WEEK 40 - YOU call the shots now.
Hey HOMwork friends, happy Friday!
(If this is your first time joining us, take a peek at our Challenge Archive for all previous assignments.)
This week, we have my talented friend Amy Hood as a guest teacher!
Amy Hood is one half of the twin, founding duo behind Hoodzpah, a boutique brand identity and design studio in Orange County, California. Since their formation in 2011, Hoodzpah has done identity design for hundreds of businesses and worked on projects with companies like Google, Disney, 20th Century Fox, Red Bull, and Target. Most recently, the Hoodzpah co-founders released their book “Freelance, and Business, and Stuff: A Guide for Creatives” on the business side of design, based on the Professional Practices course they taught at Laguna College of Art + Design. Currently you can find the Hoods traveling on their #FABAS Workshop Tour or hosting the monthly Southern California creative meetup, Connecting Things, that they helped co-found with 7 talented friends. www.hoodzpahdesign.com
From Amy:
I love Halloween. Not only is it my birthday (well, joint birthday with my twin sis Jen), it's also a day where you get to dress up and be whoever you want. It's funny how dressing up or wearing a mask (metaphorical or otherwise) can help you be the boldest, most confident you. You say things you'd never say, do things you'd never do, and wear things that would make your Grandma roll over in her grave. Let's channel that attitude on today's Homwork assignment!
Jen and I have run Hoodzpah now for 8 and a half years (which is nuts to think about) and we've noticed a correlation to writing down goals – or even better verbalizing goals to friends/family/strangers on the BART/pigeons in the park – and those things coming to fruition. Every day people ask you, “What are you up to?” and every day you blow it by saying “nothing.” You are up to SOMETHING. Or you want to be. That is your opportunity to tell people what your working on, and what you're working towards. “I'm doing a really fun restaurant brand identity. I'm loving it and looking to take on more restaurant clients this year.” BAM. You've vocalized a goal and you're letting the world help 1.) hold you accountable to working towards that goal, and 2.) hook it up for you when they meet a restauranteur in need of some branding work. People LOVE being the hook up. Let them hook it up for you! Let them be the guy/girl who knows the guy/girl.
So today we're going to verbalize a goal. Now, let's not be cheesy or desperate about it. One dream client for me, for example, is the Lakers – or more specifically – Kyle Kuzma. Instead of lettering “Lakers, Hire Me Plz”, it would be way more fun and less desperate to do something in ode to the team to show them I'm a true fan. Maybe something that happened in the last game, an achievement Kuzma made recently, a funny quote from a press conference... you get the drift. Then when I make that dreaded cold email and send it into the ether, and per chance they look at my portfolio, they'll see I'm a true believer and I do cool work. Cool projects hopefully ensue.
FREE PHOTOSHOP BRUSHES!
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<< Click here to download this week's brushes!
Your Assignment: Everyone says it, and it's probably because it works: make the kind of work you want to get. Put your I'm-A-Baller-Shot-Caller mask on and let's make something fun for something you love!
It could be a band, a tv show, a movie, a director, a brand, WHATEVER. Post it to Instagram and explain in the caption to whom or what your lettering piece is in ode.
Don't forget to tag @homsweethom and @hoodzpahdesign then follow and use the hashtag #HOMwork so we can see your nostalgia. We’ll be sharing our faves in our Stories all week!
Love,
Amy & Lauren
P.S. Are you a freelancer, looking to freelance, or a small business entrepreneur? Check out me and Jen's book, “Freelance, and Business, and Stuff: A Guide for Creatives” , a handy, down and dirty guide on everything from contracts, to pricing, to client management, and everything in between. What the people are saying:
“My buds at Hoodzpah are some of the best creative minds I know. They’ve literally grown their business from the garage to one of the best design studios in the country. And now they’re putting all their secrets in a book (FABAS). If you’re a creative professional, you need this.” – Ryan Hollingsworth
“Halfway through and it’s something I wish I had 5 years ago…pure gold.” – Scotty Russell, Perspective Collective
