Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking

I used this book in a senior-level university photography course, and it was a good read, but I feel it belongs more in a freshman class or grade school. The book is well written, and does a decent job at not being wordy where it shouldn't be, however, it's mostly basic stuff for anyone who has already experienced the fears of being an artist. Some things were new and beneficial insights for me, but a lot of it was just bringing my existing thoughts and feelings to words.

I read this book in about 2 hours. I expected more substance than I got. If you have read any of Julia Cameron's Artist Way series of books, this will seem like old territory. I found little to think about during or after. I usually journal about key points as related to my artistic practice after reading a book like this, but there was not much for me to run with.

Some valuable ideas about what holds an artist back and what to do about it. A little inspiration when you can't get that poem written or that picture painted. Read it, then get back to that poem or painting!

I really wanted to get into this book being a closet artist, but the author just really went off into his own world of I'm not sure what...bored to tears, could not even do the verbal version of the book...maybe try again...

I couldn't get into this book after reading through half of it. It didn't give me much to latch on to, and that may be because I am a casual art hobbyist. I didn't feel it translated to my experience very well, but I am giving it to someone who may find it helpful.

This book was disappointing and I'm not sure why it missed the mark. Some interesting chapters such on the true role of art schools but fear? I dunno, I didn't get a new or deep insight from them on that topic.

The first half of the book was great. It was filled with good explanations and advice. Towards the end, it got a bit boring and felt like the authors were just grasping for ideas. Also, the fact that they kept referring to themselves in third person ("the authors") was a bit awkward.

I love that I got this book. it is so new and nice. the only problem I have is I think with the packaging, the side of the book got bent, which is stupid because I was expecting it to be brand new, with out any blemishes on it. but its not bad enough to return it and get another one. That is the only problem I have with receiving the book.

I read “Art and Fear” by Bayles and Orland. A friend of mine who is a visual artist struggling to create while balancing a family and a “real job” recommended this to me when I told her I was looking to get back into poetry. She recommended this to me about conceptualizing ways to overcome both internal and external barriers to creating art. It both made me glad I didn’t pursue my MFA in poetry and made me want to go get an MFA, since for me there’s no greater motivation to create art than to be part of a community where it is valued and examined. That’s not many places for the poet in today’s society. You have to get your mind in the place where every situation is the thought of through a poetic or artistic lens, and that’s hard for me to maintain. I think this book helped a bit at that. But I’m still not writing for my art enough. Maybe it will be when I’m less busy, right?

Really enjoyed the first few chapters . It helped me understand my hesitation and feelings about drawing and really encouraged me to keep at it.
Everyone goes through the same sort of things discouragement and struggles . Art is hard but so rewarding!
A couple chapters just didn't pertain to me.

I got a lot out of the first couple of chapters in this book, but more often than not, I was frustrated with the tone, the flow, and the style of writing. I sometimes stopped and asked myself, "What is the point they are trying to make?" It also had a sort of joyless and depressing tone. It was hard for me to finish. The language could have been more simple and flowing....it was a difficult read sometimes, and peppered with thoughts in parentheses.....frustrating. In all, it felt heavy and sad.

The ideas presented in this this book sheds a whole new light into artmaking. The constant realization that there is more to creating art pieces than just adding strokes on a blank canvas is something that will surprise and inspire you.

- Reyn (http://www.reynantemartinez.com)

Although I think there is some decent information in this book, the authors make you work way to hard to get it. Their style of writing is so cryptic and convoluted that I got bogged down very quickly. The use of big and obscure words was sending me to the dictionary several times for each page. It's as if the author's ego got in the way and he felt like he needed to impress the readers with his "over the top" vocabulary.

I do not recommend this book unless you have a master's degree in linguistics!

I read it but don't think I came away from it with any new knowledge or ideas about anything. I was shocked that the author stated it took seven years to write this book. Okay, I have one fact from reading it. :)

This book takes some simple ideas and beats you over the head with them over and over again trying to make them seem profound. It reminds of term papers you had to write, that had to be so many pages, so you word it up to fill the requirement. The helpfullness of this book isn't much and can be shortened down to an article. Not worth the money.

An interesting and cogent discussion for practicing studio artists is presented in this book. There are some great quotable lines, too, about the process of art and the struggle artists sometimes go through to persevere through the fear of criticism (e.g. page 49). That is important because art can sometimes (or often) be so personal. Also, if you just would like to understand more about the emotion behind art, even if you are not a studio artist, then I still recommend this book for that purpose. It is a relatively short, easy read while still being very thoughtful.

This is without question a seminal work for artists who want to create. There is no other book more useful for students, amateurs, professional artists, writers, painters, potters, rappers, or any other artist. For most artist the obstacle is not creativity it is getting on with the work of being an artist. This book defines, Dissects, and overcome those obstacles in an inspirational and easy to follow manner. I recommend the book on audible. It's a pleasure to listen to repeatedly.

Despite numerous musical references, 'Art and Fear' speaks most directly to visual artists. I happen to be a musican who knows quite a few visual artists and the ideas ring true to many discussions I've overheard or been part of. In spite of this, I found many of the concepts and insights easily transferrable to my own playing and writing activities and I'd encourage other musicians to seek it out.

What I most liked about the book is it treats the reader as a mature, serious individual who's committed to their path and is perhaps in need of some reassurance from an experienced fellow traveller. Unlike other popular art/creativity books, 'Art and Fear' isn't primarily about awakening some long dormant artistic impulse or treating art as a form of therapy to transcend substance or relationship abuse. In fact, the authors' language is refreshingly free of spiritual or recovery jargon and assumes the reader is educated in their field and open to this kind of introspection.

There are no exercises or technical tips; it's a book about seeking the right questions and finding answers in the only place offering them - the process of doing your own work.

This book addresses flawed, fallible human readers, the ones who hopes to perfect craft despite their many and obvious imperfections. There is a lot to overcome: the inevitable gap between the vision and the actual result, the limits of materials and the difficulty of achieving their full potential, the times when inspiration seems to dry up, and the basic uncertainty that anyone will care about the eventual result. Even the term artist itself creates confusion, especially when capitalized into Artist. Self-doubt of myriad kinds creeps in: do I have enough (or any) talent? Am I just faking it? Why is it so hard for me, and so easy for everyone else?

The authors take a tough love approach: No, it's not easy. Yes you will have doubts and dry spells. If you're any good as an artist, then you'll be painfully aware of the flaws in your work, even the flawed implementation of your initial vision, which only you can know. And, once you've created your work, there's the whole problem of public acceptance and approval (not the same thing). Getting into the galleries and getting sold creates whole new vistas of difficulty and doubt, since neither the gallery owners nor the hoped-for buyers have the same goals that you do.

In the end, it comes down to some tiny core spark that the artist must have inside. It's not "natural talent" - maybe creation comes easily to the Mozarts of the world, but the authors address us mere mortals. That spark isn't some magical inspiration, either, since earning a living in art means you have to pay the rent whether inspired or not. That spark keeps the artist going when the world gives no reason to, and keeps the artist creating even when the magical Muse isn't there for inspirational hand-holding. In the end, the artist's human flaws aren't what defeats the art - they're what drives it. Seeing how each work falls short of perfection shows two things: it shows the flaws, of course, but it also shows a higher goal that could never have been seen otherwise.

-- wiredweird

Must Read for all artist!!! Full of motivational gems and wisdom. I don't believe it's for the beginner or novice artist, I think you will have had to been on this path for a while to truly appreciate the wisdom this book offers. Never the less even if your a young artist keep it close by and grow with it!

In writing Art and Fear, Bayles and Orland deliver a message that all artists, would-be artists and the rest of humanity, come to think of it, would benefit from hearing:

"...becoming an artist consists of learning to accept yourself..."
and "Your job is to work on your work." (Pgs. 3, 5)

There is, of course, more to the effort the authors have put forth. The implication of these two statements, however, is perhaps the most vital. The remainder of the book is comprised of discussing methods for understanding and using these fundamental ideas and observations about the consequences of choosing to embrace them or not.

Art and Fear is divided into two parts that need not be read sequentially. The first dissects more ubiquitous issues - those by no means limited to the artist - acknowledging uncertainty; working through fear about the self, work and/or the opinion and patronage of others. The second section is directed at the various milieus or facets of art communities, targeting such paradigms as the theoretical "common ground" of artists, competition with the self vs. with others, scholastic models and the conjectural world of creativity and the self.

Authors Bayles and Orland refer to themselves as "working artists" - a seemingly unnecessary taxonomy at the outset - and use the rest of their book to explain the distinction saying, in essence, that the characterization can mean the difference between producing work and thinking about producing work. Bayles and Orland make good mechanics for priming that part of the brain that is convinced there is a fuel shortage.

Art and Fear is a good book, filled with good idea compost, written by good authors who know good and well that they're on target. It's all good. It's also a little plodding after the first forty or so pages. I am not one of the "jaded sophisticates" the authors refer to (pg. 42). I have no quarrel with the advice, revelations, practices or suggestions that Bayles and Orland put their stamp on. They are encouraging, insightful and they are usually spot-on in their summations. I feel strongly however that the bulk of their work could be whittled from its original 120 pages to almost half that amount without suffering. If one were to buy a used copy of Art and Fear hoping for pristine pages disappointment would be inevitable as every page of my copy (and every other copy I found on the shelf at my favorite second-hand store) was virtually bathed in multi-colored highlighter and margin annotations. The book is a veritable fortune cookie of quirky stories and one-liners repeated unto the screaming point. It's tailored specifically to inform and encourage, something I can sincerely appreciate. At the same time, the repetition of that same encouragement becomes so intrusive at times that I am reminded of the difference between, say, Oprah Winfrey and Jerry Springer. The former is straightforward, usually instructive, occasionally silly but still useful. The latter, in contrast, is a force-feeding of what the consumer believes s/he wants to hear, up to and past the point of queasiness.

This book is a shot in the arm for people with an artistic soul who may be :stuck, blocked, depressed, discouraged, having a dry spell, unproductive, resisting doing their work (whether for a hobby or for an intended career, or to revive a career). No, it is not a workbook and no it will not do miracles, but neither will "The Artist's Way" or any of the other Cameron books. People who are having problems creating art will recognize themselves and possibly some of their problems here, and it makes a person realize some of the obstacles in their way. The book illustrates why it is so incredibly difficult to be a professional artist in the U.S.--so many who graduate with art degrees end up teaching, exhausted, without the time or energy to do their own. This is not a book for the successful, working, happy fine artist or craftsperson, but it does address the problems. This along with "The War of Art" can make you understand you're not alone. However, if you need practical help, take a class, or get a workbook, or start a "bad art" night at your home, church, club, or library.

GREATEST AUDIO BOOK EVER! I listen to it 2-3 times a week!
Get back in the saddle and create again and again. The downside is now I don't know and I'm afraid of which audio book to buy next cause this one was so damn good!

This book changed my life... and my painting direction. Successful painters who are "in the know" have read this book. It has no photos, no step-by-step techniques and no color charts. This book will help you know why you paint, and not how to paint. This is one of the very few books I read and re-read over and over. It's been earmarked, underlined, highlighted, bent and very well used. I noticed I dated my original copy on the inside cover -- 1998. I still read this book today. (Buy several copies so you can keep one in your studio, one in your house and some to pass along to your artist friends!)

Art & Fear is about committing your future to your own hands, placing free will above predestination; choice above chance. It is about finding your own work. This book is about YOU. In fact, you can open this small book (5-1/2 x 8 inches x 1/2 inch thick) anywhere, read four pages and swear they are writing about you (you're not alone). This book will get you out of your funk and into your studio to paint the way you have been born to paint. While reading this insightful and inspirational book, you will feel really good about being a "creative type!" We all have identical fears-- sorry, you're not that unique. You will be able to speak eloquently to yourself, your family and your friends.

David Bayles' and Ted Orland's writing style is easy to read, understandable and relaxed. They do not do artspeak, phony babble or use big words. This must be your book if you want to move on and do art that is meaningful and significant to you.

When I picked up Art & Fear, it was for personal reasons. I didn't quite understand why it was so hard to continue to make increasingly great photographs without feeling so naked. When you have a pro who's work isn't quite as good as yours but, due to a website, confidence, and experience he manages to get a bit further, questions arise about why even trying. This book will answer those question. Esentially, Nothing is getting done while you look at and think about art you want to make of any kind.

I enjoyed the read however found it difficult to continue at times due to the vast spread of artists they are trying to reach. [If you're interested, I found this book in the photography section of the bookstore.] I feel the approach was fair and there was plenty of great info for anyone in any contact with art (even at the level of a son or nephew who is an artist) Expectations are not causing the lower rating for this book as much as how I feel about the content not keeping me interested. The pages didn't grab me and keep me awake after 75% of it was finished. I felt like I was reading repetitive material. However, the messages that were redundant were nessisary. I would suggest this book to any artist. It's short and sweet but I may only suggest it to an avid reader due to the diffculty in completing it. Maybe it was inspiration that I wanted to put the book down so often at the end.... like... I got the point and there was no reason to continue. Regardless worth the read.

If you know an artist, are trying to understand the difficulty in being one, or are an artist... this is for you... IF you're a reader!

This book really hit home with me. At a time in my life (mid-50s) when I'm trying to embrace the realization that being "an artist" is what I am, this book is a treasure chest of invaluable insight. It's about realizing that what really matters is 'making' the art; not getting acceptance or external approval or any of that external... crud. The authors don't ignore the external, they just help put everything into perspective.

I have highlighted the heck out of this book, and i keep it on a table in my studio. I don't think it will get banished to a bookshelf for quite a while!

P.S. If you know a young person who is in art school or wants to be an artist, this book would make a great gift. If that young person has someone in their life who is more inclined to tell them to "get their head out of the clouds and get a real job/major", then get a copy of this book for that person, too!

I think these two words are almost synonymous at times...This is a quick read that confirms about 90% of what most artists and specifically, a beginning artist, likely experiences as he/she journeys through the challenges of becoming an artist and just creating art. I think that although many of the ideas in here leave you thinking, "Well, I already knew that...", for me, it was probably the first time I had really heard it from somewhere else besides a casual conversation. It offered a safe venue to validate and consider (in a more objective way) the hurdles that exist in artmaking. For me, it was a validation of many of the thoughts that swirl about my head and also has some true insights into the creative process and what was holding me back.

It does have a structure and offers quick thoughts on what you could do to improve or analyze your own process. However, thankfully I would not put this on the shelf and categorize it as a self-help book. (I abhore self help books...) I did not take it as evangelical or presumptive and thought that overall, it was presented in a biographical style where you could take the thoughts and experiences and apply them to your life as you saw fit. Some applied. Some did not. Nothing was a mandate and that is what I liked about it. Overall, I would certaingly recommend this book to the beginning artist or the lifelong dabbler who wants to be more serious and just needs a nudge of confidence.

First of all let me say that I am glad I read this book, I just don't know if I would do it all over again. I got a few things out of this book. There were some cool quotes from artists and some old proverbs that really hit home with me. Probably the most profound quote in the book for me was "if you chase two rabbits, you catch neither". I'm really glad I heard that one. It's also nice to have someone remind you that art isn't supposed to be perfect, art is supposed to be human and we humans are not perfect.
I'm also glad that I read some of the interesting discussions of art vs. craft and art vs. science. Their approach to explaining the differences was rather philosophical and not definitive, but it was interesting none the less since probably none of us are able to draw an exact line between those things.
However, I also have to say that I found this book very annoying and patronizing. It's full of constant reassurances as if they're speaking to someone that's got tears streaming down their cheeks and saying "I'm not sure if I can go on being an artist, boo hoo... I don't know if I have what it takes". The books tone kind of comes off like "there, there, Rome wasn't built in a day... you know what Picasso would say about this... well Mozart always said to keep your chin up!".
I also found it really annoying how the book is constantly pulling up some kind of story or lesson from a rotating selection of artists from random mediums. You'll be reading along and they'll throw in something like "Mozart used to cry for ten hours before he could even write a note" and "Ansel Adams was constantly on the verge of suicide because he felt insecure about his photography skills". Of course those aren't real quotes from the book, but they are examples of what I find annoying. I know they were writing a book about art in general and they have to throw in things about different art forms occaisionally, but it just seemed really patronizing.
Like I said I'm glad I've read it, but I probably wouldn't have if I really knew what it was. This book is for people that are very afraid and very insecure. It will give you lots of reassurance and make you feel better about yourself. However, if you are not depressed and on the verge of quitting, then I think you may find this book to be very annoying.

I am so grateful to the authors' candor, insight, and comforting writing style. One of the best ways to get over your fears is to name them, and this book did just that: it named each fear or discomfort that might hold you back from creating. Then it discussed ways to work past that fear. I read this book twice and then couldn't wait to get back in the studio!

This is my favorite art self-help book ever. It seems like my own future self has sent this book back through time to help me get on the right track to produce art that is personal and true to my own vision. It is a simple book, but it will resonate deeply with artists (including writers, musicians, and any visual artists) who are trying to establish or re-establish the habit of making art. It is very effective at helping you set aside the typical bugaboos of high expectations, competition, low self-esteem, confusion about direction, lack of time, and misplaced priorities. If you are ready to get back to work on your art, this book can give you the kick in the pants you need.

"To all artists, art is a verb" (pg 90).

This book is absolutely fantastic! If you're stuck in a rut, have any self-doubt, or want to redefine/rediscover your artistic soul/self, this book is for you! I randomly picked this book off the shelf at Boarders (Art and Architecture section) and sat there for 3 hours reading it. Art & Fear reassures the artist about being an artist and dives into the psyche of every one who creates. It brings to light those little voices in your head that hold you back from creating art. Those voices are subtle and natural among all human being which makes them very easy to overlook. This book makes you aware of the fears that hold us back from making art, helps you look within yourself and realized that those fears are minute and unnecessary.

Art & Fear is very well written -clear, concise, and to the point with LOTS of great quotes. The take-home message (for me) is very simple, "Your job (as an artist) is to learn to work on your work...You learn how to make your work by making your work"(pg 5). You have to constantly be creating and making so you can refine you process. It's all a learning process -you can't make good art with out making bad art, so don't be discourage by making stuff you are may not be proud of.

All in all, I recommend this book to all artists. Personally, this book just makes me feel good about being an artist. It's so incredibly reassuring: "To make art is to sing with the human voice. To do this you must first learn that the only voice you need is the voice you already have" (pg 117). I would love to leave you with the final passage from the book, but I won't because it's worth reading yourself after going through the journey of reading the entire book. This is a feel-good book that will motivate you to reexamine who you are.

Good luck with all your arting!

I really couldn't say enough good things about this book. It's insightful and it gives a very fair out look on what the life of an artist really will be. It's hopeful, but not preachy. On the other hand it shows the downsides to being an artist too. It's very good prep material for anyone looking to further their education in art. Or for those who are deciding what to do with their lives, and have decided on art.

And if you've decided to be an artist no matter what, it has quite a bit of useful and practical insight on how to overcome the stop gaps in making art. It teaches you to make art because you like to make art. It offers practical suggestions on how to maintain a successful and enjoyable career as an artist with out dwelling on the many downsides that often come with it.

...hey! Even an art student could afford it!

My copy is now dog-eared, underlined and almost worn out. I've only had it for a few months!
The insights are invaluable and quite well presented. It turns out that I had already read a book by Ted Orland, one of the authors, and had enjoyed it as well.
It may be that I am now ready in my life to enjoy a bit of philosophical discussion about art/for whatever reason, the book seemed to speak to my art/heart in a way that I hadn't encountered before. "Art and Fear" is very empowering and "bigger" than its small size.
Even a non-artist would find value in the book, I feel. Beginning and long-time artists will find nuggets for inspiration.
Though I wasn't so impressed by the title, I am glad that it came highly referred by an actual librarian who was in a mosaic smalti class that I took. Some of the topics that he brought up in class from the book intrigued me enough that I ordered the book. I consider myself fairly fearless in my own approach to my art. Since I teach as well, it seemed that there might be something in the book for class discussions. More, I found it great for my own work. I guess that the word "fear" is a good marketing tool? If there are monsters in your art closet, this book will take away much of the charge.

I first ran across this book last year, I was acting in a film and my co-star recommended it. Art and Fear helps the artist detach from the fear and the results and enjoy creating. Since then, I wrote my own book to encourage artists entitled "Create Your Life: Daily Meditations On Creativity" and I am humbled, honored, and grateful it is selling well on the store and now used to encourage artists in conjunction with Art and Fear. Here's the link to my book for artist's: CREATE YOUR LIFE: Daily Meditations On Creativity: Answers for Artists, Actors, Writers, Minstrels, Mavericks, Bohemians, and Burned-Out Believers (Volume 1)

As an undergraduate student, a self-conscious artist, and someone who is constantly afraid of making art, this book laid everything out for me. As I was reading the first chapters they flowed right into the last chapters, it was an easy read, but had a lot of impact. The authors just hit you over the head with your own problems in the creative processes over and over again, and help you come to the realization of what exactly you are doing when you lay down your paint brush, or stare blankly at the empty sheet of paper. They address every issue from graduating, the actual process of making the art, and what happens after art is made.
The book is laid out well, it has two parts, the first is speaking to the artists who have yet to create a work, and in the latter the artist who has created something, and the problems that arise from both activities. Each chapter feels like it’s own little nugget of wisdom, even the sections in the chapters can stand alone. You could take a moment and flip open to the page and read a section and you would understand it without needing to read the whole book. This book isn’t a how-to book, there is not step-by-step guide on how to make art well and without fear, but the authors give you advice along the way. At the end of each chapter or section they basically tell you to knock it off, in a loving way. One of my favorite bits of advice is this: “Ask your work what it needs, not what you need. Then set aside your fears and listen, the way a good parent listens to a child.” Every chapter seems to have its fill of amazing quotes like this, written by the author, and other artists. They give great allegories throughout, about people like Mozart and Bach. It is composed effectively; each idea leads into the next giving the whole book amazing flow and comprehension.
This book brings comfort and great ideas to the table, for me. Every time I read it I felt like I was being hugged and comforted but also chastised by someone who knew a lot more than me. Both sections of the book were helpful. Part 1 was helpful because it speaks about creating and being in the studio. The fears that come out of those moments, worrying about audience, worrying about going through the motion, and worrying about perfection in art. The authors take those common fears and tell you the flaws and misconceptions in those fears, and they bring you full circle. I have to say that part 2 was my favorite. Some of the ideas tackled in part 2 are: censorship, education, funding, completion, and navigating the system, which is the art world. I really related to the section on competition, and how it is hardwired into our brains, and “healthy artistic environments are about as common as unicorns.” They talked about how in the art world it becomes about who can collect the most recognition, and fame. There is a healthy balance of competition but there is also the opposite side that can lead to more fear, and mental blocks. They did a great job of finding the illusive line and describing it in laymen’s terms.
Overall I would give this book 4 stars. Sometimes I was bored and felt like I needed to skip over to the next chapter because it didn’t fully apply to me, but 90% of the time it was useful information. I will be applying what was written in this book to my artistic life forevermore. This book will be kept in my studio and will be picked up and read on those days when the canvas seems too daunting. I suggest every artist, especially young artists, read this book. It made me feel like it was okay to keep on making terrible work because one day, something human and relatable could come out of it.

This is my favorite of self-help books of this general type! A real winner ... with observations on the perils (and rewards) of artmaking. The introduction includes the following: "This is a book about art. Ordinary art ... while geniuses may get made once-a-century or so, good art gets made all the time." The first chapter offers comments like, "Making art now means working in the face of uncertainty; it means living with doubt and contradiction, doing something no one much cares whether you do, and for which there may be neither audience nor reward." And, "Artmaking involves skills that can be learned." It just keeps getting better and better with each and every chapter. The back cover of the book states: "What is your art really about? Where is it going? What stands in the way of getting it there? These are questions that recur at each stage of artistic development - and they are the source for this volume of wonderfully incisive commentary." In my classes and workshops, I notice many people who are to one degree or another, blocked or immobilized by some type of fear. For my money, Art & Fear should be required reading for any art program, at any and all levels. I realize there are many other books which attempt to help people overcome blockage (immobilization). Even though other books may be recognized as "great" and are frequently found on most "recommended" lists, they seem to me - lacking in focus, honesty, reality and practicality. While other volumes may be well meaning, they seem more like pop psychology or yesteryear psychology. Not so with Art & Fear, which seems to get to the root of the problems better than any book of which I am currently aware. This is a fast, unpretentious read too. Cover to cover in one or two sittings (122 pages). My advice is to bring your highlighter pen and prepare for a wonderful eye opener. Off the top of my head and in my opinion (I assume that is why your are reading this), I'd say the authors are about on track 95% of the time! For me, that spells a real winner. A real jewel. A breath of fresh air! This is one of my "must have" books!

This is an excellent book, not for only those creating traditional art, but also for writers, musicians, dancers and really anybody in any form of creative expression. The book aptly describes the very real fear of making your work available to the general public. Personally, I have experienced just about every fear discussed in ART and FEAR. It is a great manual for putting those fears in perspective. While this this book may not be extremely helpful for an established artist, writer, etc., it does help to know that we, those of us trying to make our way in the field of making stuff up from nothing, are not alone in this endeavor and that fear and insecurity is a natural part of the process and it can be overcome.

This book was recommended by an instructor, and I've gotten a tremendous amount out of it. I liked that it offers encouragement but also a new way of thinking about one's art and artmaking. And the encouragement isn't the sappy stuff too often found in other books for artists.

I read "Art & Fear" years ago and had been trying to track down my copy for ages. I finally decided that ordering a second copy would be much better than not having the book at all. This is a MUST READ for every artist/writer/dancer/craftsman. When you are stuck in a creative rut, this is the text to turn to. It is a short, easy read for such a profound body of work, and in my opinion, should be read over and over again. David Bayles & Ted Orland are both practicing artists and offer great insight into the importance of creating art if you are an artist, and the devastating reality that most of us let our art fall out of our lives for one reason or another; and how to prevent that from happening. I cannot believe I waited so long to purchase this again, and once I am through, I plan to start back at the beginning.

This book is about balance. Balancing your ambition, fear, expectations and your acceptance of the great works as well as the work that just needs to be archived in a box far, far away.

You're probably reading these because you're like me. You have a creative side that you've chosen to nurture, but an equally strong analytical side that insists on you heeding its 'good judgment.'

This book can help you accept the decisions of the creative side more readily. It'll pacify the analytical side that takes over when it feels no one is taking the reins.

If you're truly like me, you've read a bit about this topic already. You might spend too much time looking for the best solution, rather than trying a number of viable solutions you've already come across.

In that case, it's likely that this book will not help you. There's no substitute for experience when it comes to art. I get through 85% of a piece before coming to a grinding halt. This book did nothing to push me past that 85% threshold. I'm too picky and I don't have the technical skills to put the paint on canvas the precise way I'd like to. To make matters worse, I prefer a more painterly impasto; I want control over an uncontrolled look.

My real concern is that I won't like the finished piece. I spent this time, effort... I got my hopes up... I loved the idea... now it just seems like a waste. If I'm finished, and I don't like it... well, now I'm disappointed. Now I have to deal with those feelings. If I leave that 85% piece for 'another day', I can trick myself into thinking that I'll actually go back, improve it, and be pleased with the finished result. I don't have to make mistakes, accept the flaws, or deal with any negative emotions.

You know that person who is lucky enough to have a circle of friends who are nothing but supportive? You know that person who then gets interested in art, comedy, music, anything subjective... and decides they want to make a career out of it... but they're terrible. For those who need to focus on technical ability, I feel this book is that circle of overly supportive friends. This book may lull you into a passive state of acceptance. Don't lower your standards - enhance your commitment to learning through trial and error. You'll get there. (With or without this book.)

There is nothing more humbling than walking through a museum filled with Masterpieces ~ you enter as a confident artist seeking to be inspired but instead find that to create such art requires "only pure communication between you and your work (47)." In our feeling of defeat, we get in the way of the essentials to our own well being: to create our very own art. Bayles & Orland can only have written the insightful passages in ART & FEAR because they too have forged through the fear, doubt, and roadblocks we artists and writers so carefully construct to protect us from our inevitable audience. The authors share, "Fear that you are not as good as a fellow artist leads to depression; the lessons you are meant to learn are in your work; and to require perfection is to invite paralysis."

The authors are so exact, so profound, you think they are writing about your own challenges. But it is Bayles & Orland "self-analyzed" - they did all the hard work . . . all we have to do is listen, learn, and do!

"At some point the need for acceptance may well collide head-on with the need to do your own work." This book explores the idea of creating art and the fears or anxieties associated with it. Why and how art is made, and some of the reasons it often doesn't get made.

If you are looking for a book about famous artists and the fears that they have had or common anxieties among the greats, then this book is not what you are looking for. If you are an artist hoping to be great, working and grinding out work right now, and occasionally stuck, then this is a very helpful resource. As said in other reviews, it is aimed slightly towards the more up-and-coming artist (i.e. You're not a Rembrandt or a Pollock yet...). It has helped me to realize that I am brave enough and strong enough to continue in this path of art making, which can be beautiful and fun and insanely frustrating.

The book also discusses the internal debate that goes on between making the work that we want to make, or that may be good for us individually, and making the work that is generally more socially accepted and praised. Worrying about what other people and the outside world thinks, worrying about the academic world and what they think, and finally, worrying about what YOU think about YOUR ART and if you are okay with this.

I would definitely recommend this book to any artist who feels that there work just isn't currently progressing and is in a non-production sort of rut. That's where I was and it definitely helped me.

I have read this book twice now, and have found new meaning to further questions that I had the second time through. I highly recommend this book to those who are seeking truths to inner questions they have about the purpose of their art and what is keeping them from furthering their art-making. I have also taken a full semester photo class from Ted Orland and highly recommend this master photographer's books and classes/workshops. Read his books and gain new insight in your art-making skills.

Over the last several years I have read ART & FEAR many times. It is an important book for the practicing artist because it not only covers the host of problems every artist will inevitably run into, it honestly delves into what makes a person want to be an artist and what he/she can expect upon making that choice. As they point out, it is imperative that an artist understand the different roles people in the art world -- the artist, the viewer, the critic -- play, and how confusing these roles can undermine the artist's determination to continue making art. Their distinction between art and craft, their incisive examination of the academic world's peculiar ambivalence to art, their clear discussion between acceptance and approval, and their down-to-earth advice and encouragement make this small book a real inspiration for a practicing artist. This book will also be a welcomed gift for any of your artmaking friends.

As if writers don't have enough trouble writing, along comes a book that is supposed to tell us why we and other artists often have trouble practicing our art. First, of course, when one thinks of art, it is not often that literature of any kind comes into the picture. Yet, the authors here say they are including writing. Okay. It is mentioned several times. Writers are quoted many times. Yet, it is usually the traditional trappings of art that are mentioned often. Maybe it is just too difficult for writers to face the fears we have about rejection, not measuring up (to readers, other writers, or ourselves).

In retrospect, however, there are some conventions that are nice to discover. Like being told that a painter may have the same fears as an actor as a playwright, as a sculptor -- as a writer. That following through on a project and getting it completed, is sometimes the biggest achievement of all. And the one thing that all writers agree on is also something other artists experience: ideas are not hard to come by. In fact, they're everywhere.

The one truth in this book that is easy for any artist to agree with is: It isn't as easy as it looks, or as everyone thinks it is, or that we thought it was before we actually got started. Problems and pitfalls are inherent in what we do. It's whether we are able to cope with those, and not only continue to practice our art, but also to grow and improve, that determines if we will be successful. That and talent will always tell in the end.

I do not describe myself as a practicing artist. I have practiced Emergency Medicine in large urban teaching hospitals for 25 years. Until a year ago, I hadn't played a 'cello or bass viol for 35 years, and hadn't written a poem in almost as many. I started writing letters to a friend making a difficult passage 8 months ago, to suport the process, and began to recall the letters and poetry I used to write. I wrote 50 letters in 6 months, then "hit a wall." After reading this book, I began rediscovering my "art," outside of my professional and personal life. Art may not be my life, but my Life is more Artful after reading this book. It will not get the "disappointed and afraids" a good job after art school, but it may help anyone began to reconnect to that Fearlessness that permeates early childhood, and from that, a richer expression of themselves. I will not write the great american novel, and probably nothing publishable, but the authors have made a genuine contribution to the quality of my life today. Try it.

(This is Frank's wife writing.)
My daughter who is a struggling artists recommended this book to us. It's short, but packed with good thoughts about making art and coping with one's fears about the process. It's not only helpful for artists in dealing with their thoughts about why they make art, but also to their friends and relatives. The explanation of the essence art vs. craft (a topic that has long interested me) is excellent. The writing is clear and accessible. There are examples of how real artists in various genres have dealt with the basic problems of making art. The book works for both the professional artist as well as the amateur, regardless of medium.

This book was a required reading for a graduate class in studio art. This book was so vague it could have been applied to anything. It was so patrenizing that it sounded like the author was assuming that the reader was a grown child still attached to their security blanket. If that explains you I imagine this book is exactly what you need other wise it is just a little too worthless

For such a small book, it sure packs a lot of power. This book is imperative for any creative individual who has maybe lost their way or needs to know what direction to go in. The authors are self-aware, instructive, honest, and realistic. Even though the book doesn't offer one concrete solution to a specific problem, it will definitely give you much to think about.

I think that this book is an extremely beneficial read. It does well to distinguish fears that many artists and non-artists (if there is such a thing) have. It explores topics of vulnerability, technique vs. innovation, art students and the academic sphere and all sorts of other facets of the art and artist's world. It's quite thorough and all encompassing, and while nothing is ever the one and only answer, I find that this book is helpful in giving the artist a chance to step back from one's self and to see the bigger scope. I do like how in many ways this book also allows the artist to contemplate what choices they will make and what kind of artist they will be, which is a vital process for an artist. I highly recommend it!

Art and Fear is a pretty good read and would definitely help someone who's just starting out in their artistic career. The authors make several great points and offer some sound advice, but the best way to deal with issues addressed in this book are through experience.

As an artist, I recognize my own tendencies to short-change my abilities, and this book will help someone who may not be aware of their own self-destructive tendencies to recognize the patterns. However, established artists and those who have survived any amount of critiques by professors, instructors, and fellow artists won't gain the full benefits of this book.

Thought provoking and encouraging, well written, and helpful in getting me unstuck. I do have one quibble, though. A favorite author of mine, G.K. Chesterton, is referred to as a mathematician. In fact he was a wise and prolific journalist and an amazing wordsmith-- not a mathematician, at all.

I am a working artist. I have tried many times to coordinate projects with other artisits. In Fear and Art, two major points are unveiled. These are the discoveries of the authors, and it truly hit home for me an decribed the way I work. Artists get frustrated. The authors point out that most artists are either teachers or students, when you stop being one or the other you stop creating art. Societies can live without a lot of things but they cannot live long without art. In America, public education continues to take art away from our children, is this our fear?

Other reviewers have said what needs to be said about this succinct, invaluable book; it's one to own and to dip into year after year. It's so much more "real" and to the point than the pretentious, silly "creativity" books such as the ones Julia Cameron writes, with all their time-wasting "exercises." If you want to make art, just start somewhere, and let one work lead to another, as these authors suggest.

I've read the other reviews.

Last Saturday, Lizzie (10) and I went to the art store with a gift certificate and she was heavily lobbying me for clay - which she got. In the meantime, this book was laying askew on a shelf. I picked it up as a diversion - and became captivated by it. The authors have assembled a distillate of their time and experience. And it resonates so well with mine. And the ideas they provide are not limited to art - they are also important to the modern applications of science which are becoming ever mre individually-oriented and therefore closer to art than perhaps science has ever been. Craft and art are merging.

I finished this book with the same feeling as I had when I read Walden. Utter simplicity, utter verity, utter thanks.

I'd like to meet these authors and enjoy a conversation with them.

This book revealed to me I was not the only one having the thoughts of doubt and frustration in dealing with my talent and drive. I can look at my work as a process now and not an end result. I copy quotes from this book and paste them in my work space to remind me what it is I'm trying to accomplish. Everyone will get something different out of this text - it has a very universal message for anyone who is creative. My painting instructor recommends this book regularly and all that read it have the most positive responses to the insights and the pearls of wisdom. With my strongest recommendation I encourage ALL Artists to read this!

This book is fun, and most thought provoking about the process we go through in creating our work as well as the process we go through after we have completed our work.

I found the identification of some of my own challenges within the book to be a great resource for moving along in production and showing.

A great read, and a wonderful reference too.

This book took years for the authors to write. It shows in their thoughtful statements found on every page. They help you see what you fear as an artist, why you fear it and how it holds you back. This thin book, contains wisdom which is distilled and refined, there is not a wasted sentence.
It took me a long time to read because I constantly had to stop and think before I could read on.
I strongly recommend this book for all visual and performing artists.

I found this book at a small 'on campus' bookstore, shortly after it was published. It was part of a curriculum for a highly regarded Art School in Idyllwild, California. The title shook me to my shoetops and of course, I bought it. From there it has been with me non-stop...a little bible for the writer that I am. It is concise, clear, and compelling. The authors, address the genesis of what can hold the creative process back at the most profound level..Fear. They 'pull back the covers' on just what it is that keeps us from our selves and ultimately our work...whatever the medium. If you are stuck in a 'creative block' that won't move...this book is for you. This book is not for those who can't commit to the often painful process of discovering and re-discovering who they are in relationship to their art or work. Reading the book brought me back to the core of who I am as a creator. I dare you to read it with an open heart as well as mind. Good Luck.

What an eye-opening book of why we do art!! This book took me by the shoulders and shook me and made a great deal of sense. Few of us will be world renown artists buy most of us can make art and do it well and feed our inner spirit.

I just reread this book for the second time, and it's pulled me out of my rut once again. I'm an artist with lots of different mediums, and the first time I read it was for painting... the second time, for writing music. No matter your medium, this book will speak to you. A little cheezy at times, sure, but sometimes you need that. Anyhow, it pulls you through the self doubts and fears and gets you to create again. Good luck!

The best 122 pages you will ever read to inspire enlighten and give understanding to an artist life. Not a text book on how to create art or a highbrow telling you what is and is not art. Just pure down to earth truth of what an artist life is like. I read this book in three days between classes and working 40 hour week. As and artist reading Art & Fear I found my self speaking out loud in agreement with the text, which was some what funny in a public place. Anyway read it if you are an artist or know an artist or just want to know more about artist life. After I read Art & Fear I wrote this "When I in my studio and my work is following, the world is at peace, time falls away, heaven and hell are at my command until hunger and sleep over take me, then reality comes back" from William Mizell. And that how it feels

I had to read Art and Fear for a photography class I am taking. The idea behind the book is to remind artists that creating art is about you and no one else. Whether people understand or appreciate your art is irrelevant. It's a great book for anyone just starting their art career, but those of us who have already been through the machine a few times will find the information in this book to be more of a reminder of what we deal with everyday. It's a fast read and raises some good points. I'd recommend this book for anyone that thinks they are an artist, or for those who don't think they are good enough to be an artist.

This small book is a fabulous tool for artists of any medium. The authors explain motivations and thought processes behind the fears that keep artists from producing work. At times it felt like they had read my diary and then psychologically analyzed it! Any artist can benefit from this wonderful read.

Started reading during a time when I was questioning the value of my work, comparing with others and finding my work wanting. His insight was eye opening for me. Other artists dont share these things - its too painful and frightening. This book has given me the courage to get back in the game and keep on painting.

As a relatively young artist with more debilitating insecurities than Franz Kafka, this book has been a revelation for me. It truly helps you look beyond the cannibalism, the critics, the dilettantes and focus on what's truly important; your work (without undermining your intelligence with the usual inspirational, substanceless talk). Self-doubt is almost essential for any artist's progress, but this helps debunk all of those irrational fears that leave you berating yourself and staring at a blank canvas for hours. Art & Fear is a simple, concise book with such a broad reach that it could never be labeled as your standard "self help" book. highly recommended for artists of any medium.

I think most of the previous reviews have highlighted the best parts of this book and why it may or may not be a good thing for you to read. I found it to be well executed and a very interesting read. It certainly does elicit some good introspective thought. That said, I don't take it as the sort of text that will likely make a huge difference in your life. That is, it's good but don't take it too seriously. Worth the price of entry, but how much you get out of it is ultimately up to you.

There are so many concepts in this book, that I think if I read it 5 more times, I would get a "different" boost each time. The thing that stood out to me, the first time - was "KEEP WORKING" - even if I don't feel like it, don't know where I'm going or what I'm doing, just to be prolific. That's what I needed at the time. I'm going to read it again soon - for that "boost" that I need, and I'm sure something else will "hit" me. It's an amazing book, one I'm going to buy for EVERYONE of my friends who are artists. Really. Highly recommended by a fellow artist.

I have hadd this book on my shelf for years. They make a great point about the need for a community of artists to support our work. I have read it more than once, more than twice, and I recommend it to people all the timee.

Concise and well written, this book truly captures the little sticking points that keep us from being the artists we are. Whether you are a writer, painter, sculptor, musician, digital artist, chef - the book is a powerful motivator to get back in the studio and express that which makes life so rich.

I am a practicing painter who found Art and Fear while wandering through a bookstore one day. Reading it has changed my life. there are so many things that i've felt in the fuzzy recesses of my mind that are solidified inside this book. Yes, the number one reason people do not chose to dedicate their lives to making art is fear. Once it is acknowledged, it's easier to fight it. I would recommend this book to any struggling artist at any time in their life.

This is the kind of book you read slowly, put it down, think about the chapter you've just read, and then go back to read it again with fresh eyes, open mind and new understanding. This is high on my list of "books you must read". As an artist, it is really food for the mind and soul.

I appreciate the author's effort to make its universal message apply to a wide spectrum of art disciplines.

I'm a music composer and find myself torn between meeting the expectations of academia while trying to make music that I can feel good about. I have said before that I feel like an artistic surrogate birthing music that only serves the interest of the academic BORG. Any artist that feels trapped or paralyzed for whatever reason should definitely read this book.

This book is not only focused and rehabilitative, but is also very funny and well paced.

I recommend it highly!

I am a working visual artist and spiritual seeker and I have never read such an honest account of what it's like to be an artist in the modern world. So often journalists, especially self-help authors, tell the reader what they want to hear; things like "do what you love, and the money will follow," leading the reader blindly down pathways based upon wishful thinking. Bayles and Orland explore the reality of being a creative person a materialistic world and how to survive by knowing yourself and what art making is about for you. If you find yourself with the impulse to quit for whatever reason: lack of sales, rejection, burn out, bad reviews, or creative blocks, reading this little book may help you reexamine and rekindle your creative impulses in a new light.

I agree with most of the reviews here - this is an insightful book that gets right to the point, takes very little time to read and by it's brevity proves its main point - you should be in your studio doing what you do! Art making is a cumulative process - it may be all wrong today, but it will come together.

The book spoke to my soul. It addressed all my insecurities and issues that I privatly deal with in creating work. It was of some comfort to realize that It is common for artists to experience these same issues. I would highly recommend this book. It is one of the few books that I own and will never get rid of.

This book really resonated with where I am in my artistic life right now; struggling with finding "the artist" & detaching from consumerism. The chapter on "Perfection" was brilliant after reading its so clear to me where my road blocks are and the path to move forward as an artist is more clear. A must read for artists!

Experiencing a creative block? Read this book for the cure.

This is an absolute must read for all artists and art lovers. The book is well written, easy to read, and quite inspiring. It eliminates all the fears of artmaking and explores the reasons why artists make art or not. This book makes a wonderful gift to patrons. It gives them a deep understanding of the art making process and will guarantee their appreciation of your art. This book should be required reading for all art students of all genre. Bravo! A great reference for artmaking without becoming a 'how to'. Quite impressive. You will read it over and over.

One of the best books i've ever read, art & fear is highly relatable and is a quick and enjoyable read. i was actually a little sad when i was finished. you would think that this book is only directed for those in artistic careers but it can be applied to so many others, i can honestly say that this is a book i will keep with me well in to my adult hood (unless a better one comes along..lol) . if you are debating wheather to get this book, i say GET IT!! i'm sure you won't regret it.

As a serious painter, I own many books on art in general and the craft of painting in particular. They have been variously useful and sometimes even inspirational, but Art & Fear is worth more to me, than all the rest of my books put together. This book doesn't tell you how to paint or write or compose music or dance. Nor does it trot out the works of other painters, writers, composers, or dancers to serve as inspiration. Instead, it tells me and you and all other aspiring artists how to keep on working at what we love most. What a gem!

I hesitate to add another review to the well-thought-out ones already here. But I wanted to shout THANK YOU to the authors. You have spoken directly to me and given me what I need to get moving. I really recommend this book to anyone who is stuck, no matter what you are trying to produce.

This book is a great how-to manual for artists to navigate through the dicey waters of the art world, art school, or personal blocks to artmaking. It's great to have at hand when you are feeling uninspired, or nervous about making art. It's a good book to read in one sitting, great to flip through and read random passages as well.

This Christmas, how about giving your artist friend/relative something other than a sketchbook or pencil set? You will have helped them more than you can know.

ART AND FEAR, is a very good self help and motivational book. It's an easy read; you'll most likely finish it in one day. Because of its length I would recommend it to anyone. Short and sweet, how can you get hurt?

What you'll find in these pages are things you already know. You know that art making is hard and that it takes hard work to get by. These authors are warm and have a great way of coddling their reader and letting them know it's a hard thing to be creative and that it takes self motivation and drive.

If you are in need a reminder, this is the book for you.

The artist's powerful facility for truthful observation and keen analysis can be turned inward, and self doubt and a host of negative concerns and can arise as obstacles to making art. This book addresses the psychological difficulties of creating art. The authors examine problems and then offer possible solutions, alternatives and advice. Excellent - a spirited, useful and much needed voice of encouragement and instruction.

A thoughtful and insightful guide to dealing with the various twists and turns of making art: from dealing with inner fears about success (or failure), how to keep doing art when others are critical of your style, how to get the most out of going to art school, and much more. A sweet little book to refer to when the going gets rough and you need someone to believe in you!

I bought this book as a requirement for a BFA senior level course. It is a very worthy purchase, though the tone can be somewhat negative at times, but I believe that must might be because it is an honest look at what it feel like to be an artist in today's market.

This book directly addresses parts of the emotional "dark side" of art -- the fear, resistance, perfectionism, and vulnerability that are so commonly felt by artists, but are rarely discussed. Reading this book was a constant stream of "Oh! I'm not alone in dealing with this!" moments. I keep a spare copy on hand now, just to loan out to friends.

By naming the fears that artist experience, and giving simple and direct answers to those fears; David and Ted have given artists a tool to name their own fears and overcome them. The book had a profound impact on me and how I approach my work as a potter. I owe a lot to having read this book, in the confidence I gained, and the risks I am willing to take becasue of their writing. I have already recommended it to friends, and have it on display in my gallery. It is the best book on Fear that I have read, outside of the Bible.

I found this book to address many important topics one might face when creating art. Art & Fear was a helpful, easy read that allowed me to understand that improving your art is a choice. After reading this book i wanted to try harder to believe in the projects i was creating. Don't let fear get you down, trust the process.

Art & Fear was written a long time ago, but is very relevant today. It is a quick read, but I found myelf rereading sections, because of the helpful and intriguing information and viewpoints. A must read for artists who are struggling.

I think this is a wonderful material to read, I don't think that this book is more depressing than reality.

I recommend Art & Fear, it gave me a sense that I'm not the only one questioning myself as artist; kind of a feedback.

The only problem I found is that there is no info about the authors

I just graduated from art school, major in design & illustration. I've found this book amazingly helpful. I'm not that kind of person who like to read self help book...but this book is just wonderful. Things i've learn from this book: the right attitude of making art, determination over talent, the importance of communication between you and your art, small goals get you going, making art will expose your inner self...etc.

Highly recommended book for designer and illustrator.

Art & Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orland is a Great read. I recommend it highly. This book gives form to truth, and inspired me beyond measure. The observations contained in Art & Fear were "right on," and will speak directly to the minds and hearts of any artist serious about their craft . Art & Fear should be required reading for anyone seeking to become the best artist they can be. If you are serious about creating meaningful art, buy it now! It's just that good.

Art and Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orland is a real favorite of mine. It "explores 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." It was written for visual artists, but I think it's also perfect for writers, musicians ... virtually anyone who creates.

This is one book you'll go back to again and again. I certainly have!

Pretty much platitudes, or, what you know already. Still, handy to have it said, clearly and honestly. The end pages were the most useful - "giving your best shot and risking that it will not make you happy, or not giving .. guaranteeing that it will not make you happy".

This book allows seasoned artist and new comers the insight to move forward with there art. It reminds the artist that no one else can produce the work they can do. It was a vision to me and I shared it with my acrylic painting class….

There are few books that introduce themselves to the artist these days--this is an exception. With honest and open commentary, Art & Fear gives a sense of placement for every thought, every rationale the artist has ever made to his/herself. Within those placements are sound advice, that leaves one feeling at the very least that there are paths beyond the conventional. This one is must for every artist.

Art & Fear was first published about 15 years ago. Since then it has become a classic and is a must read for any artist serious about their work. There is a chapter that will speak directly to you as an artist, regardless of your current circumstance.

The topics are written for any artist regardless of medium or area of artistic interest. Whether you are a beginning artist or an old hand, this book is for you.

This little handbook recognizes the terrible fear I face as a writer; that I am not good enough. It shines the spot light of reason upon the fear and makes me realize that " there is probably no clearer waste of psysic energy than worrying ab out how much talent you have--and probably no worry more common. " Read this book to remove the writer's block.
I love it!

An excellent book for artists of all types!!! This book addresses the everyday ups and downs of creating art and how to handle the times when we are uninspired. A book that all can relate to at some point as an artist. It provides the type of coaching that helps get us to the next creative moment. This is a good book to keep and read whenever you feel stalled or worthless.

...in my review. Though I hate to be seen as jumping on the bandwagon, this book is the perfect medicine for an artist with self-doubts (redundant). Sharing common experiences, the authors, through ESP-like stories and analyses, let us know that how it is for us, is how it is.
"Work on your work."

Art & Fear
This book was recommended to me by my professor and she was right. This book has helped me reduce fear in my art work, it has been a big help.

Art is personal by definition. Art is about self. This small book is letting you be free to be yourself. Let your art however and whatever you define it as is ok. Simple but powerful message.

I rate books on the idea - will I give this book to my friends or toss it back on the pile to return to the book bin at the library. Five stars means a book for friends.

Ive listened to the first several chapters of the audio version first two or three three times. The speaker rambles on so quickly that it's difficult to follow and decipher breaks in sentences, passages and chapters. Buy the printed version if you want to read this or lock yourself into a quiet room and jot feverish quick notes. I would have rather listened for an extra hour in order to absorb content.

An excellent short overview of the psychology of the artistic process. It confirms feelings and processes are "normal" and also introduces some ideas over which to ponder. Very easy to read, this book is a breath of fresh air, which can be read all a once or just pick out your favourite section. I will keep it in a prominent place to give me inspiration.

I was honestly expecting something more insightful than this. It goes into great detail to explain that there IS a great deal of fear / impostor syndrome around creating art, but doesn't provide any insight into the phenomenon other than "do it anyway!" I think I could have figured that out on my own. It draws no conclusions, just meanders a lot. There's no exploration of the why's, nor any concrete suggestions for working through the road blocks. Disappointing read.

Art & Fear is not only a must read for the practicing artist. It is a must read for anyone wanting and willing to live life. Art making is rich. Life is rich. When we stop making the one, in any way, we stop living the other.

Before you even buy this book, I believe you need to determine what you hope to get out of it.

If you're hoping to identify with other artists who have faced doubts, fears and obstacles, you'll not be disappointed. This book delivers on its title: it is about ART & FEAR. It will describe where you are or have been. It could even help you stay there, if you choose.

This book says it explores "the way art gets made", why it often does not, and the difficulties along the way. As such, it is, in its own words "observational", not instructive. So it is not a "How To" book. It is also analytical, though not necessarily insightful, so it's not intended for your next meditation. And though other reviewers have said otherwise, I wouldn't recommend this book to help rouse anyone from their creative slumber.

If you're a practicing artist or would-be artist who is stuck, I don't believe this book will help free you. You may find identification or sympathy with other artists - maybe even justification - but not the inspiration, motivation or plain old instruction to get you going again.

Better to read something that is designed to be instructive or inspiring. (One inspiring book that springs to mind is Denise Sherkerjian's UNCOMMON GENIUS which profiles 40 winners of the MacArthur Prize. These artists cross all creative disciplines, face numerous obstacles and still create. It says a lot worth listening to and applying to the process of creating.)

I received ART & FEAR as a gift and read it as much out of curiosity as to honor the giver. I rated it 3 STARs because it (a.) has some good quotes, and (b.) helped me appreciate how differently I think about and respond to the doubt, ambiguity and chaos in my art. Compared to the Bayles & Orland landscape, I have more faith, trust and love in the process and the results of my creation.

This is an absolute must for anyone that "creates", especially if they believe that what they create is "Art". If a person's interest is in the "meaning" of what they create, "Art and Fear" presents, with clarity, sensitivity, and insight, the risks and rewards of the process and the ultimate importance of the effort.

A friend recommended this book for me and after reading it bought two copies for other friends. It is practical, realistic and wise. If you need some perspective and engage in any form of creating, this is the book!

This book is a must read for any artist. It provides insight into your sole and other artists before you. I have given it as a gift to other artists and it has changed their attitude and given them great confidence, as it did me.

The only thing that disappoints me more than the book is the fanbase that led me to waste money on it. Art And Fear is a shamelessly patronizing, name-dropping joke of a book. It has a briefly promising if shakey start, which quickly devolves into a cross between a slighly advanced fifteen year old's school project (thesaurus abuse throughout) and a one-sided record of a debate involving a sophomoric know-it-all. If you are a big fan of books that use unnecessarily flowery language, to the extent that the author repeatedly manages to distract themself from their own tenuous grasp of any meaningful discourse, you will absolutely ADORE this pointless and self congratulatory train wreck. They should write one called How To Blow Smoke Up Everyone's Ass And Get Rich.

Art & Fear is a superb little tome (100+ pages). This is to try to make up for messing up bookseller feedback. Let it be known that montg118 mailed out my copy within 24 hours of order placement. In my book THAT'S super-good service...Thanks, Bev.

The premise is good but they use long words when short ones would be more effective. They seem to be trying hard to impress us when I am already impressed with their points. Good intentions, boring read.

I read this book in hopes it would help me break through a current bout of "writer's block". Uh, no. This slim volume took the authors seven years to write. It is so ponderous, that it feels like it takes seven years to read.

The basic problem is that the authors think that being an "artist" somehow makes the self-perceived artist both different and more important than the ordinary person.

For example, "healthy artistic environments are about as common as unicorns. We live in a society that encourages competition at demonstrably vicious levels, and sets a hard and accountable yardstick for judging who wins". Read it in context and I think it is trying to assert that even the worst "artist" should be judged by different standards than merely "Yuck! You call that art?"

There is a desired here to romanticize art, "artists" and the creation of "art", to raise all above the level of mere mortal efforts. For example, one of their conceits that they call attention to is headed "Crea**vity", followed by an expanation: "Readers may wish to note that nowhere in this book does the dreaded the [sic] C-word appear. Why should it? Do only some people have ideas, conront problems, dream, live in the real world and breathe air?" Wow . . . isn't that meaningful? I don't think so. I think it is more meaningful that the authors are grandstanding, calling attention to their little conceit of not using "creativity" to describe the artist's work.

Those who consider themselves "artists" may find solace here: they are misunderstood creatures who themselves deal with processes that they don't understand. They are, after all, artists and as "artists", "you declare what is important". You. You! You!!! It's all about you.

In my humble opinion, the authors spent seven years trying to create a Zen of art . . . and they failed. Thst doesn't mean "Art & Fear" is an awful book. It is, in fact, occasionally interesting and the quotations at the beginning of each chapter are well selected and undoubtedly the most profound words in the book.

But "Art & Fear" comes nowhere near satisfying the authors' boastful claim that it is "An Artist's Survival Guide". It is more like an ode to insincerity, bucking up the person who self-designates themselves as an "artist" and feels that their genius is under-appreciated.Isn't this true for all of us, artist or not?

Jerry

This book I was richly anticipating due to its wonderful reviews but alass! I was utterly dissapointed. Granted the book pin points the fears that go through an artist mind everyday, but tell me something I DON'T know. I'm aware of the voices in my head now tell me what to do about them. I am a student struggling with my work and the fear that I wont get a profitable job when I embark on a career. This book actually discurraged me from believing that an artist, unless allready financially secure, cannot gain profits from his work and that to do it is for the sake of art not income. Well thats great and wouldn't that be perfect, but unfortunatly, poverty is real and so is my desire to create. Don't tell me to except it as a hobby when I just signed my soul to...debt in art school. In conclusion, I found this book not motivating, it points out the real fear but offers little advice, this coupled with bizzar comparisons to Mozart I feel it would searve me best as a fire starter in my cold and heatless studio.

I'm a screenplay writer.
Movie director Robert Rodriguez recommended this book in his commentary on DVD. So I bought it.
But it was not as good as I expected.
If you're confident about you and eager to create something, you don't need this book.

There is a certain class of books and authors that are parasitic on the real or imagined problems of their readers. This book purports to address "What is your art really about?", "Where is it going?", and "What stands in the way of getting it there?" It does so in prose that is by turns maundering, platitudinous, and smug. The tone can be breezy and self-referential ("the authors would like to employ this sentence to proclaim a self-imposed moratorium on cynicism in their future discussions") in a way reminiscent of a high school newspaper. You get platitudes like "a good work of art inevitably calls the viewer's own belief system into question. Is this threatening? Is the Pope Catholic?" Why not speculate on the woodsy habits of bears? The authors let you know they are more educated than you: ah, so J. S. Bach committed to writing a prelude and fugue in each of the twenty-four keys! Twenty-four; well, well. And they have insight into Bach's thought processes that show him to be just a good ol' boy: "'Let's see, I haven't begun to work on the F-sharp minor yet'". What a load of malarkey! You can get this book for $12.95 list, or for a dollar less (and SIGNED! which must give them a small thrill) from the authors directly. But don't do it. Don't waste your time. Paint a picture. Write a poem.

I'm immediately skeptical about the quality of a book that uses parentheses within its title. It caught my eye because of my own ruminations on fear in artmaking. Unfortunately it quickly substantiated my suspicion of its dark parenthetical omen.

The book wasn't complete hogwash. There were some good, if generally mundane, observations in the chapter I read, but there was enough crap to make me feel just fine abandoning it. I suppose I do have to qualify this little review by saying that I did only read the first chapter, and a few lines here and there throughout, so this is not what you could call a genuine comprehensive analysis. It's a short book, and I was quite surprised that based on it's length and the general lack of nuance in the first chapter that the authors would admit in the epilogue that it took them seven years to write. Seriously, it should never take two grown men seven years to write a book this short, good or bad, and they should know that a book like this doesn't need an epilogue, let alone one that talks about the long arduous writing process? Really.

I knew we were in trouble by the bottom of page one when I read this:

"Other people, in other times and places, had some robust institutions to shore them up: witness the Church, the clan, ritual tradition. It's easy to imagine that artists doubted their calling less when working in the service of God than when working in the service of self."

Imagine that!

My difficulty here, apart from those elements obviously left to be desired (Other people? Other times and places? Gimme something to work with here...), is that rather than at least briefly addressing all of the questions this statement begs, they forge ahead as if they've stated some rock-solid anthropological axiom. What if those "other people" (who G.K. Chesterton would point out, are unjustly disqualified if it's done merely on account of their being dead) doubted their calling less because God does exist and working in God's service is a rightly orienting dimension of human life? What if those shoring institutions were serving a long-forgotten, basic human need? What if it's true? Just asking.

The problem is that the authors took no time to discuss this. The self is preeminent, and so you have to learn to persevere in art, control your fear, and overcome. From what I read, the book should have been titled, "Art and Fear: A practical guide for artists trying to survive in these troubling times since the announcement of God's death (we expect to find his body any day now)." The book is not dishonest or stupid. It was just annoying in its simplistic brushing aside of what a Christian like myself believes. Granted, that's not what the book was about, but I'm only complaining because seven years had to have been enough time to at least touch on it.

The best part of the book, by far, were the quotes heading each chapter. That's probably why authors put them in, and it made picking up the the little piece of literary detritus worth it. My favorite was a Constantin Brancusi quote that I identified with readily in light of my installation experiences:

"To see far is one thing; going there is another."