It’s hard not to be inspired by Austin Kleon’s Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative–a book that hit the New York Times best-seller list and has quickly won over creative types who love Austin’s simple but profound advice. This very feature, Live By the Book, is all about everyday inspiration brought to you by books, so this week we’re turning the tables, and asking: What inspires you? Please tell us below, in the comments (a Pantone postcard would be nice, but might take too long), and a copy of Austin’s book could be yours!
Live by the Book: Steal Like an Artist by workmanpub
Is it a framed piece of art, like one of Austin’s own Newspaper Blackout poems? If you’re the photography type, would the vintage filter on a Lomography Domino Camera send you out on a snapping excursion? Or does the blank page inspire you? Maybe perching at an (out)standing workstation gets your creative juices flowing. But if you’re really stuck, we do hope you have an Artist’s Mini Survival Kit at the ready!
If, on the other hand, you’re really feeling like a powerhouse of imagination, it’s wise to have multiple surfaces (like a real, working, mini Etch-a-Sketch necklace — you know, for when the sketchbook isn’t handy) on which to scribble your best creative secrets. And they wouldn’t be creative secrets if you didn’t have the option of eliminating any trace of your notes and sketches. No, seriously, I mustache you to erase that.
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Steal Like An Artist Book Trailer from Austin Kleon on Vimeo.
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PS: Rule #8 (page 100 in Steal Like An Artist): Be Nice. Make Friends.
3 Comments
Barbie Halaby
July 27, 2012 at 2:49 pmI am more writerly than anything else creative, so a beautiful leather journal like the ones I bought in Italy are probably the most inspiring things I own. At the same time, nothing makes me want to color outside the lines like a fresh new box of Crayola crayons! Is it bad that I hoard them so my kids won’t ruin them?
Melissa Taylor @imaginationsoup
July 27, 2012 at 6:04 pmSometimes it’s an image that sparks an idea for a blog post. Sometimes an idea in a book takes me on a thought tangent in the margins or in my notebook. Sometimes just having accessible art supplies for journaling is sufficient inspiration – the different mediums inspire me.
moses hampton
September 18, 2012 at 8:27 pmdyer hoover