DC Duke

26/02/2021

23/02/2021

Don't wait. Create. Publishing used to be hard for creatives. Musicians for example had to get signed by a label, get massive marketing dollars behind them and have a music video shot for MTV. In this instance, taking time to make every song on your album 'PERFECT' makes a lot of sense. Because if the album tanked you'd just wasted a ton of money getting it out there.

Today though, there is no cost for publishing. You can share your music or art on digital platforms for free. So publishing your work becomes more about experimentation. You create something you love and just see if it resonates with anyone. Maybe no one engages, maybe lots of people do. Maybe one piece of work is really popular and another isn't. And because you have the freedom to experiment, you can improve your work a lot quicker than if you sat on it for 6 weeks and shared a 'perfect' version of it.

If you find yourself romanticising the way things have been done in the past, be aware that you could be missing out on so many insights from your audience and opportunities to improve. Don't wait. Create.

16/12/2020

How Santa dresses when he comes to Durbs for Christmas.

15/12/2020

What's your favourite part about Christmas?

14/12/2020

This is how the rugga buggas wear their Christmas stockings boet. Link in bio.

08/12/2020

Kicking off the festive season with SA's favourite Christmas carol 🇿🇦🎶

02/12/2020

🇿🇦 Christmas isn't all about sleigh bells and snowflakes China. We're celebrating with proper South African goodies this year.

Available now. Link in bio.

01/12/2020

The festive season isn't all about snowmen and reindeer cuzzie! South Africans are proudly celebrating the summer side of Christmas this year.

Really stoked to share this fun project showcasing some SA themed Christmas goodies. Link in bio

01/12/2020

The festive season isn't always about snowmen and reindeer cuzzie! South Africans are proudly celebrating the summer side of Christmas this year.

Product Design,Pattern Design

31/10/2020

A lot of people don't start down a creative path because they believe it's really hard to come up with something out of thin air. They believe that creating means bringing something into existence that no one has ever seen before.

Thinking this way is going to keep you from getting started. It's more accurate to say that creativity is about taking something old and finding something new within it. Or even about creating a new relationship between two or more unrelated things.

If you look closely at any creative work that you love, you'll see there's nothing completely new there. Harry Potter is a great example. How did JK. Rowling come up with an entire world of witchcraft and wizardry? She didn't. She took existing stories around witches, wizards, elves, magic and made it relatable by making modern kids the stars of the story.

Don't be afraid of the blank page, because it's never really blank, there's always some existing elements to work with and mould to make your own unique piece.

Keep creating

29/10/2020

As creatives, a lot of the time we want recognition for our work...we want to share what we've done and for people to gush and say things like "Whoa! Mind, blown. You're so fricken talented. How did you come up with such a novel and insightful idea? It makes me question the whole world and my insignificant place in it."

The reality? Many times you get a reaction that flops like a hacky sack on a highway. Some people can barely summon the strength to part their lips, raise their eyebrows an inch and mumble "Oh...Cool". You expect a standing ovation, but get a smile and some air swiftly blown out of their nostrils.

How....dare they. How does this person not understand the magnitude of the artpiece, the song, the film the whatever you've made? Can't they see the blood sweat and fears you've put into this masterpiece? Can't they see that you're making an astute observation on societal norms and twisting it to create a narrative that simultaneously delights and terrifies the audience as it deconstructs and reinforces those very same norms?

No they can't.
Why?

1. Because they're not your audience. Yes we want to reach people, but you can't reach everyone. In fact, a really great piece of creative will always have extreme lovers AND extreme haters.

2. You're not communicating correctly. Perhaps you're missing a key part of how to connect with your audience. It could be the language you use, it could be a visual treatment, it could be an instrument choice. Find a way to be more self aware and understand how people perceive your work. Find that sweet spot where what inspires the audience, is also what inspires you.

Keep creating.