If you are of a certain age, you may remember this late 1980s shoe campaign slogan. But if you're a little younger and missed it, or perhaps a bit older and just a bit foggy on the specifics, you needn't worry: Its meaning is pretty self-explanatory.
CtrlZ Digital Designs was a name I created for myself on a whim in March of 2022. It was so easy to set up an Etsy shop to sell my work; all I needed was a name. So I thought for a moment and quickly landed on my favorite keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + Z. Undo.
Always my best friend, and probably the first shortcut I taught my high school publications students -- yes, even before Ctrl + S (Save) -- CtrlZ and I have been inseparable since the moment we met.
You see, when I'm designing, I've always found a happy reassurance that my friend is there with me. If there is no risk, why not just take the leap? Try that word at 300-point font and see what it looks like on the page! Horrified? Ctrl + Z, baby!
They say, "No risk. No reward." But I say they lie.
I used to love going over and sitting by a new student designer and encouraging them to try something "wild" on their design. The student would look at me, just a little note of terror in their eye and ask, "Are you sure?"
And I would grin, and remind them, "Ctrl + Z, baby."
You'd think they were entering the last keystroke of a nuclear code the way some of them would wince when they let go of that mouse button .
. . . . . . .
I have always admired my mom. Around 1988, she had a license plate that read, "Just Duet," because "Just Do It" was already taken.
She's incredibly brave -- when she makes a decision, she's full-steam ahead. No hesitation. No second-guessing. I wish I were more like her.
Life doesn't have a shortcut like Ctrl + Z. Many times, or at least many times when stakes are high and it really matters, there is no "Undo."
. . . . . . .
The art above is one of the first designs I created in 2022. You may download a free, low-resolution copy of image in my shop if you like! Thank you for reading.
In March of 2022, I was dangling from the precipice.
Looking for a creative outlet, a distraction from the decision I needed to make, I began designing on Canva. Most of my early work was based on my photography, which I then joined with a famous quote to express some of what I was feeling at the time. I hoped that what I created would inspire others who might be dangling elsewhere, unseen by me, and not knowing there was someone else out there too.
I was not yet ready to just do what I knew needed to be done, but I did make one bold decision: I started sharing creative work that was pretty personal.
A few brave moments and a few clicks later, my creations were "public" and ready for all the world to see.
There was no leap; I was, after all, dangling. But as it turns out, it was just the beginning.
Thank you for reading. Your comments are welcome and appreciated.
I hope you will return often.
Amanda Renee
CtrlZ Digital Designs 2024