"Side Projects and Hobbies are Important" ~ Austin Kleon

Chapter 5 of Steal Like An Artist, by Austin Kleon, is what this week's post is all about. I think I could use the old saying "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" to summarize this chapter. For the most part, I must agree! If you continually do nothing but work, your work and ideas can become stale. This can put you in a real rut. Nothing is worse than being stuck without any new ideas and the proverbial "writer's block." So, do things that aren't work or work related, that you simply enjoy doing, and you just might rejuvenate your work and your ideas, too.

There's a quote in the chapter that says "Creative people need time to just sit around and do nothing." Personally, I can't just "do nothing", but I know what they mean. I think they are saying to do something that doesn't take a lot of planning and forethought, something that is definitely not "work." In my case, I am always in the process of reading a book. I LOVE to read! I also watch a lot of movies—old, new, foreign, etc. Then there's always puzzles (on my iPad and "real"), a few games of solitaire and Sudoku to decompress with. I find these are all really good to play when I just need something "mind numbing". The apps I like to play are called Jigsawed, Solitaire and Sudoku, and they're pictured below.

I also enjoy listening to music, drawing floor plans, building with Legos and coloring. Then there is one thing that I do that takes absolutely no heavy brain work—I deal with my puppy. I have a Siberian Husky, named Freya, that is 12 weeks old. I've had her for five weeks now and am in love with her. She is a great distraction from projects, which can be both good and bad. But, just look at that face and tell me that you wouldn't take a break to play with her, too.

Getting back to chapter five, the author says that it's very important to have a hobby. Again, I agree. As for me, my guilty pleasure hobby type thing would probably have to be video games. I am admittedly a nerd! I have a Gameboy Advance, a Gameboy Advance SP, a GameCube, and a Wii. I love almost all things Mario, Donkey Kong and Zelda. I've been known to play Guitar Hero and Rock Band (and their various 1, 2, 3's etc.) until my fingers practically fly off. Then there's Red Steel, a sword fighting game, that I play until I can't raise my arms any more. I know, that's pretty pathetic, but, it's fun and I can't help myself. There's also the Just Dance games. These are fun on a different, completely embarrassing level. Try them, before you judge me, you just might have fun, too!

There are multiple quotes in this chapter, as with all of the previous ones, too. One quote was by someone that almost everyone if familiar with, Steve Jobs, but another is a quote by Maira Kalman that says "Avoiding work is the way to focus my mind." I wasn't familiar with her, but, her quote works in perfectly with this chapter. This led me to do a bit of research on her. I found that she was born in Tel Aviv, but has lived in New York since the age of four. Maira is not only an illustrator, but a writer, too. She has done many The New Yorker covers and has done books for children and adults. 

One of the books that she illustrated, which Michael Pollan wrote, is Food Rules an Eater's Manual. This book looks like it's a lot of fun. If you go to her website this book is on her landing page. I started looking at the pictures that she had posted, and reading the captions that went with them, and immediately started laughing. She seems to have such a great sense of humor and her pictures can take a serious topic and make it easier to understand and poke a little fun at it at the same time. I'm definitely going to add it to my library. Below are just a few images from this book. Enjoy!

 
One more thing, she was married to the designer Tibor Kalman until his death in 1999. As some of you may know, he was a graphic designer and was well known for his work as editor–in–chief of Colors magazine. A couple of his pieces were the ones of famous people if they were born of another race. They were published in an Color Magazine's issue #4 on Race, in an article called "What if..?"

Of course this first one is Queen Elizabeth. 

The second one is
Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"Use Your Hands" ~ Austin Kleon

"Use Your Hands" is the name of chapter 4 of our book Steal Like An Artist and is appropriately named. This chapter is all about getting away from your computer and using the original "digits", your fingers/hands. All to often, I catch myself wanting to just jump in and do a project from beginning to end on the computer, but, this chapter reminds me to use different mediums. The author even tells about having used newspapers and markers to create a book of poems. He would go through the paper pieces and mark out words, stating that all of his senses were used. He felt the paper and pen in his hands and could smell the marker and newsprint. There was also the "faint squeak" of the marker as it went across the paper. "When I was making the poems, it didn't feel like work. It felt like play." I really like that statement and will try to "play" more when I work.

I've noticed that if I've taken a project from beginning to end only using the computer, it can seem flat and lifeless. But, one that I've done multiple sketches on, or even re-started going in a different direction, have much more life to them and more personality. By using more of your senses, even if it's just sketching out more ideas after you've already started the project, you can end up with a better final product.

I don't think computers can be very good at helping us generate ideas, unless, of course you're looking at Pinterest. Haha! Seriously, they do have some really good ideas about a wide variety of things on there. Personally, I think that the things around us can be so inspirational. I like to use my pets as a humorous reprieve from day to day issues, and they are about as far from a computer as you can get. So, find those things that take you out of that mindset — get away from your computer and do something you enjoy — the ideas will come.

It was suggested that we set up an area, away from our computer, to use as our "analog" office. I don't really have room for that, but, I do have an area I go to when I want some quite time. One of my bookcases is in my son's old room, and it has my oak rocking chair and a reading light next to it. There's a window right next to them, too. So, sometimes I like to just go back there and sit in my rocker and read. It's peaceful and away from most of the electronics (there is a t.v. and a boom box in there, but those are for when my son comes home for visits). This isn't a desk, but it's a good place to relax and think, and it's away from my computer.

There are always some interesting quotes in this book, and in this chapter there were two, one by John Cleese, whom most of us know from his Monty Python days, and one by Edward Tufte, whom I've never heard of before. Therefore, I had to look him up. I found him referred to as "the world's best-known expert in data visualization." That's a pretty big title to stand up for in my book. Upon further research I found that he has written many books, had multiple exhibitions, teaches and gives seminars. He is a professor, statistician, writer and sculptor. The quote that is in our book is "I have stared long enough at the glowing flat rectangles of computer screens. Let us give more time for doing things in the real world . . . plant a plant, walk the dogs, read a real book, go to the opera." This is great advice and goes along with this chapter to "Use Your Hands." I ran across some quotes that are from a one-day course "Presenting Data and Information" taught by Edward Tufte. Here's one that really stood out to me "Can the same image prompt different stories and memories in different people? That's a good test for a 'super graphic'." I have included a couple of his book covers and then just a random image of one of his designs that I found.

 

"Write the book you want to read" ~Austin Kleon

While reading Chapter 3 of Steal Like an Artist, the main point that I gathered would have to be to go ahead and do that one thing that you've always wanted to do. Everyone's seen a movie that they "just want more" when they leave—write out your idea for the sequel. The same thing goes for books—try writing that next book in the series. You see where I'm going here? If there's something that you've always wanted to try to design, just go ahead and try it. If nothing comes of it, it has at least been a learning experience, and who knows, it may turn out great!

We were asked the question "So, what would your life be like if you were to re-write it?" My answer would have to be, that I wouldn't re-write it. I've had some extremely bad experiences in my life, but, I've also had some great ones. All of which have brought me to the point I'm at right now. If I were to re-write some part then I possibly might not have my wonderful son or my house, etc. I don't want to play the "what if" game. I'm almost 50 yrs. old and I'm very happy with my life.

As for another question we were asked "What might the next few years be like in this story?" I'm not quite sure where I'll end up, but I hope to be enjoying life, and hopefully at some point, becoming a grandma. I would really like to find either a really good job doing graphic design at company that is not all about numbers like my previous employer, but, more about creativity. I would also love to be a freelance designer and work from home.

In this chapter, there's a quote by Brian Eno "My interest in making music has been to create something that does not exist that I would like to listen to. I wanted to hear music that had not yet happened, by putting together things that suggested a new thing which did not yet exist." This quote goes so well with this chapter in that we are told to go write that book, make that music, design that thing, etc. and this is exactly what Brian is saying in this quote. I did some research on his music and it, for the most part, is that very quite, nice relaxing music that just puts you at ease.  They are called things like Wind on Water, Emerald and Stone, The Drop, etc. and places like airports, use his music as their background soundtracks. I am glad I checked him out, because I have a really hard time sleeping and I think that I could use his music to help calm my mind when trying to sleep. Most of his YouTube videos are 45min.—over an hour long, but I found this one that you might enjoy. 

 

"Don't wait until you know who you are to get started." - Austin Kleon

I've been reading the book Steal Like An Artist - 10 things nobody told you about being creative, written by Austin Kleon, and just finished the second chapter. There are quite a few good things to take away from the reading. Here are some quotes that I really liked "Fake it till you make it" and "Copy your heroes" both of which seem to be really good advice to me. The first one pretty much is telling you to just keep trying, work hard at what you want to do and don't stop until you can do it. The second one kind of helps you with the first. There's a quote that sums it up perfectly "Start copying what you love. Copy copy copy copy. At the end of the copy you will find yourself." - Yohji Yamamoto

The book then has another quote ( it's full of them) "Don't steal the style, steal the thinking behind the style." Which is also some really good advice. I think that this quote is trying to say that you can copy someone for practice or to hone your skills, but in the end, you want to research why the person designed that way, what made them tick so-to-speak, and then incorporate that into your designs to make them your own.

I've used the word "copy" many times in this review, but I would also like to introduce the words imitate and emulate. Imitate is basically a fancy word for copying something, which as I've stated previously is a good way to practice your drawing and to hone your skill. To emulate someone, is to work in the same style as that person. You have studied them and their process and are working in a similar manner, but putting your own twist on it. That's what I think most designers are going for. 

In this chapter there is also this pretty cool chart - it is "good theft" vs "bad theft". Under "good" it has honor, study, steal from many, credit, transform and remix. Under "bad" it has degrade, skim, steal from one, plagiarize, imitate, rip off. I'm sure we're all in agreement that we would want to be the "good thief". When reading this, I thought about one of the designers that I wrote about in my blog 2 weeks ago - Alphonse Mucha. I love his work, but can honestly say that I've never tried to create anything in his style. So, I tried a sketch based on his "Precious Stones" series. Now remember, I've never tried drawing in this style and I'm a pretty poor sketcher to begin with, but I'm including a scan of my sketch. Please don't be too tough on me!

Here is a picture of "Precious Stones".
I love the organic flow, the detail, colors, etc., it is praising the feminine form and is full of life.

...and, here's my obscene first attempt at something similar. Please note that I didn't spend much time on this, maybe 5-10 minutes, but, now that I've tried it once, I think I will give it some more attempts. I think that I could pretty easily do the flowers and all "non-human" parts, but will have to really work on my form drawing.

This chapter had quite a few good points to remember when starting out in design and I even used my trusty highlighter on a few sections as a reminder for the future. Just keep doing what you want to do and try hard at it, you'll get there eventually. A quote from Finding Nemo comes to mind "Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming, swimming, swimming", but in this case it would be "copying".

Read, Read, and Read Some More

In one of my school books, Steal Like An Artist, the author suggests that you should always be reading. I couldn't agree more! I am one of those people that just devour books! I love so many different kinds of books, that I'm always looking for my next great read. I thought that I would share a brief glimpse into my library (sorry for slightly blurry pictures, I had a puppy trying to help me take them).

These pictures are of just one of my bookcases, please note that it is around 7 feet tall and about 3 feet wide, and that on most shelves, the books are 2 deep. Also, I tend to collect books by authors that I love.

Before you ask, I do read my books more than one time. I'll pick up on some little detail the second, or even third time, that I didn't when reading it originally. Also, I do have my favorites.

I also usually buy in hardback - I prefer the feel of them as opposed to softcover. I do read some on my iPad, but it's usually something that I can't seem to find in print yet, or if it is an up-and-coming new author that only uses e-books.

Believe it or not, I also have multiple boxes of books that I simply don't have room to put on shelves. I go through them all about once a year and try to rotate some of the boxed ones out and put others away. It's like seeing an old friend again.

Even though most of my books are fiction, I can use them for inspiration. I love to imagine that I'm in these wondrous places and can envision my surroundings as though I'm there. Imagination is an important part of creativity and I believe that if you can spark your imagination through reading some of that creativity is bound to come through. 

In the last picture, at right, are some antique books that I have stored in a closet - I won't ever get rid of these, but I also won't handle them very much because they are getting a bit brittle. Some are from the early 1900's.

I've also been thinking about books that I would like to read and thought I would share them with you. Pictured at left, are the cover images of 10 of the books that I want to read in the next few months. Three of these I've already purchased and am just waiting on them to arrive.

So, if you take anything away from reading my blog this week, let it be this, "There's no such thing as reading too much!" I truly believe this and will continue to read as long as I'm able. Now, go read a book! 

Influences and Inspirations

While studying the book "Steal Like an Artist - 10 things nobody told you about being creative" by Austin Kleon, this quote was pointed out to me. "You are, in fact, a mash up of what you choose to let in your life. You are the sum of your influences." This quote got me thinking about the things and people that have influenced my life over the years. 

The first major influences on my life would have been my grandparents. They were wonderful people and taught me to work hard, be respectful, do your best, and to trust in the Lord. I could always depend on them to be there and to help me in whatever way they could. I couldn't have asked for better role models. 

Grandpa was a very hard worker and had a workshop in the basement where he tinkered around on whatever project he could find (that was his hobby). So, I tinkered with him and came to love all things old and all things mechanical.

This helped me to realize that I love old houses, and the more decorative, the better. Be it the old Victorians with their "gingerbread" trim, or the stately brick homes with their large double columns out front, to the extremely ornate Art Nouveau style of Tassel House by Victor Horta. I love drawing floor plans, and even coming up with some furniture ideas. Although I was interested greatly in architecture, I had family members that were engineers and went that route the first time I went to college.

While working in the engineering field, I didn't feel all that fulfilled in what I was doing. I did get to work outside, but, I always felt that I could do something more creative than roads, bridges, water ways and sewers. I know, yuck!

I think that when I was basically forced to change my career many years ago (1993), it was a good thing. I have become much more creative and I really enjoy what I do. I am always gathering ideas and strength from those people and things around me, and hope to be doing so for many years to come. I don't know that I will ever be able to say that I'm satisfied with "the sum of my influences", simply because I hope to continue having things influence me for the rest of my life.

I find a great deal of inspiration in two different individuals from the Art Nouveau period. These people are Victor Horta and Alphonse Mucha. Their work just leaves me in awe! Art Nouveau is so organic and it just flows. It is very provocative and romantic looking without being tacky or crude. I would love to be able to do something in a similar style as theirs. 

These are pictures of Tassel House. Horta not only designed the building, but he also did the murals the flooring the stairs, furniture, doors, latches, etc. He practically designed everything that was inside it. It would be a dream come true if I could ever go and see it in person.
 

I love the stained glass mural that he designed here. Look at the the flowing lines in it and then look at the lines of the railings, lights, sculpture, etc. 

This is one of the balconies - again, the curves and designs are just gorgeous!

I love it!

 
The set of images at right are called "The Seasons" (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter), and it is by Alphonse Mucha. Just look at the details and all of the flowing lines. Very provocative and feminine, but definitely not crude or offensive.

The next set of images are called "The Precious Stones" (Ruby, Emerald, Amethyst, Topaz)(1900). Then, the set after is called "The Moon & Stars" (1902). I'm showing it larger than the others so that you can see the details. Note the ornate "framing" designs he gave these. He did most of his works with and without the ornate edges.

The last images are of some of his poster designs. Look closely at what product the one is advertising - it might surprise you.

I'm researching who these two men looked to for inspiration and hope to find more people to add to my list of people who inspire me. I'll continue to dig deeper into their styles and will ad more information as I find it. 

 

"Steal Like An Artist..." by Austin Kleon

I really like our book, Steal Like An Artist - 10 things nobody told you about being creative, for Graphic Design III. The size, layout, and even the way it is written appeals to me. I especially like the way that it has quotes from such a variety of people that are in so many diverse careers. Plus, I LOVE the stock used for the cover - it's sweet!

When asked "How do you feel about stealing other people's ideas?" I believe that the way they mean to steal in this instance, isn't the literal sense of stealing. Because, if you give 10 people the same idea and tell them to come up with a design for it, no 2 designs will be the same. So, as long as you aren't copying somebody's design exactly, without permission, it's perfectly legal. Therefore, I don't feel that there's anything immoral about it at all.

Originality is valued in art, but, it comes in many different forms. You can be original in the way you convey your ideas and designs. For example, our Typography posters, some people did the same font as previous years, but the design was completely different.

To be a better collector you need to keep your eyes open and always a pencil and paper handy to jot notes or ideas down. Don't be afraid to tear things out of magazines (hopefully your own magazines) or to take pictures of things you see. I have a home office where I keep most of my reference material. I'm also an avid reader and have a huge number of books, in bookcases and closets throughout my house. I have also added to my art/design type of books by going to garage sales and even getting from friends that are moving or downsizing. You never know where you might find something useful.

I keep folders, in my bookmark menu, for different things like fonts, web design, clip-art, etc. I am also a big Pinterest user - Check out my boards.

Before I can pick someone to use as a mentor I'm going to have to do some more research. Once I've decided on someone, I'll come back here and add their name and a sample of their work.

There were a couple of quotes that really stood out for me in the first chapter.

"The only art I'll ever study is stuff I can steal from."

 ~ David Bowie 

"It is better to take what does not belong to

you than to let it lie around neglected."

 ~ Mark Twain