Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon

Steal Like An Artist

An artist is someone who demands your time and attention, and got it. In that sense, Austin Kleon’s “Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative” is a work of art in the first half. The second half is forgettable and overall, the book had helped me realized a few important ingredients I am missing in my pot. 

The first part of the book is a work of art. It is exhilarating to see someone extol the virtue of stealing. I have always felt my works is derivative, and have always tried to come up with some original ideas, unsuccessfully. Reading the first part of the book reassured me of my short comings and renewed my hope for better things to come. 

Then the book gets repetitive and most of the latter advices the author had to offer at the end is very mundane and obvious. The latter part of the book resembles any typical self-help book. It feels likes the author had to filled a certain quota of text, like his editor is nagging him to pass the 100-page mark and therefore, he has to do weird fonts, texts, graphics, “bloopers.” It does cheapen the value of the book a little bit. Shakespeare said: “Brevity is the soul of wit,” this book managed to be both short and repetitive. 

And then in the end, the book spoke to me: “Choose what to leave out!!!” I am a photographer. I take glimpses of life for my own satisfaction. And I want to share those glimpses with other, hoping to successfully demand some of their time and attention. The digital camera is liberal. Post processing (Photoshop, After Effects) had come so far and made my work very easy. I can select what to put in and what to leave out way after the event had taken place, as long as I have “professionally” recorded the event. My concern with my art has always been: “what to show and how to show the viewer.” Now, I want to pay attention to the what to leave out and perhaps to invite the viewer imagination to fill in the rest. And that is a very exciting idea. 

I have stolen and have taught other to steal. A good idea is only as valuable as how many people know about it. Imagine if you know the cure of cancer and bring it to your grave, then that knowledge is next to useless. Imagine if you know how to give a man an erection at will, and share it with the world, you will make billions and change many lives. Stealing with a purpose to improve yourself, to find a good idea, and to spread it to the world. “Steal Like an Artist” helps me realized that I am going the right direction and now, I can proudly march on toward the ultimate goal of successfully demand someone’s time for my good ideas.

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