Finding Creative Focus in a Digital Environment
I spend a lot of time in in a digital environment, creating and designing using my computer as a tool, and so it becomes an extremely important space that I try to make both functional and beautiful so that it supports my creativity. Today I’d like to share two tools that I’ve found boost creativity as well as One Small Change for a greener digital life.
Concentrate
Concentrate
Concentrate is a simple and intuitive application that helps you eliminate distractions so that you can focus.
Concentrate lets you create Activities, which are groups of actions that help you focus on a task. For example, you may want to create an Art activity that quits social networks, launches your favourite software for creating art and changes your desktop to an image that makes you feel creative. If you like you can set a time for the activity.
Activities in Concentrate
Here you can see the different activities I’ve created with Concentrate.
There are activities for blogging, writing, art, economy, general focus, but also an activity that turns on social networks and my RSS-feed.
For a visually oriented person it’s wonderful to automatically switch desktop wallpaper to indicate that you’re moving into a different space. I love how it makes me feel like there are several spaces in the same digital environment, and as though I’m moving from one space to another when I switch between activities.
Below you can see my desktop dressed up with its regular wallpaper as well as the solid black I like to use when I focus on art and design.
This is software for the Mac. There’s a free demo of Concentrate and the application sells for $29 with a money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied.
Desktop for play and desktop for focus.
ColorSchemer Studio 2
ColorSchemer Studio 2
When you create art using digital tools, you use the colour wheel with its endless possibilities for selecting colours. I like to limit my palette when I start working on a piece and pick a group of colours as a starting-point. This is where ColorSchemer Studio 2 enters the scene.
ColorSchemer Studio 2 is a professional colour-matching application that helps you build beautiful colour schemes with speed and ease. It can help you identify colour harmonies, create unique palettes based on photos or images, find related colours, mix colours to create a gradient blend and work with RGB and CMYK colours in a colour-managed environment. But it doesn’t stop there.
With ColorSchemer Studio 2 you can preview colours on a variety of layouts, view colours through colourblind eyes and analyze contrast, readability, and accessibility!
This is an incredible tool for handling colour, again this is software for the Mac there is both a version for the Mac and for Windows and although the price-tag might be steep for a hobby I think it’s well worth it for professional art and design work. ColorSchemer Studio 2 costs $49.99 and there’s a free trial available.
One Small Change
Lastly, in February I’ll be making One Small Change to make my digital life more sustainable. I’ve already got my laptop set to be optimised for high energy savings, but I tend to leave it on and charging over night, so I can just flip the lid open in the morning and read my e-mail over my morning coffee. Of course it’s ridiculous to leave it on charging at night! So, no more of that.
Seashell, stones and a plug
Tags: art, blogging, climate smart, colour, creative process, Creativity, design, earth friendly, ease, eco, environment, focus, green living, Mac OS X, review, simplicity, software, sustainable, technology, utilities, Windows, Writing
WOW–quite a bit to grasp here… I think I have to scroll up and read again–LOL! Happy Days, Kate :o) ((HUGS))
Hello Tracy, yes sadly you can’t use these tools on your new Netbook, but I’m sure it’s a fantastic machine with its own merits!
Here’s to Kate unplugged. The tools you’ve found are wonderful. I like concentrate very much. Very helpful. Hope all is well.
Thank you, Valarie, and yes Concentrate is really brilliant!
genius! Concentrate is a brilliant idea, and the name is perfect. I am saving up for a Mac and when I have one, I’m getting this! I would love something that would help me compartmentalize the different aspects of computer “work”
And colour schemer studio is also a great way to start a project. I think all mediums could use something like this. Sometimes, a blank screen/sheet of paper and endless color possibilities it just too intimidadting.
And yeah, I could do a little better with unplugging at night, too.
Yes! It’s such a fantastic effect, I think part of it is that the work we do when we use a computer as a tool feels so abstract? When I get a visual payoff for finishing an activity, I really FEEL that I’ve got something done.
ColorSchemer Studio is really wonderful too, the endless colour choices can be overwhelming and make it take longer to create a palette, rather than faster!
I wonder if there are any similar applications around for Windows users?
Love what you’ve created! Now, if only I had a Mac…*sigh*
Thank you Gina! I’m trying to find out if there is anything like this out for Windows too.
The Concentrate sounds intriguing. I don’t own a Mac (yet) but I think it’s something I’d be using as I tend to get easily distracted trying to work on the laptop :) (I’ve started switching off the wi-fi to concentrate on work).
Love the pic!
That’s a smart move, disconnecting! The internet can be such a distraction! And it’s not like it’s difficult to turn it on and off!
I’ve got some good news for Windows users, I found that there IS in fact a Windows version of ColorSchemer Studio! Here’s the link: http://www.colorschemer.com/studio_info.php
Dear Kate, these are interesting softwares…thanks for sharing them with us. I like that ColorSchemer Studio 2…looks fun! Have a lovely merry happy day and love to yoU!
pretty technical stuff here for me..but you sound like you have a great plan!!
I’ll probably just continue in my wild, unorganized world.. distracted by the flutter of a butterfly wing…
heehee.. thanks for your visit!!
That sounds beautiful, Helen, to be distracted by the flutter of a butterfly wing!