01. Past and Future Self

Introduction

For this exercise, you'll begin an exercise in order to start work on your statement and CV. In it, you'll think of where you've come from since approximately 5 years ago, and where you imagine yourself being in 5 years. The point of this class then, is to fill in the "present" self and figure out the form of yourself that will allow you to "pull" yourself to the future you idealize.

Step no.1, past self

Take approximately 10 minutes and think of yourself 5 years ago (2021). Think of some of the following things, they can be abstract or pragmatic as you'd like (do not feel specific pressure to answer any or all of these specifically to help your thinking if you're feeling stuck):

How much money did you make at your part-time job?
What software proficiencies (if any) did you have?
What did your portfolio look like?
What were you confident about?
What were you insecure about?
How did you express yourself? Were you emo? Were you goth?

Make a rough sketch showing this person. This can be again, as pragmatic or abstract as you'd like. It could be as an OC you created at the time, it could be a series of marks that notes your insecurity.

Step no.2, future self

Take approximately 10 minutes to think of yourself 5 years in the future (2031). Think of some of the following things, they can again, be as abstract or pragmatic as you'd like (do not feel specific pressure to answer any or all of these specifically to help your thinking if you're feeling stuck):

Do you imagine yourself with a partner? Married?
Do you picture yourself working in an office, managing other people? Freelance in a cafe? Working remotely in Thailand?
Do you picture yourself "working" in a traditional sense? Perhaps you are advocating for a cause? Talking to the host of a podcast you listen to.
Think of your portfolio, what work do you imagine in it?
Think of your bank account, do you imagne or want it to be a specific number?

Make a rough sketch of this person. This again, can be as abstract or concrete and representational as you'd like.

Step no.3, the almond

Now take the images that you've drawn and start thinking about the person in the middle.

Who you are now, based on where you've come from
Who you are now, based on what you'd have to start doing or changing in order to reach your idealized form.

List the steps you'd have to take in order to to get to the idealized future self. They could be again, as pragmatic or abstract as you want.

get "good" at Photoshop
overcome my fear of typography
deal with trauma related to [x]
first make $50K per year (in order to make $100K)

Step no.4, adding structure

For homework you will begin crafting these images of yourself into your statement and CV

Take all this writing and begin forming your statement from them. This could start as simply as

I am [specific kind of designer] who makes [a specific kind of work] for [a specific kind of client]

It could also include your interests.

I am a [specific kind of] designer. I am interested in [x], [y], and [z].

What will be due is the following:

Photographs or scans of the first three steps of this exercise
A list of all "stuff" you've accomplished (jobs, education, awards)
A draft of your statement (step #4)
3 examples of statements from artists or designers whose work you admire, noting what you like about them
Reaching out Write (do not send yet) an email and a social media direct message, etc, to someone you don’t know and do admire, introducing yourself to ask for a portfolio review. Think about who they are, what they might be interested in, and the reasons you admire them. Write your message accordingly, introducing yourself to this person. Make your message polite, clear, and expressive of your purpose. Think about: What are you trying to say? To whom? What is your tone of voice? How do you structure outreach differently for email vs. social media? Have this ready to print for next class.
Ask 5 friends/family members to describe you (email, text in person). Collect in one doc, print out and bring to class.