Monday 7 January 2013

Stealing like an artist

According to Austin Kleon, David Bowie, Jay Z, Goethe, Ecclesiastes 1:9 and a whole host of other artists and creators there are no new ideas - just rehashes influenced by what's already been.

I can live with that - as long as we build on what's gone before and make it better (or just different) by adding our own special ingredients and flavour.

Seth Godin says that to be successful we should connect with one another. So, with both of these trains of thought in mind tunnels, for my blogging endeavour today I am borrowing Seth Godin's post as I rather like it. Here it is in its entirety.

Two kinds of mistakes

1. There is the mistake of overdoing the defence of the status quo, the error of investing too much time and energy in keep things as they are.

2. And then there is the mistake made while inventing the future, the error of small experiments gone bad.

We are almost never hurt by the second kind of mistake and yet we persist in making the first kind, again and again.

He's right is Seth. He's right.

Do what you've always done and get what you've always got.

I like to bend the rules. Experiment, push a few boundaries.



This is what you get when you mix a painting of a girl with a photograph of a chicken. It's also a reminder for us as artists not to be afraid to step out of comfort zones - to mix carrot with chocolate just to see what it tastes like - just because we can... Break the rules! You might just like what you get - I kind of like this! I randomly selected two images from my folders without looking and then mixed them up in Photoshop. Go break some rules my fellow artists!

Why don't you have a go. Come on now - don't be chicken!

I'm also sharing with Take a Word this week where they ask what Art means to us. I thought this post was quite appropriate.

13 comments:

  1. Hello! I'm so thoroughly absorbed in Seth Godin's book 'The Icarus Deception' right now, and it's got me wanting to go out and buy everyone I know a copy - I might do a give-away on my blog in fact! Ingenious way of looking at things.

    I take it you also have a copy of Steal Like an Artist? ;) I must get a copy of that too!

    Great words from you as well here :) love your experimenting!

    Amelia.x

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  2. I think there is a 'collective' heart and mind to an artist and we do create from things we have seen. However we add our own flavor and spin the art molecules in yet another amazing incarnation. I love your beautiful art piece- it has a wonderful almost 'Batik' feel to it. Great to see your lovely art again!

    Lori

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  3. I agree with Lori we take what we learn and add our own spin...I bet if we all mixed your pictures of the chicken and the girl no one would come up with the same results, that's what makes art so fantastic. Welcome back it's been awhile good to see you again.

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  4. Lovely expressive art ..powerful!
    Victoria

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  5. You are so right, I'm always trying to get out of my comfort zone because I'm not quite a fan of changing. I think your experimentation is going well. You should try Brazilian carrot cake with chocolate topping ;-)

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  6. wonderful post - i enjoyed your words about art, seems i should go and buy seth´s book...
    love your experiment, what a great effect you achieved!

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  7. It's also been said that you can't break the rules before you know them. However; I have broken many rules before I knew the subject, gone on to take a class in said subject only to find out later that my first piece, the one with the broken rules before I knew them, was a lot better and more interesting than what came after. It is fun to break the rules, you are right Lisa.

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  8. Great post Lisa...
    I am afraid or maybe to lazy to learn the rules.
    Probably the lazy part.
    You are so inspiring, I love the way this portrait turned out...like the spirit shining through. ♥

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  9. Welcome back, Lisa. I appreciate your thoughts on art, and your chicken/girl -- beautiful chick(?) is fascinating. Thanks for sharing....and it IS good to see you again!

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  10. This is a beautiful piece! Glad you shared it!

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  11. firstly your lady chicken mash up is wonderful-what a great idea! I get frustrated with photoshop because I don't know my way round it and feel like there are all these amazing tricks and things I could do if only I understood what any of the icons meant or how to use them!
    secondly, i had never heard of seth godin so just went off to Google him and have now just signed up with Squidoo and am looking forward to starting to create my own 'lenses' on it! so, thanks for that!

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  12. oK I must get this seth book now..... am convinced!! love this post lisa. looking forward to seeing you in Felixtowe

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Thank you for your comments - I always love to hear what you think :)

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