I seldom do book reviews on the blog, but this is a book that I read on a train journey a couple of weeks ago which is worth a look. I can’t help but feel that my grate friend Alf Rehn said most of this better first, but it is a short snappy book about getting on with creating and making and not just sitting about moaning about not being able to draw.
The central tenet of the book is that we start by stealing but as we practise and become more accomplished we make our own original work by using what we have in the mental filing cabinet. He gives some interesting ideas about keeping on track and finding time to work, and he describes his own process pretty honestly – at least it rings true. It is full of the usual inspirational, unreferenced, quotations, one of which, from John Cleese, I really liked:
We don’t know where we get our ideas from. What we do know is that we do not get them from our laptops.
Which is the sort of thing that I would like to shout at the next person who exhorts me to do more innovative – ie technology-based teaching.
I have certain been up and down the curve that he gives on page 83, and thought other people might find it interesting.
So, this is a short, reassuring read, just right for commuting.
Annjrippin's Blog 
This made me chuckle. It’s so true!!
And now I need to get up from the sofa and away from the iPad and ……………
There’s still nothing like making by hand! Thanks for commenting.
I usually have a short upward kick after the end of that which goes omg this is the best thing ive ever done im sooo clever, but that only lasts about half and hour
Absolutely. And I make things and love them and than come back to them five years later and wonder what possessed me. Thanks for commenting.
I read it almost a year ago and I find it very good and useful
I think it’s a good encouraging read.