Chapter One : Steal Like An Artist
"If we're free from the burden of trying to be completely original, we can stop trying to make something out of nothing, and we can embrace influence instead of running away from it."
"The great thing about dead or remote masters is that they can't refuse you as an apprentice."
"Whether you're in school or not, it's always your job to get yourself an education."
These three sentences in chapter one stuck with me. Personally, I have found myself avoiding certain subjects or topics because someone else is focused on it. It almost feels like hijacking their thoughts, when in reality no two people think the same way. Each person will choose to demonstrate their thoughts differently, and the two are never exactly the same. This realization opens up the possibilities of everyone who came before you. Instead of stealing someone's work, you end up picking bits and pieces from different artists. Seeing one artist's work may lead you another direction, or maybe reveal another aspect that you didn't think about before.
"The great thing about dead or remote masters is that they can't refuse you as an apprentice."
"Whether you're in school or not, it's always your job to get yourself an education."
These three sentences in chapter one stuck with me. Personally, I have found myself avoiding certain subjects or topics because someone else is focused on it. It almost feels like hijacking their thoughts, when in reality no two people think the same way. Each person will choose to demonstrate their thoughts differently, and the two are never exactly the same. This realization opens up the possibilities of everyone who came before you. Instead of stealing someone's work, you end up picking bits and pieces from different artists. Seeing one artist's work may lead you another direction, or maybe reveal another aspect that you didn't think about before.
Chapter Two : Don't Wait Until You Know Who You Are To Get Started
"Start copying what you love. Copy copy copy copy. At the end of the copy you will find your self." - Yohji Yamamoto
"Don't just steal the style, steal the thinking behind the style."
"A wonderful flaw about human beings is that we're incapable of making perfect copies."
The act of copying the work of an artist we love helps us find our own strengths and weaknesses. While mimicking their style, you eventually end up understanding their thinking and how that influenced their choices in their work. We learn something from a different person, which may help change our weakness to a strength while incorporating new techniques and ideas. In the end you find your own voice.
"Don't just steal the style, steal the thinking behind the style."
"A wonderful flaw about human beings is that we're incapable of making perfect copies."
The act of copying the work of an artist we love helps us find our own strengths and weaknesses. While mimicking their style, you eventually end up understanding their thinking and how that influenced their choices in their work. We learn something from a different person, which may help change our weakness to a strength while incorporating new techniques and ideas. In the end you find your own voice.
Chapter Three : Write The Book You Want To Read
"The sequel always sucks compared to the sequel in our heads."
"We're drawn to certain kinds of work because we're inspired by people doing that work."
"The manifesto is this: Draw the art you want to see, start the business you want to run, play the music you want to hear, write the books you want to read, build the products you want to use ---do the work you want to see done."
This chapter further cemented the idea that we should create and be inspired by what is surrounding us. We shouldn't try to recreate someone else's ideas, but embrace what their idea's inspired within us.
"We're drawn to certain kinds of work because we're inspired by people doing that work."
"The manifesto is this: Draw the art you want to see, start the business you want to run, play the music you want to hear, write the books you want to read, build the products you want to use ---do the work you want to see done."
This chapter further cemented the idea that we should create and be inspired by what is surrounding us. We shouldn't try to recreate someone else's ideas, but embrace what their idea's inspired within us.
Chapter Four : Use Your Hands
"...computers are alienating because they put a sheet of glass between you and whatever is happening."
The main point that stuck with me from this chapter was to physically engage with our work. We lose a certain aspect when we rely too heavily on the digital side, and gain from having a tangible item in front of us.
The main point that stuck with me from this chapter was to physically engage with our work. We lose a certain aspect when we rely too heavily on the digital side, and gain from having a tangible item in front of us.
Chapter Five : Side Projects and Hobbies Are Important
"When you get sick of one project, move over to another, and when you're sick of that one, move back to the project you left."
For me, this was comforting to hear. I typically bounce around from one project to another, which I thought was too distracting and tried to force myself to focus on completing one before attempting another. Or I would just abandon a project and consider it a trial and try something new, but never building upon that prior idea and seeing what it develops into.
For me, this was comforting to hear. I typically bounce around from one project to another, which I thought was too distracting and tried to force myself to focus on completing one before attempting another. Or I would just abandon a project and consider it a trial and try something new, but never building upon that prior idea and seeing what it develops into.
Chapter Eight : Be Nice. (The World is a Small Town.)
"You're only going to be as good as the people you surround yourself with."
Keep good company. You can't be inspired and exposed to good things if you are not selective on who is worthy of your time.
Keep good company. You can't be inspired and exposed to good things if you are not selective on who is worthy of your time.
Chapter Nine : Be Boring. (It's The Only Way To Get Work Done.)
"The trick is to find a day job that pays decently, doesn't make you want to vomit, and leaves you with enough energy to make things in your spare time."
We can't all rely on making it big while we're still young, and in the mean time we should find a means to sustain ourself while still being able to nourish our creative side.
We can't all rely on making it big while we're still young, and in the mean time we should find a means to sustain ourself while still being able to nourish our creative side.
Chapter Ten : Creativity Is Subtraction
"The way to get over creative blocks is to simply place some constraints on yourself."
This ties the end of our semester to how we began. Through limitations, we free ourselves from the never ending amount of possibilities that stop us. When you can purchase any material, you keep trying different ones to complete an idea but never really settle on one. By limiting ourselves, we explore all the possibilities of one material and invent new ways to use it.
This ties the end of our semester to how we began. Through limitations, we free ourselves from the never ending amount of possibilities that stop us. When you can purchase any material, you keep trying different ones to complete an idea but never really settle on one. By limiting ourselves, we explore all the possibilities of one material and invent new ways to use it.