Books
Kickstart your creativity with this list of carefully selected books by our team! The topics range from building your artistic career and unblocking your creative inspiration.
CREATIVITY 101 (Self-Help Books)
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- Art and Fear by David Bayles & Ted Orland This is about the way art gets made, the reasons it often doesn’t get made and the nature of the difficulties that cause so many artists to give up along the way along the way.
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- The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron In this work the author highlights the subject of creativity. Julia Cameron dives deep into ways in which one can gain confidence as an artist and how to transform your ideas into tangible goals.
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- Show Your Work by Austin Kleon This book does a great job at sharing the the creative process. It also tackles techniques you can use to know your audience and make sure that your content suits them.
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- The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp This self-improvement book helps one to make being creative not just a process but a subconscious habit.
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- Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert In her book Gilbert dives into how creatives can make use of their creative intellect in this mostly left-brained world.
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- The War of Art by Steven Pressfield This book describes how to do creative work as well as how to overcome common distractions.
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- Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon In this book, Austin Kleon dives into ways in which we can use what’s already been created to find our own unique sense of style.
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- The Originals by Adam Grant This book discusses what it really means to be creative and how qualities such as resilience and critical thinking can be used to create something original.
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- Creative Confidence by Tom Kelley & David Kelley This book is perfect for anyone who is looking to improve their creative way of thinking.
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- How to Get Ideas by Jack Foster He creates a five-step model for creativity.
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- The Little Spark – 30 Ways to Ignite Your Creativity by Carrie Bloomston This book talks about how you can find a creative spark in your life.
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- Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi In this book, Csikszentmihalyi, considers how to live a happier life and how to find the right Flow.
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- How to Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul by Adrian Shaughnessy Addresses the dilemma that many designers have about how to do what they love as a job without it becoming a mechanical routine.
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- Daily Rituals by Mason Currey A collection of rituals that many creatives and other influential figures would do.
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- Oh, to Be a Painter! by Virginia Woolf In a collection of essays and reviews Virginia Woolf explores the relationship between artist and society.
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- Art as Therapy by Alain de Botton and John Armstrong This book explores a new way of looking at art for therapeutic purposes.
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- Artists Prosper by Christy Strauch This book discusses how we can overcome legitimate fears creatives may have when sharing work. It also offers techniques creatives can use to calm those fears and be able to freely share your work with the world.
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- Passion, Plan, Profit by Christy Strauch In this book, Christy Strouch offers advice on how to run your business as a creative. It also shares details on how to plan for a business, have a clear objective, and execute your plan successfully.
ARTIST LIVES
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- Me by Elton John In his autobiography Elton John recounts his journey to fame along with the most memorable moments in his extraordinary life.
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- The Letters of Van Gogh A candid collection of letters written by Van Gogh himself accompanied by biographical explanations on the events mentioned in the letters.
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- Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Raike In this book Raine Marie reflects on the process of being a writer.
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- Dix portraits by Gertrude Stein This book features portraits featuring some renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso along with small anecdotes about them. It also includes a few sketches from other artists themselves.
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- Fierce Poise: Helen Frankenthaler and 1950s New York - Alexander Nemerov This is an artist biography about Helen Frankethaler and the major milestones in her artistic career.
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- Frida Kahlo: The Last Interview and Other Conversations This book discusses Frida Khalo's life as an artist who even though shy at first became a woman in control of her own image.
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- Mark Rothko: From the Inside Out by Christopher Rothko In this book Rothko presents essays critically analyzing paintings and the connections they can have between the viewer and the artist.
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- October Files by Branden W. Joseph This book is a collection of essays on the artist Robert Rauschenberg with a focus on the pivotal point in his career in the 1950s and 1960s.
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- Avedon: Something Personal by Norma Stevens This is a story told by Norma Stevens who was Avedon’s close business partner about his life as a photographer.
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- Lives of the Artists Yayoi Kusama by Robert Shore A narrative based on the life of nonagenarian Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.
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- The Philsophy of Andy Warhol In this memoir Andy Warhol talks about everything imaginable ranging from work, money, success, as well as his artistic career.
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- Everything She Touched by Ruth Asawa Marilyn Chase discusses Ruth Asawa’s archives to create a complex picture of the artist.
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- Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson Walter Isaacson talks connects Leonardo da Vinci’s art and science in a stunning narrative.
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- The Diary of Frida Kahlo by Frida Kahlo This is Frida Kahlo’s journal where she shares her hopes, dreams, and most intimate moments.
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- A Choice of Weapons Gordon Parks This autobiography follows the life of Gordon Parks and the way he reached his professional career as a photographer.
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- Agatha Christie an Autobiography In her autobiography Agatha Christie gives readers a glimpse into her private life.
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- Ai Weiwei Speaks With hans Ulrich Obrist This is a series of interviews conducted by curator Hans Ulrich Obrist where Ai Weiwei talks about his career as an artist.
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- Duchamp by Calvin Tomkins This is a 560 page biography about French artist Marcel Duchamp. It follows an in-depth analysis of his work and career.
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- Decoded by Jay-Z In this book Jay-Z tells his story through lyrics and explanations of them in an engaging and compelling way.
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- Hanging Man The Arrest of Ai Weiwei by Barnaby Martin A biography about Chinese artist Ai Weiwei’s arrest.
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- Just Kids by Patti Smith This book features the relationship between Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethrope. A memoir by Patti Smith who dives into details previously unknown to the public.
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