// Spiraling Out of Control (an update)
// Apr 1st, 2008 & filed under Off Topic(Note - I was called away on a last minute business trip, so the best I can manage is this update until I return on Thursday. Read on for competition news, theme development and more.)
I’m going to let you into a little secret.
When I launched this site properly just over a month ago, my intention was to simply build up some content, and quietly work away, while my offline life sorts itself out.
Basically, I’m at a point in my life where I know the next few months are going to be critical, and I’m not quite sure what direction I’ll be going. So, I started Alpha in order to give me another option.
The response, and exposure, has been a little overwhelming. I haven’t developed my portfolio, and yet there are a number of interesting projects coming my way.
Some of the links have been quite cool too, like I Love Typography, Smashing Magazine, and many more. I couldn’t have asked for a better first month.
Why I’m confident it will keep going forward
I haven’t been to design school, or attend a design related college course or university degree. But, I’m not alone. In fact, it appears to me, a large majority of the key players in the WordPress blog design community, have never ’studied’ design.
Such people tend to get a lot of their inspiration from other sites, and visit galleries regularly for inspiration. I’m the same.
However, the problem with just looking at completed forms of inspiration, is that you don’t learn the key principles in play as the designer developed the site. So, you end up trying to piece designs together without proper planning and thought.
This is why I read books.
Good design books teach you how to design. That is, not how to open Photoshop, but how to plan, develop, and structure the key elements of the design, and put them together with purpose.
It is my desire that I will continue to learn, so my work will become, well, one of the leading around. It’s a tall order with so many great designers out there. But hey, I have a right to aim for the stars as much as the next person.
The premium theme
Work on the premium theme continues. The design is completed, and coding is well on its way. I’m not as far forward as I would have hoped I would be by this stage, but I reckon a launch might be no more than 10 days away.
I’m really excited about this. The response to the theme pricing question has been interesting, with thoughts pretty much split down the middle. Going by what’s available on the current market, I think the price will be very fair.
The Custom Design Competition
I will continue with the next stage of the competition on Thursday. Anyone who tries to enter after 31st March, will not be accepted.
The Newsletter
I’ve set up a newsletter, which is different than the RSS and email feeds. Subscribers will have access to exclusive offers and discounts, as well as articles and reviews which will not be posted on the site. Read more about it here.
Thank you
A sincere thanks to the considerable number who have commented and subscribed. Here’s to greater success in the coming months!!
Hey, man
I know how you’re feeling, and I’ve thought about that route once or twice myself (that being, f**k school, and go my own ways). I even started my own freelance business straight out of high school, and did/do pretty well…
/SelfModeration
Best of luck man
This comment was waaay longer, but decided to cut it down.. 
Good luck the next couple of months. Keep it up!..
Personally, I use principals I’ve learned in other activities to design.
Its a great substitute for going to school for it.
Like, I used to do Wrestling — I apply the principals of gunning everything to the target market, making what you want people to use stupidly obvious, and a whole lot of hard work in between.
Then from when I did a bit of Game design, I apply the proper steps in a project, from gathering inspiration, figuring out common design features, overall theme and feel, and of that, what I can do while using as little resources as possible.
From my hand-drawing days I learn to simplify and get inspiration from everyday objects, like the ingredients on a V can, or the V can itself.
Stuff like that helps such a great deal.
But as for ABD — Congrats on the huge success you’ve had thus far, and the future success that will no doubt come to you.
Good luck with all your real life troubles as well.
Thats awesome that you are self-teaching yourself!
Hey man. Its good to see you doing well etc
If you ever need a hand, let me know bud!
Eivind - Thanks man. I really appreciate the comment. WordPress kindly sent me the unedited version, so I got to read all you initially said
School just isn’t an option for me right now, but, I agree. There are positive aspects of it (one on one interaction with people with like passion) which are difficult to replicate on an online world.
To everyone else, a sincere ‘thanks’. I’m home now, and trying to catch up on the backlog.
@Armen: I totally understand, and the debate around school vs. no-school has been going on for ages. There are plenty of examples of people that have risen to design-superstardom with no official education, and there is a lot of people with design degrees that haven’t got their butt out of the local printshop.
Though, in the end, it’s not a question if you’ve got a degree or not. I think the main essence of it is that you have a genuine interest in design, the talent and last but not least, the guts to aim for the top and stick with your ambitions.