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1-Page Summary of Steal Like An Artist
Creative License
Creative people throughout history have known that everything is a combination of other things. For instance, Picasso said that “Art is theft.” Innovators combine ideas and formats from different sources to create something new. The Bible says, “There’s nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). If you want to be more creative in your life, consider these 10 tips:
1. “Steal Like an Artist”
The author suggests that we should look for things worth stealing. If you can’t find anything, try to borrow it or alter it in some way. The point is that you want to be able to use the ideas and information from other people. It doesn’t matter where these ideas come from; they could even be stolen from your competitors! What matters is whether the ideas are valuable and useful for you.
When you realize that your work will never be unique, the fear of being influenced by others goes away. You are made up of both your family’s genetics and the influences from other people in your life. These influencers include teachers, music, books, art and movies. The combination of these things help shape who you are as an artist.
Don’t try to learn everything about your art. Pick one person who inspires you and study his or her influences. Learn as much as you can about those people, then create something that is unique from the rest of the art world.
When you’ve found your creative ancestors, honor them. Regard yourself as the continuation of their work. Put photos of the artists that inspire you around your workspace. Select what they can teach you and ignore everything else. Read as much as possible to find those books that will help guide you in a positive direction towards success.
Always carry a pen and paper so you can capture your thoughts. Don’t be shy about it, as this will make you smarter and more observant. Note what people are talking about as they pass by. Copy your favorite passages out of books or photograph things that catch your eye. Maintain a swipe file – a notebook, tape recorder, cellphone in which you store the ideas stolen from other artists/people around you.
2. “Don’t Wait Until You Know Who You Are to Get Started”
You may not fully know yourself, and if you spend all your time thinking about it, you’ll never figure it out. You can only learn more about yourself by doing things that are good for you. Don’t think too much – just do something!
It’s important to act like a writer or artist in order to get there. You can achieve this by practicing and by emulating your idols, but don’t copy them because you won’t be able to do it well enough. Instead, try to understand why they’re so good at what they do and how their work reflects their worldviews.
3. “Write the Book You Want to Read”
When writers are at a loss for what to write, they’re often told to write about what they know. That’s the worst advice you can get. It doesn’t matter if you know something; it matters whether or not someone would want to read it. Write about whatever is most interesting and entertaining to you, not the hardest thing that comes into your head or whatever seems profound. If you’re having trouble writing, pick something fun instead of trying too hard with something else.
For example, you can write what happens in the sequel to a movie or book. You can also compose your favorite band’s next album and study your inspirational gurus’ work to see where you would make improvements or additions.
4. “Use Your Hands”
Work done on computers is too abstract. To get the most out of your work, you need to experience what it’s like to use your hands and create something with them. Your brain learns from your body just as your body learns from its brain. Pick up a drumstick or paintbrush or welding torch or pen and paper – do anything that gets you working with your hands again – so that both sides of yourself can learn together.
