PDF Summary:Steal Like an Artist, by Austin Kleon

In Steal Like an Artist, Austin Kleon (a self-described “writer who draws”) shares his tips for maximizing your creativity, finding inspiration, breaking out of a creative rut, and connecting with other people doing exciting work. His advice applies to anyone who uses creative thinking in their work, not just to artists in the traditional sense.

In this guide, we’ll explore Kleon’s advice as it applies to every stage of the creative process. Along the way, we’ll compare his methods to those of other creators and explore the scientific reasoning behind why Kleon’s advice works.

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(Shortform note: While it’s true that creative mentors are important, they’re not the only important figure in your creative process. In Ego Is the Enemy, Ryan Holiday argues that everyone needs three types of people in their lives: someone to learn from, someone to teach, and someone to compete against. Therefore, in addition to seeking out artists who inspire you, look for opportunities to teach your skills to others or to compare your work to artists with similar skill sets.)

Step 3: Start Creating

Once you’ve studied your creative influences in depth, it’s time to start creating. If that sounds scary, you’re in good company: According to Kleon, many artists feel like they can’t make truly great art until they understand exactly who they are as a person and an artist. However, he says the opposite is true: The process of making art is how you’ll come to understand yourself. The only way to become an artist is to make art, even if you’re not an expert. Therefore, you should jump right in instead of waiting until you feel ready.

(Shortform note: In The War of Art, Steven Pressfield argues that making art even if you don’t feel ready has an additional benefit: It separates professional artists from amateurs. He doesn’t mean “professional” in the sense that you get paid for your art—rather, being a professional artist is a mindset. It’s a badge you earn for being committed to your creative process and continuing to work hard at it even when the process is difficult or draining. This logic echoes Kleon’s assertion that the only way to become a real artist is to keep making art.)

Jumping right into creating has another benefit: According to Kleon, it’ll help you avoid becoming trapped by “imposter syndrome,” which is a persistent feeling that you’re not talented enough to succeed. Instead of listening to these feelings, commit to doing creative work regardless of how you feel about your talents.

(Shortform note: Kleon leaves out a crucial component of the definition of imposter syndrome: According to the American Psychological Association, it’s a feeling of inferiority that plagues “high achievers,” or people who have outward markers of success in their field. Therefore, if you’re a professional artist and doubting your abilities, you may be experiencing imposter syndrome—but if you’re trying your hand at creative work for the first time, you may simply be experiencing the anxiety that comes with trying something new.)

In this section, we’ll cover Kleon’s practical advice for creating, including copying, deciding what to make, combining digital and analog tools, and embracing your limitations.

Start by Copying Other Artists

Kleon believes that the best way to get started as an artist is to copy the work of your creative heroes. Making copies will help you develop a better understanding of how the original creator made that piece of art. For example, if you’re learning to paint, you might paint a copy of the Mona Lisa. In the process, you’ll have to examine the original work closely, so you’ll begin to understand why da Vinci used certain colors in the places he did. Then, when you paint your own, original work, you’ll have a better understanding of how to use color.

Keep in mind that, when you copy, your work will inevitably fall short of the original (after all, no novice painter could perfectly reproduce the Mona Lisa on the first try). However, according to Kleon, this isn’t a failure—it’s the source of your strength. The ways that your copies differ from the original are what make you unique as an artist. Lean into those differences to discover and develop your own creative voice. (This step is also crucial because, if you never add anything unique to your copies, your work will just be a poor imitation of the original instead of something new and transformative.)

Copying Works—Just Don’t Compare Your Art to Others’

Research supports Kleon’s conclusion that studying another artist’s work enhances both creativity and artistic skill. In one study, students who spent time copying a professional artist’s drawing later produced work that art judges rated as more creative and expressive than the work of students who didn’t start by copying.

Of course, as Kleon suggests, imitating and learning from comparison is the starting point, but you won’t develop an authentic voice or expression unless you build on the ways you don’t compare to other artists. However, comparing yourself to other artists can sometimes be demoralizing if you focus on how your skills measure up to theirs.

In The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown recognizes this danger and advises using the creative process to celebrate your originality instead of comparing yourself unfavorably. Brown highlights the fact that creative expression is unique to every individual, so it’s pointless to compare your work to others’. Instead, focus on the fact that no one else could make what you’ve made because no one else sees the world exactly as you do—your creative expression is literally incomparable.

Decide What to Make

Once you have a sense of your own creative voice, you’ll need to decide what you want to create. Kleon recommends thinking about the kind of art that speaks to you and trying to make it, even if it’s not what you’re used to. This contradicts the standard advice to “write (or draw or paint or build) what you know,” which Kleon believes is a recipe for boring art.

(Shortform note: Stephen King, author of more than 60 novels and 200 short stories, agrees with Kleon’s advice not to take “write what you know” too literally. In On Writing, King advises writing about the basic truths you’ve learned from your individual experiences, not necessarily about the experiences themselves. For example, if you’ve experienced feeling nervous about moving to a new city, you could write about an astronaut being nervous to go to space—the situation is different, but the underlying emotional truth is the same.)

Combine Digital and Analog Tools

Once you’ve decided what to make, how should you go about making it? If you typically do all your work digitally, Kleon advises getting away from the computer for a while and incorporating an analog component. This will boost your creativity because working with physical materials gives you the freedom to explore possibilities and make mistakes. In contrast, working on a computer makes it too easy to censor your ideas before you can fully explore them. Therefore, Kleon argues that you should only use a computer when you get to the editing stage of a creative project.

(Shortform note: If you typically work solely on a computer, incorporating analog materials might seem like an unnecessary hassle—for example, if you’re a writer, you may balk at writing by hand because you’ll just have to retype it all later. However, studies show that writing by hand makes you more creative because the physical act of writing by hand engages larger regions of your brain than typing on a keyboard does. That’s why many accomplished writers (including Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, and J.K. Rowling) draft their stories by hand before ever touching a computer.)

To encourage yourself to use physical materials, Kleon recommends dividing your workspace into two zones: one for your computer and any other electronic equipment, and one for whatever materials you use to create (such as pens and paper, clay, or paints). Use the analog zone to explore and brainstorm, then use the digital zone to edit and expand your ideas.

(Shortform note: Kleon’s own workspace features two separate desks for analog and digital work; however, we can infer that the same idea would work with a single desk if you divide it in half. If you don’t have a designated workspace, you could even recreate the setup by putting together a portable kit of various analog materials; that way, you can easily switch between analog and digital, no matter where you sit down to work that day.)

Embrace Limitations

Kleon offers a final tip for creative work: Use constraints and limitations to your advantage. Having limited resources actually boosts creativity, so embrace the challenge. In fact, if you’re in a creative rut, you can even arbitrarily add a limitation (for example, by challenging yourself to cook a meal using only the ingredients you already have on hand). As an added bonus, this also makes your work more interesting—people will marvel at how you did so much with so little.

(Shortform note: Kleon doesn’t explain why limitations boost creativity, but it may be because constraints force your brain into problem-solving mode to figure out a way around them. In fact, studies show that people come up with more creative solutions when they have fewer options available.)

Step 4: Share Your Work

Once you’ve made something you’re proud of, you’ll naturally want to share it with others—however, Kleon cautions against rushing into this step because anonymity is an asset for beginner artists. Right now, you have the freedom to experiment as much as you like because no one is expecting anything specific from you. However, once you’re a big-name artist, that freedom will disappear because people will expect you—and pay you—to keep producing one particular kind of art.

(Shortform note: In Kleon’s view, having your work become well-known automatically means losing your creative freedom; however, this isn’t always the case. Many artists and authors have created famous works while still maintaining personal anonymity (and, therefore, the freedom to create whatever they like). For example, writers like Mark Twain, George Orwell, and George Eliot all rose to fame while writing under a pseudonym. In the modern era, the graffiti artist known as Banksy has attained international success while remaining anonymous.)

Use the Internet to Share and Connect

Once you’re ready for people to see your work, the internet is the best tool at your disposal because people from all over the world can easily find your work. Kleon recommends creating a website and a social media presence. Share your completed work as well as some glimpses of your creative process so that others can learn from you (and you can learn from them).

In addition to sharing your work, the internet is a great place to connect with other creative people. Kleon recommends using social media to find people doing work that inspires you. Then, spark up a friendship by complimenting them. If you want to express your appreciation for an artist (whether well-known or not), Kleon recommends posting a public tribute to their work on your website or social media account rather than messaging them privately. That way, the artist will feel appreciated but won’t feel pressured to respond.

(Shortform note: Kleon frequently takes his own advice to post tributes to other artists. These tributes take different forms—for example, he often posts lists of the best books he’s read lately with a review of what made each book so memorable. Other times, he’ll post a deep dive into the thoughts of one writer or artist—for example, he posted his illustrated notes on a talk given by the novelist Lauren Groff. This practice also allows him to connect with other creative people online and gives them a chance to learn from his creative process.)

How to Handle Criticism

As you interact with people online, keep in mind that you can’t please everyone. If someone doesn’t like your work, ignore them and refocus on the process of making your art. If their words make you angry, all the better: Kleon argues that anger is an excellent motivator for creative work. He advises channeling that anger into making even greater art rather than wasting the motivation on arguments with people online.

(Shortform note: Scientific research supports Kleon’s argument that anger strengthens creativity: One study found that people in an angry mood produced more novel connections between ideas than people in a sad or neutral mood. Other studies showed that bottling up anger can reduce your creativity over time, so it’s best to express your rage (in healthy ways, as Kleon recommends) when it happens.)

However, Kleon acknowledges that we’re not made of stone, and shaking off rejection or criticism is easier said than done. For that reason, he recommends saving every complimentary email or message you get in a folder that you can revisit when you need a reminder that people appreciate your work. (Shortform note: There are many ways to go about building this folder. For example, in a blog post, Kleon clarified that he uses the “labels” function in Gmail to build his own praise file. Alternatively, if you prefer a more analog approach, you could set aside a few pages of your notebook for recording praise.)