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CHL member Allen J. Clements of Otaku Motion Digital Media Group.
Beat Winter Blues
Winter is fast approaching and for this native Southerner the most telltale sign is the gray skies coming in overhead, not to mention the exponential temperature drop. This forces me indoors and gives me a bit of the doldrums. I found myself thinking of things I could do to maintain my creative summer momentum and think of this as the perfect share-space.
First, I take a look at my browning lucky bamboo plant. It hasn’t been watered regularly. It’s healthy, certainly, but needs a little TLC and maybe a bigger container. I’m ready to find some less-than seasonal plants, some greenery for the office. This will give me a bit of an outdoor feel and help oxygenate the room.
I look at the blue/grey light coming through the large windows and frown as I observe how it makes everything look and feel. I’m thinking that the blinds are going to be drawn on these grey days (which will be most days until March.) As an alternative, I went down to my local housewares shop and picked up some natural light bulbs, which I’m going to set into the fixtures. I bring an old lamp from home to warm up the room a bit. It’s got an off-white yellowish shade, which should up the color temperature to that side of the spectrum.
In film and video, the director of photography and varied technicians work to make sure the color temperature is relatively flat. This is called balance or white balancing. If another style is desired, one may want to shift the color temperature to yellows and reds, especially to compensate for florescent lighting. Perhaps the look you want is cold and dreary…lightened for grays, shifted to blue, lower the frame rate… etc.
The long-tube florescent lights are blue and green and flicker at such a rate that really strains the eyes and sets people at a state of alert that is counterproductive and especially counter-creative. If it all possible, remove, turn off, or gel these lights.
Other ideas for décor may be, long bamboo stalks, bowls of fresh fruit, pictures or paintings of summer days (or even particularly beautiful, well-taken winter ones). And bring the dog to the office to give you some warm youthful company.
Many creative-types take the 15-minute roundabout when they need a bit of inspiration, but at this time of year we may be chained to the chair. Last year, I heard about the idea of keeping a box full of textures. This could be an exploratory walk while still staying at your desk, in your cubicle, or small office. I recommend taking a piece or two and taking it for a walk down the hallway. Mine has faux fur, a twig with an acorn hanging off of it, various paper and other composites and more. Also on my desk, visible but slightly out of the way, are a number of toys with textural qualities. Even if your medium is flat, textures are where we get our detailed inspiration! So inspire yourself by collecting these small things.
You are invited to increase the water-cooler time. Get inspiration from your fellow humans. I am not suggesting that you shun the winter and replace it with a fake summer. It’s just that most offices aren’t set up to embrace the winter. Window tints are often meant to reduce light for cooling purposes, neutral colors do little to brighten or warm a room, and as I said before, those fluorescents are killer.
Best of luck staying motivated and creative this winter!