Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered by Austin Kleon (2014)

, 29 Apr 2023

  "It sounds a little extreme, but in this day and age, if your work isn’t online, it doesn’t exist. We all have the opportunity to use our voices, to have our say, but so many of us are wasting it. If you want people to know about what you do and the things you care about, you have to share." (Page 25). 

This is the last of Kleon's trilogy and the most personal of the three. It feels so to me at least, as it's the one in which I hear Kleon's voice louder and clearer. What I mean is that his personal life, thinking and experiences are as important as what other people say; therefore, the book has less quotes and paraphrasing than the other two and feels more personal.
 
The aim of the book is to teach us how to think about creative work as a never-ending process, how to share our process to attract people who might be interested in our art, and how to deal with the ups and downs of sharing our work. 
THE GOODIES
> Kleon has a very engaging style that connects us to him as a person immediately.
> I really like his approach to life, the artistic life especially, and the fact that he sounds like a decent human being that happens to be a famous writer by now. All of that is commendable.
 > Once more, Kleon debunks the myth of the lone genius, the bohemian starving artist that lives in the collective unconscious. Kleon shows that most great ideas are birthed in a collaborative way with other creative people or minds or ideas from other people.  
> Kleon also debunks the myth that success happens overnight.
> His advise on online sharing is excellent. Kleon gives sound advice on when, how often, and what sort of stuff we should be sharing.
> The author's advice on how to give credit to artists whose work we share or quote.
> Kleon's reflections on how the value of any given work is affected by the story attached to it. That's why it's important to be a good storyteller.
> The information on the psychology of forgery is fascinating.
> Sound advice on how to deal with criticism.
 > Kleon's diaries snapshots at the end of the book give insight into his work process.
 
THE SO-SOS
For the rest, it suffers from some of the sins that his previous books:
 > The content is still lean, and this feels, again, another diary/booklet/blog turned into a book, what I call a blook. Kleon himself confirms "a lot of the ideas in this book started out as tweets, which then became blog posts, which then became book chapters." (Page 57). 
> There are too many quotes, no matter how good they are. Also, I miss the quotes being properly referenced, not just the name but also occupation and source (book, TV interview, podcast, newspaper, etc.). In this way, he'd be following his own advice about giving due credit.
> Most of what Kleon says in this book is directed to people who show/want to show their work online and the book revolves about that not about showing your work in any other sort of way, like ezines, small art galleries, etc. 
> Although I like most of what Kleon says, the chapters are sometimes a bit off point.
> Repetitive at times. 
> Section 1 seems fitter for Kleon's "Keep Going" book.
> Section  3 is very nice if you already have a name, but what about plagiarism? Not 'stealing' but totally using someone else's work? How do we counteract  the online exposure with this very real every-day-happening fact?  
> Section 4 on Tell stories is great, a first good approach to what good stories are made of. I found that this is great if you're a writer but not so much if you're a painter. For sure, there are paints, ours or others', who go attached to personal or collective stores, but others are not. So in which way can we share and make stories about artwork that has no story? I can make a story about a problem with a painting, how I tackled the problem and how it ended, but not all my paintings are a struggle, and some others have no happy ending and, to be honest, I don't think this might interest other artists or the people I share with.  
> Section 5 about sharing what you know is full of platitudes and statements that can be true for some online teachers I receive education from, or not. It is true that we gravitate towards artists whose art we like and can teach us but not all of them are good teachers or know how to teach. Also, there are too many online (mostly bad-mediocre) teachers whose art is also mediocre. I'm all about teaching your work if you have something good to teach. Being great at what you do doesn't equal being a great teacher. 
> Section 9 mentions the famous model of 'free' giveaways to get people's emails and then promote work or sell products or services. It definitely work. I guess it worked great when first came along. It works now? What I do is this. I get interested in something being offered for free. I use a secondary barely personal email address, I get the freebie, when I start to get marketing or promotional emails, I unsubscribe. Did it work?

SUMMARY OF THE BOOK
1. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A GENIUS.
> It is not about having talent about the way we contribute to the world.
> It's very important to have and keep a beginner's mind, have a passion for what we do and keep going as our work will improve the longer we stick around. Amateurs get less stuck than professionals. 
> Before sharing your work, think about what you want to learn, and do so in front of other people. Pay attention to what others are NOT sharing and fill in the void with your online presence.
> The only way to find your voice is to use it
> Reading obituaries or biographies of people who made great things is a way to connect with the present, give direction to our lives and not waste our time.
2. THINK PROCESS, NOT PRODUCT. 
By sharing with others our process online every day we can create an audience and bond with them. Many people are interested not in the final piece of art, but in how we get, the messiness to get them, how we deal with the messiness, etc.
3. SHARE SOMETHING SMALL EVERY DAY.
> If in the very early stages, share your influences or what inspire you. If in the middle of it, write about your methods or share works in progress. If the project is finished, show it.
> Share something every day (blog post, twit, video, etc.).
> Pick the online platform that best suits your kind of artwork.
> Stick to the question " What you are working on/" and you’ll be good.
> Don’t show your personal life; show your work.
> Don't worry about being perfect, most of what we do is crap, but sharing our work opens up to how people react.
> If you're too busy or your life is hectic, devote just 30 minutes to online sharing a day.
> Don’t post work online that you’re not ready for everyone in the world to see.
> Don't overshare.
> When you share regularly, you'll notice patterns, themes and trends emerging from/in your work.
> Create your online space and build a good domain name. Stick to it forever. Keep it simple and professional. 
4. OPEN UP YOUR CABINET OF CURIOSITIES.
> Before we’re ready to share our work with the world, we can share our tastes, things that drive us, artists we love, our artistic interest and influences, and what drive us to work.
> Show who you are, what you like, and don't let anyone pressure you on to saying the contrary or feeling bad about yourself for that. 
> Being open and honest will bring around those people who are in the same frequency.    
>  Don’t share things you can’t properly credit. Find the right credit, or don’t share.
5. TELL GOOD STORIES.
> If you want to share effectively, you need to be a good storyteller, therefore, know what a good story is and how to tell one. 
> A good story has a set structure that works most of the time, from the old fairy tales to the modern novels.There’s the initial problem, the work done to solve the problem, and the solution. The first act is the past, the second act is the present, and the third act is the future.
> Keep your audience in mind.
> Used proper language, good spelling and punctuation. Write clearly and in a way that is understandable. 
> Speak about yourself and what you do. You should be able to explain your work to anyone and everyone but keep it honest, matter of fact, short  and sweet.
6. TEACH WHAT YOU KNOW.  Teach your craft, or techniques or how-to as this will generate more interest in your work. When you share your knowledge/work with others, you receive an education in return.
7. DON'T TURN INTO HUMAN SPAM. Don't turn into that sort of people who show no interest on anything or anyone but themselves. The sort of  people who cave attention, notoriety and followers but show no appreciation or interest for those very people who follow them. If you want to get, you have to give.
> If you want to be accepted by a community, you have to first be a good citizen of that community. 
> Forward-thinking artists aren’t just looking for passive-consumer fans, they’re looking for potential collaborators.
> Notice and you'll be notice. Give and you'll be given. If you want to be interesting, you have to be interested first. 
> Make stuff you love and talk about stuff you love and you’ll attract people who love that kind of stuff.
> "Don’t be creepy. Don’t be a jerk. Don’t waste people’s time. Don’t ask too much. And don’t ever ever ask people to follow you. “Follow me back?” is the saddest question on the Internet." (Page 107).  
> Don't do what drains you. Don't give air to people who drains you. 
> Keep close those people who support and encourage you. Those you share your passions and view of the world. Praise them. Honor them. Be grateful for them. Collaborate with them.  They're your inner circle.
> Meet your online peers in person. 
8. LEARN TO TAKE A PUNCH. 
> Relax and breeth. Criticism is not the end of the world.
> The more criticism you take, the less it can hurt you.
> You can only control how you react to criticism .
> Being hated by certain people is sometimes a badge of honor.
> You can always hide work that is too close to you to prevent it from being criticized, but avoiding vulnerability won't allow you truly to connect to other people.
> Your work is something you do, not what you are.
> Care only about what the right people think of you.
> Don't feed the trolls.  Block people. Turn comments off if necessary.
9. SELL OUT.
> Turn fans into patrons.
> Ask for support when necessary.
> Keep a e-mailing list. Free giveaways are great to collect emails and have a group of people to connect, share or sell.
> Paid it forward.  Praise those people, platforms or organizations that support/ed you before you were well-known.
10 STICK AROUND.  
> Getting there takes time. If you keep going,you'll get there. Don't quit too early.
> Success is never guaranteed, and nothing guarantees that after a success there will be another one. 
> Persevere no matter you're successful or not. 
> Use the end of one project to light up the next one. Ask yourself what you missed, what you could’ve done better, or what you couldn’t get to, and jump right into the next project.
> Take long breaks or sabbaticals if necessary.  Otherwise, take advantage of your idle time (commuting, exercising, enjoying nature or going to a park). 
> When you feel like you’ve learned whatever there is to learn from what you’re doing, change course and find something new to learn; move forward.

MIND
> This book is not a how-to and doesn't have an in-built method.  
> The book focuses mostly on our presence online, how to show our work online .

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Mixed-Media Master Class with Sherrill Kahn by Sherril Kahn (2013)

This is one of those books that you want to have on our table when you start your mixed-media journey. I wish I had it on mine when I first started. Ten years have elapsed since the book was first published, but some of the techniques and content are still relevant and many of the techniques and supplies were unknown to me. 
 
This is a how-to book. I consider it good for for both mixed-media newbies or people who usually work with mixed-media but want to expand their technical repertoire. 
 
Kahn says at the beginning of the book that her aim is just to provide us with techniques so that we can try them and/or incorporate them into our artwork, and she stresses that they're just techniques to use to create pieces that will then be incorporated into our artwork, so they're not intended to create masterpieces or finished pieces on their own.   

GREAT THINGS
> Greatly photographed and edited. 
> Kahn goes through every technique, from the use of different subtracts, techniques to create resist, use of different art supplies, ways to create textures, rubbings and hand-printing techniques, you name it.
> The book reads quickly, but this is one of those books that I want to keep at hand to come and apply some of the teachings in my work.  
> Kahn has an amazing knowledge of how different paper and textile substrates work, so she's able to properly advice on how the same technique works on different materials. 
> The abstract artwork displayed on the book is gorgeous and very much my cup of tea.  
> The tutorial to make a folding book. 
> She uses inexpensive supplies most of the time, so that's great as I think this pushes us, or at least me, to try things without worrying about having this or that fancy supply. 
> The last section of her book has examples of ho Khan put together some art pieces using the techniques she describes throughout the book. They're so beautiful.
 

SO-SO
>  We live in a world bombarded with video-tutorials and some of the things presented here are already popular and well-known. 
> The text is not justified, something that always bothers me. 
> Some of the brands that Kahn mentions might be very common in the US but not elsewhere. I would have loved having a replacement mentioned, or just a generic product mentioned. 
> Thermofax machines were becoming uncommon when Kahn wrote her book and I don't think they're that common today. I have never heard for them, anyway. So, I don't think this is something that the average artist has access to.  

  

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Explore Mixed Media Collage: Innovative Layering Techniques by Kristen Robinson & Ruth Rae (2014)

, 28 Apr 2023

This is a very handy book for both beginners and intermediate crafters and mixed-media painters. It contains plenty of techniques, tips, creative ideas and projects to try on and get inspired by.

The book is divided in three parts. The first one contains all the techniques that the authors will use in the following mixed-media projects but isolated and photographed step by step with simple clear effective descriptions. The second part contains tutorials for 12 different projects by both authors, which are photographed and described step by step in the same effective manner as before. The third part contains 10 new projects, but they aren't photographed step-by-step, just the steps described.

     

THE GOODIES
> I  got plenty of inspiration and some ideas despite having worked on mixed-media for a while.
> The book is unpretentious and goes to the point.
> The tutorials are photographed and short-described wonderfully, so you can follow them quickly and effectively.
> Some of the tips spread throughout the book are extremely helpful.
> I love the fact that the authors use stitching, fabrics as well as sealing wax and wax in general as the results are very tactile and visually rich. 
> The variety of styles and complexity in the projects included. It goes from the very simple to the challenging. I especially loved the projects Bounty of secrets, Our House, Devotion Shrine, Sweet Heart, Birds Nest, Kindness to Ruth, Flight, and My Secret Heart Hopes. 
> Good quality photographs.
> No typos in view and good edition overall. 
> The book having a index of subjects at the end, something that I always love. 
> A quick read, but it can be used as a reference guide, as well. 

      

DOWNSIDES
> The book feels a bit aged in some parts, but some of the techniques and results must have been groundbreaking when the book first came out 9 years ago 
 > Some of the techniques are very basic and won't be helpful to people who already work on mixed-media like me.
> I miss the second batch of projects being photographed step-by-step like the first. I don't know why they did it this way, to be honest.  
> Ain't a fan of rhinestones on artwork unless they're vintage, small and delicate.  
> Text isn't justified. 



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Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad (2019)

, 22 Apr 2023

This is the second Kleon's book I read and the second from the trilogy directed to artists and creators. Like the first book, Steal like an Artist, it's a very enjoyable read, full of common sense and very down-to-earth advice. 
 
Kleon departs from the premise that creative work is hard and it doesn't get easier even if you make a living out of it or are a famous artist. He debunks the stereotypical image of an artist as a chaotic flamboyant individual who's genius is boundless and has a semi-hippy life, that is, the image in the collective imagination. 
 
There is more personal insights into Kleon's life in this book than in the previous one, I'd say, and I appreciate that as I want to hear Kleon's voice, which might be the sum of his influences, but it's still personal; after all, he's not the many people he quotes from. I really like when Kleon gives us an insight into his own experience and life and not into someone's else.
 
This book is also more philosophical than the first one, and I really enjoy that. 
 
Keep Going is written in a simple way that has no pretense or jargon and is easy to understand. 
 
I love the illustrated vignettes and highlight boxes summarizing points discussed, the author's personal views on things, or relevant quotes. 
 
Regarding the digital edition, I haven't found any typo or grammatical error. The structure, style and font use tell me immediately that this is a Kleon's book. The book includes a short bibliography, which is great.  
 
 
THE SO-SOS
This book sins are similar to those I pinpointed in his previous book.
> The content is still lean, and this feels, again, another diary/booklet/blog turned into a book, what I call a blook, by adding generous margins, large illustrations, frame boxes, humongous headings and plenty of blank pages.  
> Like the first time around, there are too many quotes for my taste. Not that I don't like most of them,but there are too many, so Kleon's voice is always muffled by someone's else with his own consent. 
> I also think that some of the chapters could have been meshed together, like chapter 2 and part of chapter 8, and chapters 5 and part of 9, and chapter 6 and part of 9.
> Kleon says "If we do not get outside, if we do not take a walk out in the fresh air, we do not see our everyday world for what it really is, and we have no vision of our own with which to combat disinformation." (Page 129).  I think this is a bit of empty talk, having a walk around the park won't battle disinformation, having a critical mind will. 
> I miss the book having the quotes he includes in properly quoted, like the name of the person, occupation (painter, philosopher, writer, etc.) and the source from it comes from (like a book, or TV interview for ex.).

THE TEN WAYS
1/ EVERYDAY IS GROUNDHOG DAY. Take a day at a time as you never arrive at destination when you're are an artist. Life is full of ebbs and flows, so setting up a daily routine forces you to do something even when you don't know what. Even if you are inspired, it will help you not to waste your time. To set up your routine pay attention to the time you're usually more creative, or the times you can spare from work or family duties. Routine gives your direction and movement. When the day is over, be kind to yourself and remember and be grateful for all the good things that happened to you during the day.  Do to-do lists, they will help you on track.
2/ BUILD A BLISS STATION. Having some disconnected time from our overly-connected overly/shared world and having some silence and solitude will favor your work and creativity as you'll be able to connect to yourself.  
> Set up your work station in the way it works for you personally, something that varies from person to person. Condo's advice is not really relevant for creative spaces.   
> Don't wake up to the news or the Internet. 
> Say no to social interactions that are not relevant to you and say yes to yourself instead. 
3/ FORGET THE NOUN, DO THE VERB. Keep doing what you meant to be doing, writing, painting, sculpting, etc. Don't focus on the thing that you're trying to be or do, but on the work. Don't take it too seriously; work with a sense of playfulness, like children do.
4/ MAKE GIFTS. Forget the art market, put making money at the back of your mind even if this is your way of living. Do what you love for yourself or others. Gift friends and family some of your art.  When we try to monetize, there is pressure, there is adaptation and sometimes we lose our North or genuine self.  If you put your artwork online, ignore the metrics, the likes, dislikes, views, ratings and so on. Don't get obsessed with analytics.
5/ THE ORDINARY + EXTRA ATTENTION = THE EXTRAORDINARY. Pay extra attention to the ordinary, the every day, so you can notice what's special or extraordinary. Find magic in the mundane and translate this into art.  
> Slow down, get outside and draw/sketch anything.
>  Notice what you pay attention to or you usually do. If you want to change your life, change what you pay attention to.
6/ SLAY THE ART MONSTERS. We all have our our monsters and art monsters inside. If making art is ruining your life or somebody else's, it is not worth going on. The world needs more good people not more artists. 
7/ YOU ARE ALLOWED TO CHANGE YOUR MIND. Changing once's mind is perfectly OK. Art thrives on uncertainty. We don't know what we'll end up with when we start each work. We don't know everything. We should be open to change.
>  We need of other people to think us think so that we can think ourselves. Only in an environment that has diversity of opinions we can learn and grow. 
> Like-minded people keep you just where you are. Seek people who are like-hearted, who might not agree with your opinions but do this kindly and help you get a different point of view. 
> Also, revisit the past to get new ideas (as the adage goes, everything has already been said) but put your spin on them, resurrect them, reinvent them, turn them around.
8/ WHEN IN DOUBT, TIDY UP. You’re often most creative when you’re the least productive. There’s a balance in a workspace between chaos and order. Keep your tools organized and your materials messy. Tidying up a studio is a way of procrastination, of deflecting your attention from what you want to do, yet it allows you to clear your mind, or come across stuff that you didn't know you had or where it was.
> Another way of de-cluttering your mind is also having a nap.
> Tide-up your external world. Go an collect rubbish from your local beach for example,
9/ DEMONS HATE FRESH AIR. Exercising is one of the best tools to fight your demons. Walking is good for your physical, mental and spiritual health, great for problem solving and to help you with your artistic endeavors. Art requires awakening your senses and walking/exercising is a perfect way to do that. 
10/ PLANT YOUR GARDEN. Creativity, like the weather, has  its seasons and we need to know which one we're in and be patient in the off-seasons. Our lives have seasons but some people blossom at a young age and others at an old age. Every day is a potential seed that we can grow into something beautiful.
     
PEARLS OF WISDOM
> Nothing makes play more fun than some new toys. Seek out unfamiliar tools and materials. Find something new to fiddle with. Another trick: When nothing’s fun anymore, try to make the worst thing you can. The ugliest drawing. The crummiest poem. The most obnoxious song. Making intentionally bad art is a ton of fun. Finally, try hanging out with young kids. (Page 56-57). 
>  "When you start making a living from your work, resist the urge to monetize every single bit of your creative practice. Be sure there’s at least a tiny part of you that’s off-limits to the marketplace. (...) draw the line between what you will and won’t do for money." (Page 64). 
 >"When you ignore quantitative measurements for a bit, you can get back to qualitative measurements. Is it good? Really good? Do you like it? You can also focus more on what the work does that can’t be measured. What it does to your soul" (Page 68). 
> "When you have a system for going back through your work, you can better see the bigger picture of what you’ve been up to, and what you should do next." (Page 86). 
> "Thinking requires an environment in which you can try out all sorts of ideas and not be judged for them. To change your mind, you need a good place to have some bad ideas." (Page 102).  
> "When you’re only interacting with like-minded people all the time, there’s less and less opportunity to be changed. Everybody knows that feeling you get when you’re hanging out with people who love the same art, listen to the same music, and watch the same movies: It’s comforting at first, but it can also become incredibly boring and ultimately stifling."  (Page 105). 
> "Art is not only made from things that “spark joy.” Art is also made out of what is ugly or repulsive to us. Part of the artist’s job is to help tidy up the place, to make order out of chaos, to turn trash into treasure, to show us beauty where we can’t see it."  (Page 125). 
> "I don’t want to know how a thirty-year-old became rich and famous; I want to hear how an eighty-year-old spent her life in obscurity, kept making art, and lived a happy life." (Page 139).
 
IN SHORT
A very enjoyable reading, full of wisdom, sound advice and food for thought. But it reads more like a blog than anything else, it has too many quotes, and everything he says it has already been said.  

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