I decided this year I needed more than a resolution or two… I needed a whole manifesto. Inspired by the Holstee Manifesto (that hangs in my living room) I thought it was time to get creative.
I created mine in indesign – but you could do pretty much the same thing in a word program (or other design program). If you don’t have access to a computer (or want to get really crafty) you could draw, paint, cut out words from magazines. Make it as personal as you can. You don’t have to give anything private away (some words can just trigger a meaning for you that no-one else will understand). Day dream a little while you make it. Give yourself something to live up to.
If you are using a computer consider sending it a local print shop who have a digital printer. They can do very impressive prints larger than you can, and charge very little. Mine is 9″ by 17″ and costs under a dollar. It has a quality that I can’t get from my home printer.
Go on it’s a new year, get creative.
Put it up where you can see it everyday – no forgotten resolutions this year!
If you need some help to get going fill out the questions here
UPDATE: Thank you to Craftgawker for featuring this post – welcome to all the new visitors from there, I am pleased to see you.
UPDATE 2: A few companies have asked me to work with them to produce one of these for the workplace – if you are interested in this let me know. Great for teams, departments or small companies.
UPDATE 3: Thank you to Craftzine for featuring this poster – I’m getting lots of feedback from people making their own versions, if you would like to please send me a photo of your poster and I’ll put together a gallery so you can all inspire others – Email
UPDATE 4: Checkout the new gallery - I will be adding more photos as I find them. If you would like yours including please email it to me here – please include your name if you want it used – I am hoping to have some up today (friday 11th Jan) and add more over the weekend.
{ 51 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m in love with Holstee’s version, but even more so with a customized one for the year.
Also, the recommendation of using a print shop is a lesson I learned years ago – there’s something about good paper and a sharp print that makes something even more special (and home printers just don’t quite do it).
I feel the same (about both things). I love the Holstee version – it’s in my living room, but my personal version will hang in my studio and I’ll see it while I work.
The quality I get from the digital printer at the local print shop is amazing, and I can print bigger sizes. I think it costs 75 cents. I would pay a lot more (but let’s not tell them that)
Elise – You should all make a company one – hmmmm that may be something I could offer as a training outcome, might be fun…
I thought about it. More specifically for our department. We’ve spent the last few weeks really working on numbers, goals, processes, etc. that will ‘define’ 2012 for us. Making something simple that summarizes it all would be a great reminder when we shift into full gear and working like crazy. I’ll be sure and let you know if we execute it.
I have loved this poster from the first time I saw it – and to create your own is even better! I’m even thinking of making one for our staff at CD and hang it in the kitchen. Thanks for the inspiration
Silvia – I’ve had a few companies mention this today.. it would be great to make a joint one… it’s a wonderful bonding exercise, and a a cool outcome. Let me know if you need help – I need a company to practice on!
We would love to be your guinea pigs!
Perfect.
Love this idea … and such wonderful execution.
Thank you.
I don’t know of any local print shops around my area, would a Staples or an office store do one of those things?
they may do, it’s worth a phone call to ask… or a copy shop like kinko’s will do it – or ask on facebook, someone local will know.
Also, is it a matte finish poster paper or glossy? Sorry for 2 questions!
Sammy – ask as many questions as you like, I’m sure others have the same questions. This poster is printed on “80lb accent opaque cover” – it’s velum (closer to matt than glossy).. I’ve had other things done on glossy poster paper, but I like the feel and weight of this one.
Aileen: I love this! Great, simple, yet powerful manifesto!
Thank you – I hope it guide me through a great 2012
Aileen–you can definitely use the 2012 Manifesto I created as an example!
Thank you – I intend to put a gallery together with them all in, as soon as I get a chance.
Look at you! You wanted to grow your blog and voila!
Congrats. Gorgeous work!
Thank you – I have big plans for this year, the blog is only 2 months old and I’m having a lot of fun with it.
What a fantastic idea!! I think we may do this as a family and hang it in our family room
Jennifer – I would love to see it if you do it, I’m going to create a gallery for them. The next newsletter (going out on Tuesday) will have some more ideas on how to decide what to do.
Thanks for reading
Aileen.
I love this idea! Thank you for sharing, I posted it to my Facebook page. Also, if anyone is interested, here is a link to a site that can help you easily make something similar… Without the use of computer programs. http://www.wordle.net/ …I’ve done this with students and it’s a simple fun project.
Heather – Thanks for the link, I love the different ways people are approaching this. I heard from one teacher who is going to have her class all paint different words and then put them together in a large collage for the wall of the classroom.
Thanks for sharing this! I shared with friends on my FB website page… everyone should have a little help with their resolutions. Why not make it pretty?
If we make it pretty we are more likely to keep it where we can see it.
Where do you purchase the paper it was printed on?
The print shop had it already in stock. Call your local print shop or kinkos and see what they have, or go in and ask – sometimes looking and feeling the paper is the best way to make your choice
I’m making this for my macbook desktop. That way I’ll see it every day.
I have mine on my iphone and ipad… it helps to see it often!
Thank you so much for this fantastic idea! I hope you don’t mind but I made one for myself and wrote about it on my blog. (of course I did credit you for the idea)
really a great way to start of 2012 and my blog!
Tessa
I am thrilled and I love what you did. Is it ok if I add it to the gallery I’m building to show people all the different one’s that were made. I hope your 2012 is everything you plan it to be.
Aileen
absolutely! of course you can add it to the gallery. it was after all your idea that gave me the inspiration
Brilliant!
A small typo on this poster, I believe.
It says:
Workout until it shows, and then *some* workout some more.
One too many “some”s. ;o)
Thank you. I have fixed it. If you would send me your mailing address I would like to send you a small gift of appreciation for noticing this.
Aileen.
aileen@creatingclever.com
This is awesome. I’m going to try one of my own. What font is that?
it’s a combination of Verdanna and Gill Sans MT. Hope that helps. Aileen.
amazingly inspiring! just finished doing my own!!
Totally inspiring – thank you!
I want yours! I love it!
I love it! Very inspiring! I’m going to make one tomorrow! Thank you for sharing your creativity with the world!
I would love to see it. I’m building a gallery on here to show them all, as soon as I get time
This is so great! I’m a freshman in college, and you’ve inspired my 3 roommates and I to make one of our own to hang in our common room. We all love the idea of having a visual reminder of our resolutions to look at every day!
Wonderful idea! I downloaded a free version of indesign so as to make my own, but the program appears pretty complicated. Any tips of how to assemble all my words and phrases using this program?
Your a brave to take on indesign. It can be complicated, but it is worth it if you want to continue designing stuff. The simplest way would be to create a text box for each word or sentence (or little group of words) and then move them around the page until you like the way they look.
Would love to see it when you are done.
Aileen.
Awesome. I’m feeling the need to go out NOW and buy some poster paints and nice/BIG paper…
I’m so pleased you are feeling inspired – would love to see what you do
Your manifesto inspired today’s blog post: http://collagediva.typepad.com/truenorth/2012/02/manifesto.html
Many thanks!
Ryn
Is there any program that I can write all my words and phrases on and it will fill in on a manifesto template? I’m doing this for my staff. They are each coming up with there personal manifesto and I need something easy to put them all together individually.
I don’t know of a simple program to do that, but you could get them all to write out their words in pen, paint etc.. and color them and then stick them all together? There must be a program out there that would make this easy to do, I’ll let you know if I find one.
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