The Creative Condition podcast

Ep 208: The creativity checklist part 1 - optimal creativity for the new year

Part 1 of a list of considerations for maximising your creativity, distilled from the forthcoming 'The Creative Condition' book. Out March 28th 2024.The show is supported by Illustration X: https://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.com

Ep 207: Idling for better creativity & a fulfilling life with ’Idler’ Magazine editor Tom Hodkinson

The human mind is not equipped to cope with the information overload we all experience in out western lifestyles. We burn out and stagger through our lives paying bills, consuming, neglecting, and misunderstanding our creativity to the detriment of our happiness and fulfillment.In 1993 Tom Hodkinson founded 'Idler' magazine - a publication dedicated to calling for a slower, more wholesome way of life, questioning the earn and spend ethic. Tom joins me to discuss most of modern life, with special attention paid to creativity and idling.The show is supported by Illustration X: https://illustrationx.comhttps://idler.co.ukhttps://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.com

Question 1: When starting again, how valid is a portfolio full of personal work?

The first in a series of audience question-focused episodes of the podcast. This one is from designer Steve Cardwell, wondering about the validity of a portfolio comprised of personal work when starting afresh, or changing direction in an arts career.Any further responses to the question, questions for future episodes, or opinions on the question-based format are most welcome!Supported by Illustration X, who represent the best of global illustrators and animators at https://illustrationx.comHosted by Ben Tallon, https://bentallon.comThe Creative Condition book will be out in March 2024https://defaultica.com/

Ep 206: Murugiah, interdimensional artist *not* talking h0rseshit about ever-evolving creativity

In 2018 I met Murugiah for episode 102 of The Creative Condition Podcast. He had results, and he was freelancing successfully as an illustrator and artist, but there was a fragility about him. The earliest seeds of his current, flourishing art style were starting to flower, but they were mere dots in the soil.In 2020, on 'Cabin Cast 5', bright green buds had emerged, and spots of colour were trying to push out.Now as we stare down both barrels of 2024, he returns and things are in full bloom. And yet, he says he's been talking utter h0rseshit this entire time. I disagree, and we get deep into how it all feels, why we can never truly feel satisfied, and how we go about juggling all the parts of a freelance career in the creative industry.Please consider subscribing and reviewing The Creative Condition podcast on your preferred platform. The show is supported by founding sponsor Illustration X. Indulge yourself in their global range of artists, illustrators, and animators now at https://illustrationx.comHosted and produced by Ben Tallon. Https://bentallon.comToday's guest can be found at: https://murugiah.com/https://bentallonwriter.comhttps://instagram.com/bentallon

Ep 205: Design leadership and making large scale change with Designit’s Christine Pizzo

Designit is home to 700+ designers, analysts, brainstormers, creators, doers, dreamers, explorers, geeks, leaders, learners, lovers, mamas, papas, renegades, strategists, marketers, tree-huggers, visionaries, question-askers with diverse expertise and perspectives working together to solve complex problems.I'm joined by their head of design and creative in the Americas, Christine Pizzo as we get into large-scale design for positive change, design leadership, motorcycles, and the role of tech in our lives in the 21st century.As ever, the show is supported by the founding sponsor, illustration and animation agency, and b-corp Illustration X. illustrationx.comhttps://www.designit.com/aboutbentallon.combentallonwriter.comMusic by Dirty Freud:open.spotify.com/artist/2c5NcXidirDDqL3sc3vW8S

Creative Stories #2: I stole a shark drawing - creative education book excerpt

An excerpt from 'The Creative Condition' book about creativity in education, including the story of stealing a child's drawing.You can back the book on Kickstarter here with just 4 days left to get your advance, contributor copy: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/creativecondition/the-creative-condition-bookAs ever, the show is supported by the founding sponsor, illustration and animation agency, and b-corp Illustration X. https://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.comMusic by Dirty Freud https://open.spotify.com/artist/2c5NcXidirDDqL3sc3vW8S

Ep 204: GUTS. The vital role of gut health in creativity with microbiologist Zuzanna Karwowska

We hear it all the time, 'You are what you eat!' - but how seriously do we take our diet when it comes to our mental health? For the longest time, for me, the answer was 'not very.'We identify a raft of other aggressors when it comes to our moods, but we are living organisms and we require constant good nutrition to operate at our best.As part of the November mental health special episodes, following on from Kimberley Wilson on ep 202, I'm joined by microbiologist Zuzanna Karwowska. Zuzanna works with machine learning to study the gut microbiome. She lays out just how critical gut health is to our mood, our brain health, and therefore, our creativity, and gives us a snapshot of the life of a microbiologist!As ever, the show is supported by the founding sponsor, illustration and animation agency, and b-corp Illustration X. https://illustrationx.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/zuzanna-karwowska-768967a5/To back 'The Creative Condition' book Kickstarter, head here. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/creativecondition/the-creative-condition-bookhttps://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.com

Ep 203: How I Found Out I Could Write Books

During a recent appearance on Adobe's 'Creative Connections' show by Kladi Vergine and Elise Swopes, an audience member asked me how I discovered I could write, given that I'm an illustrator.I wanted to elaborate on my concise answer with a longer form consideration of my author timeline.Back 'The Creative Condition' book on Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/creativecondition/the-creative-condition-bookThe Creative Condition is sponsored by Illustration X. You can see their global roster of artists, illustrators, and animators at illustrationx.combentallon.combentallonwriter.com

Will I Ever Feel Comfortable Pricing My Creativity? Design Week x Ben Tallon column

Column 7 in the ongoing series of articles written by The Creative Condition host and illustrator Ben Tallon.Exploring the nature and behaviour of creativity, the latest looks at vulnerability and it's potential value in sending the right message to potential clients.You can read any of the previous columns at designweek.co.ukThe Creative Condition is sponsored by Illustration X. You can see their global roster of artists, illustrators, and animators at illustrationx.combentallon.combentallonwriter.com

Ep 202: Nutrition, whole body mental health & creativity with psychologist Kimberley Wilson

We all know - on some level at least - the importance of good nutrition for good health. But how many of us equate it to effective creativity? It took me the longest time to start eating, every day, to fuel a firing brain, and positive mood, to give myself the best chance of hitting my optimal performance zone.It's been a revelation, and that was in part to do with Kimberley Wilson. Kimberley is a psychologist specialising in nutrition, who educates about 'whole body mental health.'Kimberley's life-altering book, 'Unprocessed: How the Food We Eat is Fuelling the Mental Health Crisis' paints an equal part frightening, and revelatory picture of how severe the lack of nutritional education is, and what it means for all of us.We discuss many of the topics, and what we can do to improve our health for better creativity.https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/unprocessed-how-the-food-we-eat-is-fuelling-our-mental-health-crisis-kimberley-wilson/7073333?ean=9780753559741https://www.kimberleywilson.co/aboutThe show is supported by founding sponsor and B-Corp, Illustration X: https://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-tallon-a822a725/