or drawing or Oh awesome. Okay good you guys at the right talk can, you toss it to one more person on that side yeah toss it over. Coby. Okay all right so the reason why you want to be creative every day is because you, consume every day and. To. Balance out your. Energy. And bounce off the universe you also need to create yeah. I like, that what's your name. Huh. I'm. Eric by the way Hey so, I. I definitely, think that that's, probably the most important, thing that I actually is going to be one that talks the, points on the socks oh sorry, my presentation, style I'm, a little bit all over the place is that okay with people's cool. So essentially. I'm just going to drop some tips and ideas so, one. Of the big ideas I want to share is very, much, summit to your point is, we're. Consuming. Most of the time so I'm, an American I was born, and raised here you know I like my Costco hotdogs and everything and I. Would. Say I'm the ultimate, sucker for consumerism. I see I'm driving on the freeway I see an Aston Martin ad lib oh I would like one of those or like you know I see an iPhone I have my own like one of those and I, think the reason I think, consuming. Is important, because if, I didn't have my avocado toast I probably wouldn't have energy to live. My days however. I'm. Proposing. This notion of. The. Opposite of consumerism. Which. Is, producer. ISM, meaning. We, derive our happiness, from, producing, things from, producing, artworks and I say artwork in a very general sense it could be dance, it could be poems. It could be photographs, it could be drawings, anything. That you create, is creative. And the, what, I'm going to try to encourage, in this talk is that first of all all of us work create, tours and the, more we create the more creative it is we are it's, not like you're a born creative and you're not born creative we're, all creative, in here and so I just want to give you guys some practical, and also some philosophical talks, on the, point okay I have. One of these. All right, so. Cool. So I'll just tell you a little bit about my personal life story so, my name is Eric Kim 31. Years old went to UCLA studies sociology and, the, reason I got into photography was, I. Feel. That photography, is. Augmented. Reality is, that with, the camera, I could. Actually experience, life rich, or fuller it's like you remember when you went from like 540 to like 4k.

It's, Like the world just looks so much more vibrant and, I'm. One, of those people that I'm prone on getting, bored easily raise, your hand if you get bored easily yeah. Right so to. Me the world looks so much more interesting with the camera I'm a big fan of black-and-white photography because, it. Makes the world look different than what, it actually is and study sociology was, super fascinating, for me because you, know believe. It or not I like people and. The primary, interests I have a street photography, and it was cool because I was able to cross. Pollinate my, interest in photography in, sociology. So, photography, plus sociology, I discovered. Street photography and that's also another notion I want to share too is that I think. All of us we. Are. Full-stack. Artists. Or visual, artists so whether you pain whether you draw whether you sketch whether you photograph it's, not like oh I'm a photographer I'm an illustrator I'm, a whatever, it's. How, can you take these different things, that you're interested in and combine, them to, create a new form of art which is authentic, to you so for example I really. Like music and I started playing around with GarageBand to. Make my own beats because I would just rip instrumentals. Off youtube for. -. You know from rap music videos and I always all you get these copyright, infringement on my all is so annoying but, it was actually a good moment, because I'm like oh maybe I should make my own beats open, up GarageBand, and what, I did was I started making YouTube videos of slideshows. Of my photos and adding. My beats on top of it so you could kind of double-dip and so. Cross-pollination. Is something that's very important, to me so even asking you, guys in the crowd so, feel. Free to shout out so what are some passions. Or creative interests, everyone here has so. Cycling. What else, sowing. Huh. Fashion. Okay, yeah what. Else. Cooking. Ooh anyone's. Hobby, eating. Eating. What else. Music. Production. Roller. Skating, roller. Skating, while cooking, this. Is Eric Kim's cross-pollination. Idea tech startup idea okay so, I. Would.

Encourage All of you the, best way to be creative every day is not, all of us so like for example my passion is photography not, all of us have the opportunity to shoot photos every day or you might not even have the opportunity to cycle every day but, how, can you use every moment of your day to be creative in a different type, of way so. This. Is a thought experiment. It's. The, notion of creative, return. To everyday and it's actually the topic of our book creative everyday Cindy, he handed. Out some copies in the the crowd the, idea is this. If. Your morning. To your night time, was. Put on loop ad infinitum. Forever. Would. This be your happiest. Heaven. Or would be your. Deepest, hell and so, you, guys know what that Tom Cruise movie where he kind of gets killed he replays his life Oh to. Bard ever dies or, Lola. The Lola running movie you guys know that movie so, the notion is if. Your. 24-hour, chunk of time from the morning to the night. How. Can I just use that 24-hour chunk, to. Live, eternally. For. Like a trillion years and be happiest, in my life so, this is the title of our book yes. Groundhog. Day yeah Groundhog, Day yeah so imagine your life is Groundhog, Day you are the groundhog. But. You're the creative ground okay so. The, the title of our book is eternal, return to creator of every day essentially. I like that day of all day creative, and you're. Making things you're learning things you're playing things is much more done, in this sense, of fun so. My. Definition of creativity before, I bore you with my definition, how do you guys define creativity feel. Free to shout it up what. Is creativity. Creating. Something unique to you I heard, sewing the BEC expression. What else. So. One huh. Building. Anything anyone like Legos growing up oh yeah. So. Huh. My. Tendency, to create I love it okay I'll use. Some extra credit points at then right so, my. Definition of creativity is very similar to you guys because I think the. Problem about creativity is that. Okay. When most people say oh you're. So creative I think what they mean to say is you, are artistically. Innovative, meaning. You, create art forms that no one has witnessed before and therefore you're different from us normal peoples however, I much, prefer a very much more pragmatic definition. Of creativity is a tendency, to create a creative. Person is somebody, who creates a lot and this is this analogy I'll give very California have. You guys ever seen an avocado tree. Do. You guys did, you did you actually know that all the colors came from trees. True. Story. If. I had to offer called a tree and it. Made lots of avocados. That's. A good avocado tree right. Or. Else we wouldn't have our avocado. Toast it would be a nightmare so. You. Are the Haggadah, tree. The. Avocados, you produce are your artworks, so, the more avocados. You could produce the. More creative you're the more you produce and this is also tied into this notion of producer, ISM the more you produce generally. The happier yarn so, this is a picture of my mom so to me, my mom is my ultimate, life. Inspiration, she's in a field of flowers with, our phone and she. Is the one who I really find inspiration, from because she's, always smiling and she's creative every day she, was using her phone she's, knitting she's. Making. Artworks which bring. Her joy and she's. Like xx she's like in her 60s now but she is kind of like a big, grown child and I really relate with that and this. Is a philosophical, question that I have is why, create. I. Think. A. Life. In which you're creating. All the time, I feel like this is the only life worth living, if. You had a life in which you could not create to me this would be actually my deepest hell and I, think consuming.

And This is this is why I see it consumerism. Is important, because you must consume food ideas nutrients, once again avocado, tree analogy, your, roots need to go down into the earth and you, need to draw nutrition, from the soil from the water from, the sunlight so, you need, nutrition, however. You're. Consuming, in order, to create in order to produce so the ultimate goal is for you to create, stuff so whether you, create a photograph, whether you create a book whether you create a poem even I think the active. Conversation. Could be very creative is that you're, talking with somebody and you, sharing ideas you're creating, something greater and also, I think I think I figured out the secret of happiness. It's. Just creating I'm happiest, when I'm creating when, I'm consuming, and being passive I'm actually slightly a little bit depressed. Yes. I've answered. Yep. How. Do you balance your, your, want and your need to create, versus. Also, your ego, egos. Need. Okay. So, this is a good question. I. That's, that's a fantastic, question. Oh. I'll. Repeat the question so. We. All have this desire to create but, then again there's this ego, that tells us. It's. Only worth creating, if it's good so. If you create an artwork and it's bad it's not worth creating. And, okay. So I'll tell you about how I feel about this so. Growing. Up I, always. Want to be good right and then you're always your, self censoring yourself with your ego but I think, this is actually something that you're trained is that your teachers your friends tell you that's good or bad at this point I don't, think there's such thing as good or bad art I think. There's only authentic. Art or inauthentic. Art and so, the way I say authentic, is you are the author so, if you make something that you feel like is you and it brings you joy it's authentic, if, you're making something to please the audience or, please other people I consider it inauthentic, so and whether, it's authentic, or inauthentic no, one else could judge this but you and so, for example let's say I'm getting to cycling right and. The. Question is okay it's, authentic, if I'm, cycling because it brings me joy but. If I'm just cycling because I could get some like swole ass calves and you, know show off with my you, know sweet biking. Gear to my buddies right then, maybe that's an authentic purpose, and this is also one of the reasons I had, about maybe a year and a half ago I had about 60,000, followers on Instagram I should, delete to my Instagram, because. I realized, myself the. Reason why is when photography was very inauthentic, is that you know I wanted, the likes right it's kind of that dopamine, drip of like you, know social affirmation soulful so job for me so I feel good but, I started realizing, I didn't, I no, longer made photos to please myself but, to please other people so now I think, what's actually helped me is that don't, think about the good bad binary, that doesn't exist just think of authentic. Or inauthentic binary, and whether, how, that applies to you because even if you look at, Matias, or Picasso, there, their works were very photorealistic. Good paintings, but, the older they gotten the more experienced they actually became more childlike even Matisse doing the little cutouts.

I Actually consider that his best work so I would say yeah, just think about don't. Worry about the good or bad part just think about the authentic or inauthentic part and yeah thank you please feel free to interrupt me as I go, through the talk because I think it's all good so. Another. Thing that's actually helped me be more creative every day so, a, lot, of us were working in the office all day it's hard for us to always go on make photos, another. Way you could be creative, is I'm, very much into this idea of remix in so this is one photograph that, I shot and. One. Of the tips I'll give you guys as photographers, is a. Good. Tip is in. Photoshop. Or procreate, any of those tools. Inverse, 3 images because. As you inverse your images you could actually understand, your photos in a different way and to. Even take photos you've already shot and re mixing them different that, itself is also a creative act and some. Other things I like to do is I like to add different color overlays. And. The. More I remix my images the more I feel connected, with it and the more I can understand the the. The, ways to do, it and so. Raise. Your hand if you're looking at a computer all day. Where's. Your hand you, don't know how to raise your hand but I. Was. Going to say raise, your hand if you would prefer not to be in front of a laptop take it but I'm not gonna I'm not gonna put anyone in that position ok so. And. Also. Feel free to write down notes or put notes in your phone so, another tip I have in photography. Is, Gaussian. Blur so. GA us. Si, a and blur, it's. I think it's this German, guy his name was cows, or something it's, a certain algorithm, to add a blur, to your photo which looks nice does anyone actually have a technical, definition Gaussian, blur. Right. So, this. Is the tip take, photos, that you like that you shot or when you're analyzing other people's photos and apply, a Gaussian blur another tip what you guys could do so, for us people, who have glasses take. Off your glasses take. Off your glasses. And. Look, at the image that's. Like your real life Gaussian, blur test for those of you guys blessed with good eyes what you could do is you, could close one eye. Cover. One eye and squint, until. You make your eyes look invisible. And, one, of the best ways to do the Gaussian blur test especially when looking images, is that it helps you better abstract.

The Images and better understand, composition, so, even one thing I like to do in Photoshop is apply the Gaussian blur filter you could change the. Belt. Sliders or however much you want and, then you start to fill in the image and then, what I'll do is I'll hide the back image and so this. Initial composition, we saw earlier. Abstracted. That's. Actually, kind of the visual impact that you're getting and, doing. This kind of stuff in Photoshop you. Could be in your gonna be in the office you could be on your lunch break you could just kind of be playing around with your images and also you could be playing around with other people's images so, this is actually with the Gaussian blur test inversed. To. Better even understand the images and I just kind of like it because in, photography. There's this tendency that a, photograph. Is sacred you're not allowed to kind of mess with it but I'm all for you know I love hip-hop music - and I love sampling, I think being, able to sample remix, is, able to help us all thrive creatively. So. Back to my previous point no such thing as good or bad art I think about as authentic or, inauthentic so, looking at this photo. How. Does it make you feel. Weird. But good hustle. Good. She's, smiling. Okay. Can, actually bring onstage, yeah. Come on come on yeah, you. Guys didn't know if you signed up for the tog you beep on stage. We. Got we got we got Travis Scott in the building you, going Travis all right come, on come on stage. So. Um, this. Is my camera you could drive it I'm. Putting to color for you. So. Look. Look at the photo Travis. How. Close do you think I had to be to photograph, her so. Imagine, I'm imagine, I'm the lady. Okay. Okay. So what I want you to do is, okay. So imagine me I have, a nice pro necklace red lips it's, New York City I want. You to take. That same photo of. Me so, ha, ha ha all. Right. Take the shot you're close see how close you gotta get yeah of course you gotta get okay. Ha ha ha yeah, this camera ha ha ha yeah yeah closer man no. No zoom foot zoom. Everyone. Looks at how close Travis had to get to me right so, let's see how did you do oh. Yeah. You did you did good you did good okay so let's uh let's give Travis oh Golf Club Thank, You Travis. All. Right so, this. Is also as, I'm going through this talk a lot of us are interested in photography I'll get some tips on photography, so. There's. Also this strange notion, in photography, is that we're not allowed to interact with our subjects, is that. It's, like a pristine, scene. You're not allowed to interact but I I like this is my thought whenever. You make artworks, or photographs, and I consider all photos artwork as well you're. Embedding, a little bit of your own soul, and your own personality, into the images and, anyone. Want to guess how many photos I shot to, get this photo, raise. Your hand if just one, two. Shots how, many how many how many shots do you think I shot Travis. Huh, 30. Okay can, everyone give me a drumroll. Please. All. Right so. This is something we call a contact, sheet I remember, the days, of film so, how. Many shots that issue two to make the one good photo. 29, hi yeah yours cheating. All. Right oh you, can see the numbers okay.

So. Did. I just go, down the block and see a laughing lady in photograph, er. How. Do you think I provoked, this photo. Talk. To her, you. Guys want to know the story right. So. I'm walking around New York City right. And this, is beautiful. Woman she's just walking I'm like oh my god miss you, look so amazing and this is actually another tip to is when you're photographing people you're interacting with people start. Off with a compliment, or why you find them beautiful because most people is kind of self-conscious, they're like oh you know I'm, a little bit older of a lady as he's trying to make fun of me well oh my god she looks so beautiful she's, like I'm 86, years old I'm, like you look amazing, and so, I go, up to her and I start to take photos and when. I'm taking photos I'm actually not good at talking, so I'll ask open-ended, questions oh wait coming from she's like oh I'm just kind of hanging out I go click, click. Click. Sorry. Let me set just click. Click. Click. Closer. Click, and then I'm. Obviously very awkward right and, then it's just like you're, crazy, oh that. Click. Click. I, didn't. Know I got the shot right so you this. Is also another tip is Allison, photography, when. You think you got this shot you don't always have the shot try, to shoot 25%. More than you need to shoot because, you. Kind of want to milk the scene because you're never gonna see this ever again but, what I love most about it is that you could inject your own soul into the photographs and, make. Scenes. Are interesting so. Another thing I like to do when, I'm kind of bored in my my office or whatever I'll, take photos I've already shot and I'll deconstruct, the photo and try, to simplify, simplify simplify, this, is another good tip about any form, of art whether it be writing whether, it poetry, I'm a big fan of a Zen haiku poetry -, simpler. Is better and. Like. We all know from Steve Jobs simple, is very complex to, achieve optimal. Simplicity, is very, very, difficult and very very hard but what I'm always trying to do is when I'm shooting in the scene when, you're making photos. Always. Look at the background, and try to position, yourself to simplify, the background, on the scene and generally, one of the best ways to do that is actually to get closer, to your to your photos. Anyone. Here like to write. Cool. Oh what, do you what do you like to do - right. You. Want to give her that thingy. I. Like, to journal sometimes at the end of the day just sort of write out what happened and how I felt and find, that sort of therapeutic button, can sometimes be a little creative if you, know I feel like adding a little extra to it hmm.well. Of it it's like two for one it's you could be you could be the therapy as well as the men. We, had. Right. Yeah. Yeah I. Just. Write short stories. Nice. Love. It in no one else from this I'd like, to write writers. Bloggers. Textures. Emailers. I actually. Think that email could be a creative act - Oh Cindy. Like - you like to - right - when once you give her the little box, I. Said why, do you like to write. I, I. Like the challenge, of forcing, all of my kind, of hectic thoughts into, fragments. Or sentences. So, some of you guys got this book and. One. Of the things I really encourage you guys to do is okay. This. Is what people don't realize about books. Books. Are meant to be used worn, and torn in abuse I'll, show you something that you're, not allowed to do to a book oh. No. I oh oh. My god do you see that I. Folded. That. Page god forbid you ride in it so you open it up your. Name here is creative every day and so, I feel. That one of the best ways to be created every day is not, to just trap yourself within a box. You. Through the box. This. Is not you. Your. Outside. Beyond. The. Box and do. You know why is it that everyone always tries to put you inside a box.

I'll. Tell you why. And. This is this is a little knowing, a little bit about my wife who's who just got her PhD. Knowing. A bunch of people, in academia so. I. Think. I think I have this figured out. People. Who are art historians. Or people who try to classify people they're. All a bunch of nerds who. Like to put people into boxes, because it makes them feel superior, it's like oh you know, you're, a post Martinus, writer, on neo for accordion, flips. Or, you. Know you're a black-and-white. Pre-modern. Postmodern. Inter. Modern, black, and white monochrome visual. Artist but so people, are trying to put you into a box because it, makes you understandable. By them it might some people might be confused like wait he, he's, a power lifter he does yoga and he cycles, and he's also an artist like most, people don't understand this notion and. I. Think, that all of us whether, we be writers, whether we be photographers we. Could kind of cross pollinate, mix all these these, things too and I think that all of us so once again everyone. In this room is an artist I said. It everyone. Says that oh you. Know oh I'm let's say you're a ten-part say oh what do you do I'm an artist listen no you're not say Eric Kim said I was to. Go blamin I hear Kim, the. Ultimate. Apex. Of an artist I think is the one who, combines, both the art and the technical, so, anyway here know how to code or do computer stuff, yeah. Even. Coding is it's, an active art, like, have. You ever seen a piece of code which is so sublimely, beautiful. And precisely, like that's, just like looking at the Sistine Chapel, yeah. I had. A friend who he. Studied English literature, and poetry and, he just picked up coding as a hobby and he's like one of the best coders because even. The way you know triple. Taps triple, spaces or tabs which, which ones better triple. Spaces tabs. No. Those guys got the room uh-huh. Quads. All this, guys going hard ahead you gotta take. This guy out of the room he's out of control right so. All. Of us and this is why I think photography to, me is one, of the coolest art forms it's. The most technological. Nerdy thing we could do but, also one of the most artistic, creative things we could do if Leonardo, da Vinci was alive today and you, gave him an iPhone, people. Would. Be. Out like taking, all these photos even if in photography, of honoré cartier Brisson was live you wouldn't be using a film camera he'd be out shooting with an iPhone or something else and so. Leonardo. Da Vinci was a great artist.

Individual. Whatever because. He mastered both the art and the technical he was an engineer. And an, artist even Steve Jobs I think the reason why you, know heels. So great is that he combined the, humanities, and the art so I feel that all, of us we. Could cross Pawnee both of these to become the most epic version so ours is Latin, for art technique. Which is technical. You. Become the ultimate synthesis, of both art and the technical. So. This. Is a photo my beautiful wife Cindy that's her that's right there. Photography. Photography, is fantastic. Right. I'll, you guys some practical tips so. In. Modern life you, can't go to a dinner party and, say okay you know what. Do you do right that's the question being. In LA what do you do what car do you drive those two questions right okay. So, let's. Say you go to dinner party like oh you, know what, do you do you, know what are you supposed to say I. Work. At Google it's like Oh what do you do at Google. You. Work with Sarris okay so, you're, not you can't be a dere party here like I'm, an, artist. Because. What would you really think about that guy. Pretentious. D-bag. Right. I've. Been informed, I'm not allowed to curse so I'm gonna try my best to uh, to. Not shut the front door okay so. When. I was in Kyoto I met this guy who's he's, is phrase which is super fascinating to me the, notion is visual, artist so. I, think. All of us you, know obviously we're visual people were artists, and, to type the term visual, artists in front of it it's kind of a good strategy because if you just say I'm an artist it just sounds a bit pretentious and people like because, artists whatever just because he has like silver glasses, and wears a white t-shirt and. So. But. If you're a visual artist. Then. You. Could use a camera, you could use your iPad, you, could use your phone you, could use anything, to. Create. Visual. Art forms are, y'all cool if I show you guys a quick demo you. Guys like demos yeah, all, right cool sure. Okay. So. I'm like totally totally, trolling you guys okay so can you turn on the iPad. All. Right. Raise. Your hand if you have one of these things somewhere at the home in the bathroom somewhere I feel. Like at this point we all have an iPad but we haven't figured out how to use it good right it's.

Like Oh you're watching Netflix on it or whatever I think. The iPad is, one the most underrated. Creative. Tools which, have been created that no one is actually I able. To figure out. Until. Now. So. This. Is my tip, you. Could also do on your iPhone I'm. Not gonna ask you as an iPhone because something. So the, iPhone is, fantastic. Google. Pixels fantastic. All the cameras are fantastic, but I really like the iPad because, there. Are so many different, forms of visual art you, could create with iPad so I'll just show you guys a few apps that I like to do so, one of them is. Called Zen brush to you. Open it up and. Essentially. It's, actually pretty cool so. You could just. Do. Little sketches and. Whenever. I'm kind of bored instead, of watching Netflix or whatever I'll, just kind of sit on the couch and I'll just start to sketch images, that I like and even if I wanted to show you what my view of the room looks like oh there's, some chairs here there's some chairs here, some, lights and. That's. That's this kind of how I feel and so. To. Me calligraphy, is really fascinating to me because. It's. The ultimate Zen. Way to distill, an image into its purest form and also, other tips that I have about using the Zen brush tool or whatever is. One thing you could do is. You. Could you, could look at images, that photos, you shot so this is a photo of Cindy. We're at some art museum exhibition, there's like this big apple in the the room so. What I'll do is I'll look at the image and I'll try to remember the image as best I can, I'll DoubleTap it, open. Up zero and, from, my memory. Try. To actually sketch the same image so I remember that thing and Cindy. Walking and. Someone. Might look at this like oh but that's not good oh my, it's, not even a matter of being good or not it's a matter of me being creative so then now, I could look at this. Side-by-side view I'm like okay that. Pan. Looks like that I'm like oh that's kind of cool so. This. Is this is really awesome to me because it's a good way that I could create. Some sort of forward momentum another, tool that I really love is. This. App called procreate, it, it's, on the iPad and it's also on the iPhone so, I usually do is I just open up you, know photos I scroll. Through the images and, if I like this photo in, the top right corner I'll press the I know it's not showing up here but I'll, essentially. Open. Up the procreate, app and, I'll import the image. So. I'm just gonna do this from fresh so, I'm in the gallery view and, I. Pick up this image of Cindy right so. The, way I do it is in top right corner I press, layers plus, in. The, top left corner where it says S is the lasso tool I'll. Throw. All parts of the image I like I'll press, the layers. Again left. Click that side press fill. That's. Cool, and I'll add a new layer and then I'll. Add cyan, I'll. Fill in Cindy here, real quick, filling. That layer in the, background color I'll turn this black. And. What, I'll just do is I'll hide the, initial layer and like. Well I did, that in like two seconds, and so. This. I think is a fantastic, way to be a visual artist regardless. Of what situation you're in and there's, so many different versions of this that I've done is, like even, looking at photos dive shot of shadows. And, being. Able to. Draw. Out the images kind. Of breaking it down breaking, it down. Looking. At other photos of a shot. Of Cindy here so this one here, this. Here. And. I think one of the most important, things is us as visual artists first, not to be traditionalist I think it's really important, for us to use. All the different tools we have at our disposal in. Order, to create. Images and a, simple, idea that you can all do too is you know you have a photo what do you do with it you, can upload it to your own website or your own blog I think, that's one of the most important things I'll talk a little bit about that second oh, this. Is, right. So, once again, don't. Be traditionally, don't be traditionalist, with images you could do whatever you want to your photos people say oh you can't Photoshop your photos whatever do, whatever you like you do whatever you please and. Take. All the images and, what. You and this is kind of us thinking, about this from like a computer science perspective. Is that you, can inverse the images you could fill the images you, could blur the images kind, of do whatever you, want with it so.

This. Is one point I really want to talk about all. Right is it okay if I share, a jay-z quote. Yep. We, all like jay-z. I'm. Sorry Beyonce. So. Sad okay so. This. Is a jay-z quote I love is. Until. You own your self. You, can't be free until you, own yourself you, can't be me and the, basic notion is this. If. You're an artist during an individual, you like to make stuff you. Must own your own platform website. Whatever don't. Just upload everything to Facebook, and Instagram because. I. Call. This notion digital. Sharecropping, is. When. You're taking your artworks, and just uploading to Facebook or Instagram you have no control you have no autonomy over what you're creating and probably, one that you seeis thing is to create your own website I started. My blog 2010. With. Wordpress.org. I'm all about the open source so, you know you could sign up my 101.com, or, Bluehost com build, your own website because. One. Thing that's really hurt me a lot as a photographer. Is. The. Social media treadmill, so. The notion of the social muted treadmill is this and I'll speak for my own experiences, you. Start off you're told to use Facebook, Google Instagram whatever and. You. Upload a photo and. Someone. Likes it or, follows you you really like wow, that. Feels so good. Somebody. Likes me. How. Do I get more these likes so you upload another image, oh this. Time I got five. Likes, not one like zoom what do I do different, it looks like people like black and white but so you you, start, to upload more and more black and white photos because people, like the black and white images and the wild is it happening, you're training the algorithm, and the algorithm, is also training you. Well. That's pretty good, I didn't, even stretch well. By the way I'm really into John wick that's my John wick outfit nothing. Calories. Okay and so. What. Actually happened, was you know I had like a hundred thousand followers on on, Facebook, whatever they kept tweaking the algorithm, so at this point I upload something five people might like out of a hundred thousand and so, one, of the benefits of having an open platform like your own website or your blog you, could do certain things that you can't do on Facebook or Instagram which.

Is Like disable. Comments disable. Stats, and one of the things that's actually helped me in terms of my personal self-esteem. As a photographer, visual artist is turning. Off the stats. So. Even. Though I know my blog is probably one of the most popular blogs in the internet I have no idea how many people visit my blog so. Because, with with, numbers I'm very emotional. About numbers like you guys ever look at your stock or your you, know 401k, and it went up is like green yeah the next day it goes down and regular I'm gonna kill myself like this so sad right so, I'm, I, don't know about you guys but I'm so. Emotional. With numbers, I like, I'm all about D metric hating my life so there's actually if you go onto google chrome store there's, a d metric cater app where you can actually turn off the metrics on facebook. Your email and stuff like that because numbers kind of give me anxiety I don't know about you so. I'm trying to dimetric in my life as as much as possible and so even for my website simple. Tips you're designing a website just have three things in the menu bar and keep. Your website fullscreen, super. Duper clean and we. All know what happened with sharecroppers, you thought that the land belong to you but, it didn't, so, essentially, you want to build your own website build your own platform right. So. This is not a it's. Not an ad, for Nike oh. Cool. Oh. Can. Do it can you do it oh. I. Can, do the left leg too but that'll cost you extra so I. Like, this notion of Nike. Right just do it, just. Share it it doesn't matter if it's good or it's, bad it's. Authentic, and authentic, whatever I just wanted to steal this just just share it you. Make something just, share it preferably, to your own website of your blog you, could email it to your friend you could do a group text with your family whatever it may be and. Knowing. That you. Are creative. As. Long as you created, it it's worth sharing. So I'll just give you guys some we all like the creativity hacks right, right. So. Creativity. Hack one. Creative. Constraint I. Think. That creativity, is actually born from constraints, not unlimited options so, this is just the phone the, phone option for, an entire day only. Use your phone, walk around the block and. Make photos and. I. Think a lot of us have dslr's and stuff just toss that in the drawer at home -, this. Is a very practical one any. Other coffee addicts here. Have. A triple shop espresso, if you, cannot create art after a triple shot of espresso come. Talk to me I'll give you some cold brew right I really, do you think that, drinking. Coffee does, actually help stimulate me to be more creative another. Practical, one is I'm, actually really big into internment fasting, I don't, need breakfast or lunch and actually. This is my theory. Our. Desire, to create, actually. Quite literally comes from physical, hunger, so. After I have, all you ki cream barbeque I just want to take a nap for like ten hours I have no motivation to live, on. If. I'm hungry. Other, guys crazy right so if. I'm hungry. It. Motivates. Me to move because if you think about we're all hunter-gatherers. You. Only move because, you're hungry and you want to like you know hunt something or find an avocado tree or whatever maybe right so. Try. To experiment, I mean you, know follow. You follow your own gut but allow yourself to go a little bit more hungry, so try to fast, from breakfast to lunch as you break my fast around like you know 4 or 5 p.m. and during. Those days and I'm just drinking water I'm so, much more creatively, productive, also another tip about. Blogging, and writing. Whenever. I start a blog post what I do is. I put, in a title I do an intro and before. Actually you've been writing the content, I just hit publish. That's. Crazy, huh like she hasn't even written it in these publishers, it's crazy but then what I do is I'll, write. The blog post I also like you, know let's say why creativity, is important, and then I'll do the by text oh I've, been thinking that creativity is important because to be human is create blah blah blah and I'm going to tell you why before. I tell you why I already, hit publish and it goes to the internet. Quickly. Right and so, I feel that some ways having, a little bit that creative pressure is kind of a good thing and also because I don't, have stats or anything I don't really know how anyone, is looking at it I do it so what. I would recommend is a blogger or artist. Publish. Works which are in progress I think one thing that's really cool about this book is.

It. Shows you that you know, everything, is essentially a work in progress and there's actually this really nice picture that my. Sister and that made and, it's. This, this. Page here you guys might be able to see it so. Do you see the outline of the heart. Gyah. Sketch in Illustrator and it's kind of really nice to show people behind, the scenes the making of like you know BTS, behind the scenes videos are really popular on YouTube you. Don't need to put on this false impression that everything, you create, just. Magically, came into production, share. With people your creative process and also this. Is one thing that I think is really important is that we're, all in a state of becoming we're, all in a state of flux there's, no ultimate destination. Or version of you so. I'll. Use okay if I use a Pokemon analogy. It. Shows my age right. You're. A Charmander, right now we. All want to become the Charizard, right. But. What if I want to stay Charmander. I don't. Want to be the Charizard, I'm, like Pikachu, right I don't want to don't evolve me I don't, involve me, so. He. Won't watch the episode really said I want you to watch it it's really sad so, I want. To say Pikachu, forever, I don't ever want to become a writer I don't want to evolve into that other final, destination it's kind of like hood maybe and so. We're, always in a constant, state of flux we're always kind of changing we're always just kind of always in beta mode and this, is one thing that I think it's very important, to think you'll. Never be good. You'll. Never be great, and that's not even the point the point is for you to just keep, creating you. Know I'm beta testing, and that's tech nerd, talk, it's, like. Gmail. Is a beta product for what like 10 years, others. This go beta is. It uh-huh. Naima. Okay so. Us, we're, always in, beta mode so even, like if I'm cycling and, I'm cycling up the hill the question is in like for, me to like. I want to be faster today as a cyclist, today then I was yesterday. Or maybe a year ago like I might not be ever as fast as who's. The guy who did the the. Scandal thing Lance. Yeah Lance although over at Lance Armstrong but that's okay and so, realize that you're always in beta testing mode and that's good sure, your art works while you're in beta, testing mode and this. Is a picture of Cindy and. You. Know I'm just gonna kind of skip around so, okay. If. I could distill why I do what I do, is this. Each. And every one of you guys in this crowd you guys have a unique life story you have unique set of circumstances, you have this epic, power, within, yourselves to create, great artworks but. I think, a lot of us have been trained not to do that and also sometimes it's like okay as photographers, artists right you go out make photos you have images so what do you do with your photos just dump, it to Facebook or Instagram so. I'm, like I believe in Gandhi's quote you know become the change which, you wish to see in the world so I essentially, created a platform of my friend it's called ARS beta comm you. Upload images, and you actually give constructive critiques, to people's photos because I think one, of the big problems with social media is. You. Upload a photo to Instagram or Facebook and it's not like server follows you and it's like kind of a pound on the back but, no one ever gives you constructive, critique on how to improve, your work or this also the cool thing you could go on ARS beta comm and you could actually leave. Construct, critiques to other people's photos so you're actually helping people to, even help somebody or give constructive, critique I think that is also a. Creative, act as well so, you guys check it out if you have time later ours be a calm and, so. That's. Essentially the the nitty-gritty, of my talk thank, you very much for listening we'll just switch, it to Q&A thank, you very much. Does. Anybody have any questions. Hi. Yeah. I love the tips especially the one about the starving, artist I can definitely, empathize with that huh. So. If. Everyone, is like, tapping. Into what. Seems to be your ideal heaven and just, you know create, turn, off the metrics just kind of shouting, into.

The. World, isn't. Isn't, that gonna mean that like I mean I think we already are. Flooded. With. Artworks, music. So I like the amount uploaded. To YouTube and Facebook is it's like much more than anyone could possibly consume, in a lifetime if. Like every second so. Like. I want to go back to your first question of, why. Create, like is it purely, of just a selfish act because like when I first started out in music I thought you. Know like I was very inspired, by works, like Bach. Things that I'm lasted for centuries and. When, I was very young I had a delusion. That I might create something that lasts but now I have zero expectation. Of creating. Something that lasts yet I'm much much happier in. The creation process you. Know I don't. Care about my metrics, but, in, a way it feels. Like. Selfish, which you know children are kind of inherently didn't, keep me the box yet your response so. I'm, just got talking to this because it makes me feel like more like I was here. That's. That's, a fantastic question so. What's. The purpose in making artwork if more most likely a you're, going to be. Swept. Into this. Ethereal. Cloud. And just kind of dissipate and it's not gonna last whatever okay so, this. This is my I've I figured, this out. I got. Your answer Kate. First. And foremost, selfish. Is not synonymous with evil. Right. So I love I love philosophy, Danny J is my best friend I think. So. In some ways as artists being selfish. Is the most self last thing you could do so this is my this is my thought the, more selfish, you could be in focusing, on your own artworks, and making ourselves happy or whatever and then. Sharing that with others is probably one of the best things that you could do and also, the. Notion of making something timeless so it's very tricky right like do. You want to last 5 minutes 10 minutes 10, years 100, years a thousand, years 10,000 years I mean we, still read Homer but I don't. Think anything is meant to last forever there's in terms of durability, there's certainly some things will surely last longer than others but who knows like let's, say you you make, some music and that I listen to it and then my best friend is Kanye West and I tell Kanye oh you know I was talking to this guy at Google and then he told me this beam and then and then and he turns into it so anything. You Creighton you share and interact with other humans in some. Ways it actually does live on eternally through, people's memories, through actions, whatever and, this. Is just my philosophy. Is that if you do it and you like it it's good to, share with other people if if, you share your artwork, and even it has a point zero zero zero zero one percent chance of changing someone's life I think it's kind of worth it or even, if it has a 1%, chance of making someone smile a little bit for the day that, might have these huge, like butterfly, effects like I listen to your music it put me in a good mood I was happier two L's nicer to my wife my, wife was nice to her her, her friends and they're nice if it's so like it becomes like one of those movies where it's like the butterfly, thing. So. Keep. Making her music, I think. It's awesome. Yeah. Brings, you down so, we're just like creating for the students that's. That's a good question so I, think. It's. It's tricky because this is my theory I think. My. Ideal is 90%. In time we're producing 10%, in time we're consuming so, I love I love to listen to music I, love listen to Kanye. I like watching motivational, videos on YouTube whatever but. So, I think that, we. Still need to consume if you'd never consumed, any food you would die so. I feel like the same is with artworks you create music you share with other people, they. Consume, it if it makes them feel better it's good I mean obviously not everyone is gonna like it but even, if 10, people listen, to your music and one of them was like you.

Know Box. Gran-gran grandson, I feel. Like that's the right audience I saw, some questions here yeah, so. I see, you re. Mixing your art at. What point, do, you know when to stop or, do. You make multiples. And them, and how do you decide. Which one's the one you want to like present, well that's very good question, so what do you know when to stop very, simple thing stop, when you're bored. It's. Very simple like for. Me only. Artwork, that you make that's made in a spirit of fun and play I think it's actually worth. It so for, me I just keep remix, in it and then, once, it feels good or I like, it it's done it's, like very it's a very simple metric and once I get bored I just stop it's also like writing, to I know when to stop writing because the second I get bored with it I think, other people will, get bored with it so I that's when I when, I stop so, I also like that the jay-z song like on to the next one I make. Something I share it I don't dwell on it too long too long I'm like I'm more interested in I think I'm going to create next than that that thing afterwards great question, and. I wanted to ask how. Do you present, it and when you, are. Be mixing so many things and you like multiples, do you show well, that's. That's a very good question, so one thing I like to do this is a very practical thing so on wordpress.org. Or, wordpress.com, whatever, there's. This function called tiled. Gallery TI. Led, gallery, and it's, it makes a collage of all images so actually what I'll do is I'll, upload, the, tiled collage, within a blog post and though shoten version the same thing and to me like she really liked that because I like it when you. Know chef, Gordon Ramsay text me into his kitchen his I this is how you make the best. Waffles. Or. You. Big waffles right, so I kind, like the making up so it's almost like I like, to share with other people my creative, process and to me is actually very empowering because sometimes. I look at artists, and, I'm like oh I can never be that good because this, guy's like a demigod and I'm just like a nobody but, then you see how much work they had to put into they even this book in the front cover this, this book took me Cindy. My um my sister Annette, and also mother, sister Jennifer, it took us like three hundred sixty hours combined all of us we, rented to Airbnb for two weeks in Kyoto we, drink like 20 million, cups of coffee and we produce this book so, just kind of realizing, that so, you as an artist when, you create things share with other people hey this took me a lot of time is difficult these are my iterations, I think it's good to share your iterative, like you know we talked about like it or, iterations. Iterate right looking, down iterate pivot, right like so sharing, with people your, iterative, process I think it's empowering to you and also your viewer hmm. Can, you talk a little a little bit about, your, process. For. Productivity. When, it comes to. For. Me teams like creativity, is something that drags me away from being. Able to do my work it's all those little threads spreading, around hmm, just, want to see how you organize. Your thoughts and how you you, know at the end of the month you get something done okay, okay so I'll give you some very, props. All so. This. Is actually very very good so this is act this actually might be the most useful part of the this talk okay so. I'll. Give you some practical, productivity. Tips because I'm like, really. Obsessed with this okay, so, I'll, give you some practical tips one. Tip, one every. Single day on your iPhone. IPad, phone, laptop, whatever try, to uninstall, one app a day. This. Will really help you Zen down and. To. Me the, best way to become productive or, to create more is actually, to eliminate, distractions I don't know what it means to be, productive, but, I know what distracts, me I know how to get rid of it even like in my mac can. I see it I don't, actually show the clock I don't even know what time it is I have, this I have this app called bartender, to hide all the icons in my computer here for. All my writing I use something called ia writer, and. It's. As minimal as typing up and I could turn this to full screen so, hey, Google guys here, is Eric Kim and I am going, to share my thoughts with you so, it, you could focus on one thing that time so 10, ways you couldn't, believe, that talking at Google, can totally, transform, your life not, clickbait. Right. And. I. Use, this tool in writing, called markdown markdowns.

Fantastic. It's super lightweight it, keeps me writing and it there's also this focus mode so I could stay, focused so you, know 10 tips right, one. Be. Eric Kim know is. Whatever I made so you could type whatever nonsense you want sub-header. One you. Know sub-header, too so ie writer is a fantastic. Tool. Another, very, practical. Tip I don't, know how you guys could do this at Google but I, really. Like this idea that the, first thing you do in the morning don't check your email. Because. This is what this is the problem with creativity, is that. I. Think, the best way to become creative, is you want to empty your mind you want to kind of like Zen. Zone like, no distractions, whatever and if. I was put in school I'm sure they would put me on Ritalin and ADHD, whatever and, so. Sleep. With your phone in a different room charge. In a different room wake, up and when, you first wake up use, that time in the morning when you're totally empty to create whatever it may be and you know how you'll actually have to share anything everything. That you create I think, that's that's really important, also. With photography, I'm a big fan of the new photos. On the on, the. Like. I used to use Lightroom a lot but I'm starting to drift more and more away from Lightroom and then just using photos and just keep everything in the favorites this. Is my little four year old niece taking. Photos of my reco so, use, the simplest tools possible. And. Yeah. I'll let's say try, to try, to get into like Zen zone like if you could wake. Up in the morning also, this is another very practical thing I'm really into powerlifting so doing, one rep max deadlifts. And squats and. Stuff when. I wake up and I go lift weights and I have that adrenaline. Rush after working out that's, actually when I feel the most creative that I just won like go home and write something so I actually, think that creativity. This is my thought this is actually cool I think, creativity might, be more of a physiological physical. Thing, than. A mental, thing so. If you want to become more creative as an artist. Maybe. Just increase, your deadlifts. No. Seriously like can you imagine right. If. You could deadlift 400 pounds, and you're. A painter shouldn't. You make much better paintings. And. Also that's why I think intermittent, fasting is good too because like if, I want to you.

Know Olive, Garden I had like 10 bowls of salad or. Not sound pasta, am. I gonna have any motivation to create artwork afterwards, so I would actually think about the physiological, side things so you know you probably know your body better than anyone else does so like you, know whatever. Foods, which, actually, nourish. You in a way that gives you energy like I probably drink 50 cups of coffee a day it works for me might, not work for you you. Might have to get the EKG the bad. Thing so, I would actually think about. Focus. On your physical health. Please. Take a moment to thank Eric Kim for coming. You.

2019-08-23 09:17

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