#skill building

Beginner:

Level 1: What’s the basic shape? Is it a square, a rectangle, or a circle? If it's not a simple 2d shape, you can pick one that's the closest. For example, an "S" shaped pillow can be a circle or oval for now

Level 2: What’s the basic or average color? If you're not sure because it has a busy pattern, get up and step away from your pillow until it's a blur. Whatever color the blur is will be the base or average color.

Intermediate:

Level 3: Now let's make the 2d shape more specific. pillows aren't perfect squares, focus on the dents and imaging someone pushing in or squishing the sides and corners. Don't hesitate to squish your pillow, cut a square piece of paper, or use Play-doh to squish if you want a reference to play with. If you started with a complex shape, like an "S", imagine parts of the circle or oval cut out. You can practice by cutting a circle or oval on a piece of paper, and then cutting out the top and bottom semi circles to make an "S".

Level 4: Time to make it 3d! A common trick is to imagine a "sandwich" of 2d shapes stacked on-top of one another. Like how the rectangular pages of a book leave you with a book that's a rectangular prism.

Advanced:

Level 5: 2 is better than one! Now you should have at least a copy. Even better if it's a different pillow entirely

Level 6: 3 is better than 2! Hey look, now you have enough for a bed- two for heads and one for hugging. Oh and at least one of them has to be different.

Level 7: It's texture time! Is the texture rough, like on a decoration pillow, or is it soft? Is it smooth like a cotton cover or is it raised and ridged like corduroy?

Nerd:

Level 8: What is the material of the pillow case? Usually pillow cases are made of cotton, but they can also be made from a synthetic fabric or even quilting material. There are wool pillows out in the wild. Wool.

Level 9: Let's stuff it! What kind of filling would you expect to be inside of it? Right now, the goal isn't to visualize the stuffing itself, instead it's to better visualize the overall shape and feel of the pillow. For example, if it's stuffed with bamboo fiber, it will be stiffer than one stuffed with synthetic down feathers. Unless you hate your pillow enough to cut it open, I recommend looking up different pillow fillings.

Level 10: Is there a trim, those little weird ruffle things, any significant stitched on patches, or anything glued on like plastic gems? (Which is a crime btw, decoration pillows just hurt my feelings) Those fixings can be a different material too, and there are lots of common styles that you may have seen before.

Impressive:

Level 11: It's time to give your pillow a stress test! How does the pillow deform when you pull on it, squish it, or even rip it? If you put holes in it, what does the filling look like? Or rip off those stupid glued on charms

Level 12: Now let's add more physics and motion. Gravity (or a lack of it), yeet the pillow, punch it, etc. What happens if something falls onto it, like your head when you flop into bed?

Level 13: Let's age up the pillow! What stains, wear, and tear are on it? The hard part is remembering where the asymmetrical pillow damage is when rendering the image. That and finding the motivation to look up how fabrics decompose overtime...

Level 14: You knew this was coming… Gimmie a pile of 5+ pillows. All of them are different. And on at least one of them, someone spilled their drink on it!

God:

Level 15: Describe to me the dimensions of the pillow using measurements

Level 16: What is the texture pattern on the pillow? You may need a magnifying glass for this.

Level 17: What do the parts of stuffing look like? Are they strands, feathers, or pieces?

Level 18: Look up how these pillows are made and then imagine yourself making one

Level 19: What are the positions and directions of each piece of stuffing?