Steal Like an Artist

I can't recommend this book highly enough, and here's why: it completely shattered my misconceptions about originality in the creative process. Kleon's candid and approachable narrative made me realize that all art is, in some form, a reinterpretation or recombination of what already exists.

This book came into my life at a pivotal moment, just when I was grappling with the dreaded "impostor syndrome" and the paralyzing belief that everything I created needed to be unprecedented. Kleon's perspective is liberating. He argues that embracing influences and integrating them into your work is not only acceptable but essential for creativity. 

Like Kleon, I believe that everything has been done before, and it is not a matter of always coming up with a new idea but interpreting and recreating old ideas in your own unique way. Once we take the pressure away from the “big idea,” then we can work on doing what we love and adding a personal flair.

I love the way Kleon writes and speaks to people of all ages. My son listened to his viral talk and read his book in his freshman class on speaking about ideas. 

Steal Like An Artist has become a modern classic for good reason, redefining the meaning of originality while reminding us that creativity thrives on connection and reinvention.

Even before reading this book, I had already adopted many of the suggestions discussed, constantly collecting new inspirations and ideas to serve as influences for my work; however, the structure of this book solidifies what is a latent thought for many creatives.

While somewhat brief, Kleon’s perspective is refreshingly honest – it’s okay to embrace and rework the ideas that electrify us. Viewing originality as something inherent to creating can actually be a… show more.

To create anything, you have to fight, scratch, and claw your way there.

Austin Kleon shows you how to take ideas and inspiration from just about anywhere and make something uniquely your own. He also exposes you to the idea that people do care about what you are passionate about. “The more open you are about sharing your passions, the closer people will feel to your work.”

Steal Like an Artist is a short yet powerfully poignant book providing numerous short sayings and philosophies that people in the arts can take to heart.

I’ve found that it helps people easily come to an understanding of what their personal philosophy is and what they want their own strategic plan to be about. A fun read, too!

When my oldest son asked for this book for Christmas a couple of years ago, I had to see what kind of creativity book would appeal to a non-reader like him. One written by a creative from his own generation, as the author is my son’s age. A quick read, this short volume will definitely appeal to those who have grown up with Internet access and social media, but it is an inspiring guide to creativity for all ages, presenting ten transformative principles that will help readers discover their artistic side and build a more creative life.

This book has become a classic and for good reason. Kleon is able to quickly (and with illustrations!) make the argument that all art is remixing (or stealing, in his parlance). It is also in that rare Venn diagram overlap of books that are both informative and look great on a coffee table.

The value of this clever, short book is that it shows that very seldom are success stories about major breakthroughs. Instead, most advances piggyback on what has been done before. Innovation derives from seeing how to make what already exists start to work faster or cheaper or stronger or louder or in ways not explored previously. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, you have to figure out how to put rubber tires on it. Kleon shows how to analyze products, evaluate performances, modify systems, brainstorm processes, and conceptualize radical procedures.