The first lesson learned from Steal Like An Artist
Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon is a provocative but informative title for a book meant to inspire creatives from different domains of study.
Since I’ve sunk my teeth into the book, I have to say that it’s not so much as steal but get inspired from others whom you like the work of. It’s fool’s gold to attempt to create something that is original because creativity is a culmination of the art you’ve consumed.
So how do you look at the world like an artist?
Understand Nothing Is Original
Nothing comes from nowhere.
All your creative work is built on what came before you. Every new idea is a mashup or remix of one or more previous ideas you’ve been exposed to.
Embrace this fact. Don’t run away from it.
All your creative art is the culmination of what has influenced you.
Garbage In, Garbage Out
As a creative, you must learn to be a collector, not a hoarder.
A hoarder is indiscriminate in what they consume. They accumulate for the sake of accumulating, not caring about what they consume so long as they are consuming.
But the creative is selective.
The creative is picky, ensuring their art is as good as the art they devour.
Climb Your Own Family Tree
Choose one creative you really love and study everything about them.
When you are done studying this creative, look into at least three creatives that inspired them and study those people. Then, study the creatives that inspired those creatives.
The goal is to see yourself as a part of a creative lineage.
Educate Yourself
It’s your job to constantly educate yourself.
You want to be curious of about the world you inhabit. You want to question, question, question.
This goes beyond schooling. Get curious about the world, and the world will get curious about you.
Jot Down The “Thefts”
Carry a notebook and pens everywhere.
Jot down your thoughts and observations. Whatever got your mind turning when watching a movie, listening to music, or reading a book. This is why keeping a commonplace book, no matter how small, can help you keep a swipe file of sorts.
Having something physical to turn back to you when you can’t find something to create can get the gears turning again.
Leave a Reply