After I finished art school in the mid-90s, I reunited with a high school friend who was into computers. He would talk about the Web, and how to make websites using code. He got me into HTML, and we created websites using the GeoCities and AngelFire web services. I went back to school in the late 90s and took HTML courses and learned Web design basics. It was part of the reason I got hired at my first design job.
When a new web technology presented itself, I tried to jump on board. The goal wasn’t to be ‘successful’ at it. It was to see if I could figure it out, and make something. OpenDiary, Blogger and LiveJournal were early blogging platforms that I jumped on.
When podcasting became popular around 2006, I set out to make one with the tools available to me. I made my recordings, edited them, figured out the RSS component and released them.
When YouTube started getting popular, I made little videos. When MySpace, Friendster and Facebook gained steam, I jumped on those as well. I started streaming on Twitch. I made Vines. My Twitter account would’ve been 18 years old this month had I kept it.
Each one of these things, including others I haven’t listed, I failed at, in various forms. I was satisfied in knowing that I can build it, or use it, and see what makes them viable for potential creative output. It’s better to know not only what is holding people’s attention, but to understand how people are using these various methods for creative means.
Knowing these things sharpens the creative instinct. It can be applied to various other challenges. It can inform creative decisions.
I may fail, and fail again at these things, but I have a fun time tinkering on my own and learning about them.
