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Like everything, creative has a job to do. Drive action, educate, move product… But to do…
Articles by JJ
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When is done better than perfect?
When is done better than perfect?
At my old job, we used to have this big, bold message as a mural on one of our walls: “Done is better than perfect.”…
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Excuse Me While I Mansplain Diversity
Excuse Me While I Mansplain Diversity
A teensy bit of wisdom springs from a well of ignorance. I’m a straight, White, American male.
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How accessible is accessibility?
How accessible is accessibility?
The following is written entirely with dictation and zero editing. Everything you see Will be exactly as the dictation…
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1K followers
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JJ Gray posted thisIf my company made cars that occasionally went rogue and went speeding through school zones and formed car gangs to help them do it, I should probably not make cars. And yet, here we are. This post is about #ai
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JJ Gray shared thisA couple of things I've learned: - If you wait until you know what you're doing before you start, you'll never start. - And if you find something you're curious about, pull on that thread. You never know where it leads. As I've been navigating a job search, freelance work, and some pretty significant life changes, I've also been quietly working on a podcast. It's called Bad at Math. 5 episodes in, still learning as I go, and every thread I've pulled has taken me somewhere I didn't expect. Ep. 1: What actually scares us about being creative? Ep. 2: Who really invented Monopoly? Ep. 3: The street in San Francisco named for a hero you've never heard of. Ep. 4: How grammar rules are class warfare. Ep. 5: Why the tipping system is evil. And yet I still tip. I love doing this more than I ever imagined I would. The research, the writing, figuring out which way to turn my microphone... Is it perfect? Definitely not. But I love it. And I hope you do too. Bad at Math is currently on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Patreon. And if you're going through your own version of figuring it out as you go — I see you. https://lnkd.in/gdx_dj4i https://lnkd.in/g98gZSVP https://lnkd.in/g_yUd9RzEp. 5 - Why Tipping Sucks. And I Still Tip. | Bad at Math (a podcast)Ep. 5 - Why Tipping Sucks. And I Still Tip. | Bad at Math (a podcast)
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JJ Gray shared thisNeed smart, talented design help? Look no further. UI, events, brand design, iconography… Lys will absolutely crush it.JJ Gray shared thisHi LinkedIn! I'm currently looking for new opportunities. Full-time or Contract. Between working on fun photoshoots with CARPE DIEM Creative Agency, dipping my toes into the creative side of affiliate marketing, and deep-diving into website refresh projects, I've spent the last little while exploring and implementing AI-powered creative workflows, which totally feels like building the ship as we go. But that's not so unfamiliar for a creative ;) What I love most is how much room it makes for the part of this work I love best: creatively solving problems. In this new era, I'm more than ever looking for a workplace that's curious, still values teamwork, and builds brands that don't feel lab-grown. If that sounds like your team, or you know someone who's hiring, I'd love an intro. Feel free to share and connect! Merci
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JJ Gray posted thisMurderCorp: “We hope that fears our autonomous MurderBots will murder everyone are overblown.” Everyone: “Yeah. Fingers crossed!” MurderCorp: “Update: Several MurderBots escaped, attempted some murder, and concealed their activities.” Everyone: “Noted. Keep going.”
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JJ Gray reposted thisJJ Gray reposted thisSTOP! Pick up a Pigeon today. An issue of Pigeon that is. The Barcelona issue is available now at thepigeonmag.com/store And why not just get the whole bundle of the Los Angeles issue and the Barcelona issue. It saves you about 10 bucks! Which is pretty cool for a nice set of art books! PLUS! You get a whole slew of awesome things to get frustrated over while you figure out how to put the 3D puzzle of a human skull together. Best get familiar with that skull. The AI robots will be taking over soon and burn everything in their path. And this non-ai created book may not be around much longer. It's limited edition! So just buy the f#$king book already! 🥰 I'll also say that it was a lot of fun getting back into some paper engineering on this latest issue. Now I have so much more coming and so many more ways to get people frustrated over how to fold paper!
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JJ Gray shared thisAnother peek inside the Barcelona issue of Pigeon. Seriously one of the coolest things I've seen in print in years. Get. This. Book. https://lnkd.in/gKFd4ii2 Chris Wojcicki Kenya Bravo #creativity #photography #illustration #AI #books #craft
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JJ Gray shared thisA peek inside the Barcelona issue of Pigeon, by the brilliant Chris Wojcicki Get your thick, luscious, gorgeous copy now at https://lnkd.in/gKFd4ii2 #creativity #photography #illustration #AI #books
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JJ Gray shared thisI'm so freakin' excited that my copy of #pigeonmag arrived today, courtesy of the ridiculously talented and industrious Chris Wojcicki. In a time when AI platforms are literally stealing and destroying books and genuine human craft feels devalued, Pigeon is a standout creation. First thing you'll notice is this thing isn't cheaply made. It's stout, hefty, and made with a premium quality that's getting rarer and harder to find. Next, this thing is absolutely overflowing with creativity. Photography, illustrations, stories, art projects... And when I say "overflowing," I mean stuff is literally falling out of it. The pullout art, the 3D art puzzle, the coloring page, the manila envelope with mysterious contents I have yet to even open. Chris has put together an incredible labor of love here, and if you love creativity, you need to get this book while you can. This belongs on the coffee table of every creative person or just anybody who celebrates creativity. Chris is without question one of the most genuinely creative people I've ever been lucky enough to know. And even if I hadn't been involved in this issue, I'd be pushing this project like the beautiful, chaotic, and utterly fascinating work that it is. GET THIS BOOK. http://thepigeonmag.com It'll make everything else you read feel boring by comparison. Kenya Bravo #creative #creativity #thepigeonmag #books #print #photography #illustration #AI
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JJ Gray reposted thisJJ Gray reposted thisSo now that my project Pigeon Magazine is available at a few more retailers around the US and throughout Europe, I’ve included free shipping throughout the US on all online orders at thepigeonmag.com If you like art. If you like music. If you like finding awesome new human made works of amazing craft and skill, then pick up a copy. Just buy the f#&king books!
JJ Gray replied to a comment
3d
Matt King I’d love that! I need tips!
JJ Gray replied to a comment
1w
This analysis reads like AI.
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JJ Gray liked thisJJ Gray liked thisIt was around this time last year I was still living in Barcelona and finishing the build up of issue 2 for Pigeon Magazine. Somehow I was able to get in with one of my favorite punk bands that also happened to be from Barcelona. We met and it was love at first sight! After some chats and a few mosh pit injuries I had an amazing interview and feature story for the Barcelona issue. Plus I was able to flex some of those analog skills, cutting up newspaper and magazines to put it all together. The band is inherently punk. The people behind the band are the nicest group of producers, musicians, and artists that I've ever had the pleasure of being in the presence of. In the Barcelona issue of Pigeon Magazine you can learn about the band and get the inside scoop on just how they do it all. From running the band to running their own label and producing global events. visit thepigeonmag.com and go buy the damn book! The story, design, doodles, and photos by yours truly.
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JJ Gray liked thisJJ Gray liked thisCrossing into the Arctic Circle is a rite of passage few get to experience ⚓✨ During our Blue Nose Ceremony, Skipper Ineke read Neptune’s message, clearing our crew for safe passage through the realm of ice and cold. A moment of tradition, adventure, and connection on the open sea 🌊⛵ Would you brave the Arctic waters? 👇 #SailingLife #ArcticCircle #BlueNoseCeremony #Panexplore #SVSeaDragon #OceanAdventure #SailingCommunity #WomenWhoSail #ExpeditionSailing #MaritimeTradition
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JJ Gray liked thisJJ Gray liked this☀️ The San Blas Islands are calling 🌴 In February 2027, we’ll be sailing from Aruba across the Caribbean to the palm-fringed anchorages of the legendary San Blas Islands, before continuing on to Colón, Panama. Around 700 nautical miles of open-water sailing, turquoise shallows, white-sand cays, remote anchorages and island time. We’ll settle into life at sea, explore the islands, and soak up tropical freedom. A Blast in San Blas 31 Jan – 8 Feb 2027 Aruba → San Blas Islands → Colón Somewhere between the sea, the islands and the horizon, this one might just be worth answering the call. Find out more and book your place on our website. 🌐 www.panexplore.com #Panexplore #Sailing #TrySomethingNew #SailingInstagram #Caribbeans
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JJ Gray liked thisJJ Gray liked thisfinally figured out how to address AI-generated feedback on creative work
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JJ Gray reacted on thisJJ Gray reacted on thisJust another incredible day without using cos sin or tan
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Miguel Franco
Read a piece from Doug Main, a creative director at The Bigger Boat, about a typo that became a brand identity. Someone on his team misspelled a client name with a double "i". Should've been an easy fix. But those two letters standing side by side looked like two people, and the whole brand concept grew out of that mistake. No prompt gets you there. You'd need to already know what you were looking for, and the entire point is nobody was looking for anything. That's the part of this AI conversation that doesn't get enough airtime. Everyone's debating whether AI replaces the work. The real question is whether it replaces the conditions that produce the best work. The wrong brief that led somewhere better. The typo nobody caught in time. The comment someone made in a meeting that wasn't even about the project, but cracked something open anyway. You can't prompt your way into an accident. You can only leave enough room for one to happen. Worth asking on any team right now: are we still building in the room for that, or have we quietly optimized it away without noticing? https://lnkd.in/eTYC2YRE What's the happiest accident that ended up defining a project for you? 👀
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