Austin Kleon

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  2. great points made. the 3 line idea is wrong its only 2 lines. the black “line” isnt a line because it bleeds into space making a background. if you really want the black “line” to be a line you would need to extend the white lines to the edge of the paper to make the black into a line.

  5. i can’t even begin to say how much i loved this. saving, keeping, printing it, remembering it, practicing it. i feel like i’ve got a clear head or something.

    thanks so much for posting.

  7. Since it makes sense to count both the black and white lines separately because who is to say which is negative space and which is positive space I still have to say this…

    his example of 1 + 1 = 3 doesn’t make any sense at all. In math equality means that something shares every attribute. Being similar in nature (a line of the same width) isn’t enough to meet the strict definition.

    Black Line ? White Line

    In this situation we have parallel white lines (x) and black lines (y) and we want the total number of parallel lines (t)

    So, x + y = t

    The parameters he has provided always leaves us with 1 less black line than white lines because a pair of white lines is used to enclose the negative space to create a black line

    So, y = x – 1

    ? 2x –1= t (This should hold for all whole numbers greater than zero).

    Using his example if we have 2 white lines: 2(2) – 1 = 3

    Using this logic, instead of the authors, you can predict the total number of lines no matter how many white lines you draw on the paper.

    Draw 1 line you get 1;
    Draw 5 lines you get 9;
    Draw 7 lines you get 13 ;
    Draw 10 lines you get 19 ;
    Draw 1000 lines you get 1999 ;

  8. Holy epicness! Loved the post esp # 2 Don’t wait to know who you are before you make things. I disagree with “be boring” and “get a day job” though. No, don’t. Unless you really want to. If you want to be interesting and “jobless”, find a way to make it work. I have, for years. And I’m way happier than I’d ever have been by sticking to my day job and living a conventional life. Rock on! Tia

  11. Not really true. In order for there to be an copy, there has to be an original. Therefore, not ALL artists are thieves…only most of them.

  12. I am trying to write a children’s book, and I loved that you said write what you want to read. I will take that to heart. Great list. I like it all.

  18. Half a dozen people forwarded me your blog post specifically because of your reference to the impostor syndrome (my work for the last 25 yrs and the subject of a book coming out in October with Random House.

    Your readers may find it interesting to know that writers, artists, actors and other creative types are particularly apt to feel like impostors because their work is judged by subjective standards and by people whose job title is “critic.”

    The key is to embrace your inner impostor since as you say we are all to one degree or another flying by the seat of our pants from time to time.

    Actually I worry a lot more about the people who never question their competence than those who do.

    Finally, your advice could just as easily apply to entrepreneurs. In fact much of the points you raise I and others have been teaching to aspiring entrepreneurs for years.

    Nice work and I’m happy to pass your blog along to my 23,000 newsletter subscribers at http://www.ChangingCourse.com

    Valerie Young
    Recovering Impostor
    Dreamer in Residence, Changing Course

  19. This is really really great! I love it! Thank you so much for sharing it. It has always been my instinct to be open but I am often not supported in that. I think we are all inspired by one another.

    You are so right about nothing new. We are all just reworking things, putting our own stamp on it all.

    I love art and I love being an artist.

    Thank you!

    Ellen

  25. Here’s an original idea: How bout you ‘artists’ get a freakin’ job and quite being a drain on the hardworking people in this country. Sure, it’d be nice to sit around in a coffee shop all day in my skinny jeans and chuck taylors, but I have personal responibility and accountability. The title of this ‘piece’ should be “how to steal like a freeloader.”

  28. Brilliant essay. I’m a novelist/critic/teacher/mom and this is one of the best thing I’ve read in ages — sent by my non-novelist/artist/teacher sister, who said it was the best thing SHE’S read in ages. Thank you.

    Patti Smith’s book remains amazing.

Trackbacks

  13. […] [from steve_portigal] How To Steal Like An Artist (And 9 Other Things Nobody Told Me) [Austin Kleon] – [While the frame of reference is being an artist, you could substitute a lot of other descriptors and it'd work just as well – designer, innovator, ethnographer, what-have-you. The riffs here manage to be wide-ranging and incredibly concise.] Your job is to collect ideas. The best way to collect ideas is to read. Read, read, read, read, read. Read the newspaper. Read the weather. Read the signs on the road. Read the faces of strangers. The more you read, the more you can choose to be influenced by. [Thanks @anneincal!] […]

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