What is the First Thing...

...that you think of when I say a word. 

Everyone knows of and has probably even had a go at playing this game. Maybe just for fun with friends, maybe in a job interview, maybe you've been visiting the psychologist but that is another story that we don't actually need to dwell upon.

The Idea

My friend Craig Osgood and I took a walk on our lunch break the other day. While out chatting we decided to devise a way of getting our Creativity into action. We were looking for a bit of an ideas kick-starter. A bit of a challenge that should prove to be fun, interesting and productive for ourselves and then of course hopefully others may enjoy seeing what we manage to produce.

The Rules

Ours is a variation on the first word you think of game. We visited a random word generating website which offered us the word "printing" as a starting point. We then flipped a coin to see who would be the first to create something inspired by the first thing you think of when you hear that word. Our creations however will be visual - either an illustration, a photograph, a 30 second maximum video, or we are also allowed, as requested by Craig, to even make an animated GIF if we wish. Whatever really, as long as it is some sort of visual response to that originally suggested word of printing and then the topic will carry on to wherever it takes us.

Now that I think of it there's no reason why we shouldn't also be allowed to respond with an audio creation should we be so inspired. What do you think Craig?

As a result of a coin toss, Craig has the task of creating the first image and to post it to this blog by Sunday evening at the latest or earlier if he chooses. I will then look at Craig's image and will have the opportunity to create the first thing I think of when I have seen Craig's creation. My deadline will be the  following Sunday or then again maybe we should make that deadline to be one week maximum after the previous posting should we manage to find the time to speed things up.

The Inspiration

As well as being interested in a wide variety of creative, artistic pursuits centred around my love of playing with my computer, my real passion of the past few years is dancing. The more I dance the more I love it and the more want to do. Last week I was lucky enough to be at an annual dance event called the Spinderella Ball which is run by Ceroc Oxford at Eynsham Hall. While at the ball I was even more lucky to have met and danced with an amazing dancer named Hazel McNab. I think it was only a matter of time before I was eventually going to meet Hazel because she is at least as passionate and enthusiastic about dancing as I am, if not more so. Our paths were surely going to cross on the dance floor somewhere sooner or later. But being an amazing dancer is not Hazel's only distinctive quality. It turns out that Hazel is also an incredible artist as I discovered by having a look at her ongoing ambition of the moment of creating 366 Hearts in a year.

366 Hearts Blog

366 Hearts on Facebook

I love Hazel's illustrations and her creative inspiration of coming up with a new piece of work everyday, which it must be said was the real kick-starter behind the idea of creating this "First Thing" blog. So now it's time for a bit of discipline, a bit of day dreaming, a bit of work and hopefully a lot of fun along the way. Thank you Hazel.

And now Craig, let's get to work.

Rex Boyd