#59: Jordan Gray — Creative Friction, Storytelling in Design, Passion Projects & the Beginner Feeling
Description
Jordan Gray on creative friction, the fine line between passion projects and work, storytelling in design, and overcoming the beginner feeling.
Jordan Gray works as a Visualization Specialist at Hanbury.
Architecture and design always have a narrative—an evocative, deeper meaning. From napkin sketches, to drawing sets, to post-construction marketing, each medium for client communication is key to architectural storytelling. I've always had a passion for the visualization toolset, recognizing how renderings, photography, and filmmaking go hand-in-hand with the design process. It's my proverb to practice openness to new methods when there's a better way. Always explore; always collaborate.
Links
Gray Collab - Jordan’s renderings, photography, and film. Started while freelancing.
Jordan on Vimeo
Carolina Day School — Asheville, NC by Jordan Gray
Kappa Achievement Park: A Place to Belong by Jordan Gray
Hanbury
xkcd: Is It Worth The Time?
Unreal Engine
Lumion & VRay
Rhino & Grasshopper 3D
Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Revit
Google Books Ngram Viewer
Austin Kleon: Pencil vs. Computer on Hurry Slowly
Books
Less But Better by Dieter Rams
Faculty Department Volume 1 by Justin Chung
The Photography Storytelling Workshop by Finn Beales
So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport
You Can’t Make This Stuff Up by Lee Gutkind
168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam
People mentioned
Chapters
- 00:00 · Intro
- 00:16 · Start
- 01:25 · How did you get into photography as an architecture student?
- 02:54 · How do you cope with not having time to pursue new things?
- 06:42 · Have you been doing much deliberate practice lately?
- 11:42 · How knowledge translates across tools and disciplines
- 18:21 · What's your personal way of maintaining growth and creativity?
- 32:13 · Does that friction become positive?
- 35:19 · Can everyone make their passion part of their work?
- 38:43 · Asking yourself "Does it feel gratifying? Is it fulfilling? Is it satisfying?"
- 44:27 · Have you been hearing about "storytelling" in your field?
- 48:17 · How can we focus on the human experience instead of other designers?
- 51:58 · How do you make sure a rebrand isn't just skin deep?
- 58:34 · What makes people feel something?
- 01:00:59 · What's most important to focus on if you want to change how you are percieved?
- 01:03:23 · How do you get to the point where people seek you out?
- 01:05:45 · The concept of the podium
- 01:09:14 · The chaos of taking pictures
- 01:13:20 · How much is just overthinking or overdoing?
- 01:14:34 · Will anyone notice the time you spend on the details?
- 01:17:23 · How do you go about capturing creative moments?
- 01:21:03 · Do you have any daily routines that make you happier or more productive?
- 01:22:45 · What would be some book recomendations?
- 01:24:59 · What would be your message to the world?
- 01:27:05 · Enjoying the process of grinding the beans
- 01:34:39 · Using your brain to design things vs just grinding mouse clicks and workflow steps
- 01:37:08 · How would you define simplicity?
- 01:42:15 · What have you learned about simplicity from making this podcast?
- 01:46:28 · Where can we find you?
- 01:50:53 · Outro
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