Art Book Club: Art & Fear
Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
by David Bayles & Ted Orland
★★★★★
“Art & Fear” is the queen of artistic motivation pick-me-ups. If you are feeling in a slump with your creative process, wondering why you have trouble making your work, or feel like a pretender of an artist: pick up this book!
“The fear that you’re only pretending to do art is the (readily predictable) consequence of doubting your own artistic credentials. ”
Oh Imposter Syndrome, how we hate you. When I was a beginner artist, especially in art school, I felt like a pretender all the time. Everyone else seemed to know what they were doing while I was hanging on the edge of the little artistic education I had, hoping that someone liked the paintings I made enough that that my ego would be calmed that day. This book talks about why we feel that way.
A running answer through this book is to make a lot of art. Good art, bad art, art you don’t judge. That’s also the answer to perfectionism and imposter syndrome. You wont feel like a pretender if you are making. You wont feel like you have a lack of talent if you are actively studying. You wont feel like you are missing the magical essence that artist have, if you just make the work. This is your call to pick up your paintbrush, pencil, tablet pen, or musical sheets- and get to it!!
“There is no way to pretend to make art, while making it.” Page 27
What I love most about this book is that it systematically goes through every doubt you’ve had as a creative type, explaining why you feel that way and how to move past it. It gives you real tools to protect your art making time, how to defeat doubt, and how to stack the deck in your favor for a better making day tomorrow.
I’d highly recommend this book to anyone who makes art, a support for someone who is creative, or has freshly finished an art education of any sort.
★★★★★
Next months book: Interaction of Color by Joseph Albers
A book about color theory and color relationships, with many exercises to get you thinking and making!
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