As the new year approaches, we begin to evaluate our past year. We look at our successes and failures and begin to draw some lessons. Inevitably, these thoughts lead us to put together some goals or resolutions for the new year.
As church creatives, we should always strive for excellence. We should look for ways to grow and improve our skills. There are a lot of opportunities for us to grow in 2020, and I’d like to highlight 4 goals church creatives should add to their new year resolution list for 2020.
Have the Confidence
Creatives tend to have a strong case of imposter syndrome. We have this lurking feeling in our mind that one day, people are going to figure out we don’t know what we are doing; people are going to realize we are fake.
You are not a fake
You are not an imposter
You are made in the image of God and that means you bear the spark of creativity. Don’t let the Deceiver steal away the confidence you have in Christ. God has knit you together and equipped you to do the work that He has set you apart to accomplish.
For 2020, set a goal to overcome imposter syndrome and rest in the confidence you have as an image bearing creative!
Sketch More
The ability to create new ideas is a process. We move from an initial concept through iterations until we land on some ideas that will work.
The fastest way to iterate is to sketch. Create as many idea doodles as you can. Let one doodle lead to another to another to another.
You don’t have to be an artist to sketch.
Sketching is about getting ideas out of your mind and letting the imagination flow. Sketches spark ideas and lead you down interesting paths. Sometimes these paths lead to new ideas that become inspired.
At Design Revival 2019, Alicja Colon challenged us to let curiosity fulfill our passion. The idea was to stop trying to find our passions and start being curious. Follow ideas and inspiration will follow.
Sketching is a way to let curiosity lead to inspiration.
New Tools
A creative needs a good toolkit. No matter where you are on the creative spectrum, you need to develop a set of tools. The tools allow you to translate ideas into a design that effectively communicates.
If you are a beginner, learn Canva. It is an easy way to learn the basics of design and put out some quality work.
If you want to expand the toolkit, look into pro-grade software. Learn Illustrator or Photoshop. Take the time to invest in your toolkit.
For 2020, set a goal to learn a new tool for your toolbox. Hop on YouTube and begin watching tutorials. Get a subscription to Skillshare and learn from the experts.
Professional Development
You can’t be a church creative in a vacuum. You need a team of people to inspire you, encourage you, and help work through those challenging sermon series ideas.
Your professional development should be a priority in 2020, and here are some suggestions.
Join a Facebook Group
There are several amazing Facebook Groups for church creatives. The value of the group is the ability to learn and get support from other church creatives. They can give you feedback on design concepts, offer suggestions on software, and help in a variety of ways.
I am a part of Church Communications, Small Church Communications, and CRTVChurch Group, to name a few.
Design Revival has a group of fellow church creatives who are working to help you use design to better communicate the Gospel.
Attend a Conference…or Two…or Three
A great way to be inspired and have your creative batteries recharged is to attend a creative conference. Conferences are ways to make connections with other church creatives, be inspired, and learn skills. They also have the tendency to help pull you out of imposter syndrome.
It is amazing watching people meet other creatives and begin discussing their work and process. It helps you see that “professionals” are just as insecure and struggle with the same things you struggle with.
Conferences are great checkpoints throughout the year to refresh and recharge.
Design Revival 2020 is in August. It will be two days of speakers and workshops that will inspire and equip you to use compelling design to communicate the Gospel. You will interact with and learn from amazing church creatives and designers.
If you’re looking for a church creative conference to attend in 2020, there is a great list on Church Motion Graphics.
New Year Goals
Setting goals for 2020 is an important step in growing and becoming a more effective church designer and communicator.
What are your goals and resolutions for 2020? Share in the comments and let’s encourage one another along the way.