Find Your Artistic Voice: The Essential Guide to Working Your Creative Magic

by Lisa Congdon

Bestselling author, artist, and illustrator Lisa Congdon brings her expertise to this guide to the process of artistic self-discovery.

Find Your Artistic Voice helps artists and creatives identify and nurture their own visual identity.

This one-of-a-kind book helps artists navigate the influence of creators they admire, while simultaneously appreciating the value of their personal journey.
• Features down-to-earth and encouraging advice from Congdon herself
• Filled with interviews with established artists, illustrators, and creatives
• Answers the question "how do I develop a unique artistic style?"

An artist's voice is their calling card—it's what makes each of their works vital and particular, but developing such singular artistry requires effort and persistence. Find Your Artistic Voice offers everyday strategies, inspirational anecdotes, and practical advice to push through fear and insecurity in your artistic practice.

• Makes a perfect gift for aspiring artists and creatives, serious hobbyists, art students, makers, teachers, budding creative professionals, and fans of Lisa Congdon
• A self-help creativity book for those looking for artistic guidance
• Great for those who enjoyed reading The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, and Art/ Everything You Need to Know (and Do) As You Pursue Your Art Career by Heather Darcy Bhandari and Jonathan Melber

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Self Help, Design, Creative, Writing, Art Design

128 pages, Paperback

Published August 6, 2019

About the author

Fine artist and illustrator Lisa Congdon is best known for her colorful abstract paintings, intricate line drawings, pattern design & hand lettering. She works for clients around the world including the MoMA, Harvard University, Martha Stewart Living, Chronicle Books, The Land of Nod, Simon & Schuster, and Cloud9 Fabrics, among many others. She exhibits her work around the country, including in shows at the Contemporary Jewish Museum and Bedford Gallery. A selection of her abstract works are currently available through New York’s Uprise Gallery. Lisa writes a popular daily blog about her work, life and inspiration called Today is Going to be Awesome. She is the author of five books, including the starving-artist-myth-smashing Art Inc: The Essential Guide to Building Your Career as an Artist, and illustrated books Fortune Favors the Brave, Whatever You Are, Be a Good One, Twenty Ways to Draw a Tulip and A Collection a Day. She was named one of 40 Women Over 40 to Watch in 2015. She lives and works in Portland, Oregon.

Reviews

[Cindy Pham · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book’s main takeaways to find your voice are: show up, make art every day, practice what you want to be good at, and give you fears a big bear hug. When it gets hard, don’t stop, keep going, and even embrace the monotony, because many of these difficulties are part of the artistic process.

I appreciate having interviews with a variety of artists because we get more diverse perspectives, but I wish the interviews had gone more in-depth, or at least showcased the artists’ work to provide context. Their advice is similar to one another, which ironically makes it difficult to distinguish their voices. While this book doesn’t provide anything groundbreaking, it did give me a little boost of inspiration to keep creating and making art.

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book just didn't delve very deep, in my opinion. It sort of seemed like the equivalent of reading some motivational quotes that, while true, make you just go "okay... and..." and then not apply anything to your work. I did like that she made a distinction between "style" and "voice" in the beginning of the book. It's a good distinction to make, but she didn't carry it very far. The whole book to me feels like the same "How do I find my style!" dilemma but rephrased as "How do I find my voice!" People get way too wrapped up in finding their style and now their voice, and it's a topic that doesn't need a book telling you how to do it. In one of the interviews in the book, someone says that while being aware and actively seeking out your voice is important, most of the journey to finding your voice is just creating work, and not thinking about what your voice is. It'll be there, because you made the artwork. I dunno, this book just seemed a bit pointless, like the same old advice recycled over and over without really digesting any of it. Spend the time you would spend on reading this book listening to any of the Creative Pep Talk Podcast episodes instead & you will be much more inspired & have a ton more food for thought.
I also think there could have been better diversity in the artists represented. So many of them make such similar style work that it's almost ironic to feature them in a book on finding your individual voice.
Anyway that's my two cents. This book didn't do much for me.

[Dona's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

"One of the things I learned when I began making art was that there was so much more to my story than I ever realized....The boring interior life I previously related to was transformed into an inner world so intriguing to me that I couldn't contain it." p36

Half of Lisa Congdon's FIND YOUR ARTISTIC VOICE is a collection of mundane advice you can find in any creative craft manual. You know the stuff, you've seen it all before: write/practice/do art every day; keep a schedule; network and show up where interesting things are happening (gallery events, readings, and conventions); challenge yourself and look for opportunities to grow your skills. This material is boring 😴 It's in every craft book ever written; I wish these writers would stop repeating it all already.

But this book has value because of the places where Congdon writes about her journey, about the process of whittling her voice out of the combined shining marble if her skill, her influences, and the pressures she felt. Like the quotation I opened with, Congdon reveals much about the process of finding one's voice through what seems a somewhat accidental process.

Additionally, I found the inclusion of the interviews to be brilliant. So many different perspectives on voice, many of which contradicted one another, which again support the personal nature of the process of developing one's voice.

As I am both an artist and a writer, I bought this book thinking it would apply to writing as well as art, and I was somewhat correct about that. The section that spoke loudest to me was the section on skill. I particularly love this quote from p17, which I will close with: "[H]aving skill doesn't mean you won't ever make bad work or create a disaster. Experimentation and failure are part of the creative process for everyone."

Rating 4 stars
Finished July 2022
Recommended for artists, writers, other creatives

[Chris LaTray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to this not as someone who does visual art, but as a writer. It was like getting a pep talk from a trusted friend, something we all occasionally need. I appreciate that it’s short, and I’d recommend it for someone who needs a quick boost. I listened to the audio version, and it made for a few days of inspirational commutes.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book characterizes much of what is disastrously wrong with literature about creativity.  The author considers herself an expert as someone who had once desired to be accepted so much that she even went to mass despite not being a Catholic at a Catholic university and then fails to recognize that her strident leftist viewpoint and the not particularly diverse collection of voices that she collects here similarly demonstrate a desire to fit it and a distinct lack of both self-awareness and authenticity.  This book could have been good, but that would have required the author to be aware of the contradictions in her view between her desire to be accepted for her own voice and her realization that authenticity and hostility towards our Creator and Lord are not only not the same but often entirely absent.  The act of denying reality because it does not correspond to our own wishes, which amounts to the sort of creativity that the author and her associates appear to be most interested in, is not a recipe for genuine creativity but rather for mental illness of one kind or another.  And that can be found readily here as well.

This book is a short one at about 125 pages or so and is divided into seven chapters.  The author begins with an introduction that speaks against conformity, forgetting that conformity to the values of the left is what will inform the rest of this stunningly self-deceived work.  After that the author discusses what an artistic voice is, by her own lights (1) and also discusses why having a voice matters (2) from the point of view of someone who wishes to speak out as part of a leftist oppressed mass, rather than speaking out against the evils of the contemporary left.  After that the author discusses the path of creativity in terms frequently borrowed from Buddhism and New Age thinking (3) while discussing how people navigate influence through open admission and personalizing what has influenced us (4).  After that the author discusses the importance of showing up, practicing, and setting routines as a way of developing creativity--although even here she also advises breaking those routines at times (5).  After that she closes with a discussion of how people can move through fear (6) and use her strategies for developing one's own voice (7), which is again assumed to be synonymous with leftist political and social principles, after which there is a bibliography and acknowledgements.

This book is a textbook example, mercifully short, of what goes wrong when people equate rebellion against God with being a creative individual.  Such disastrous misunderstandings of the world and of our place within it are all too common in reading books about creative.  This book is precisely the sort of work that would consider bohemian urban leftists to be creative types of people while denying the creativity of those whose efforts spring from a conscious and respectful imitation of the creative arts of He who created us.  While it is easy to see that there are aspects of this book that could have been salvageable had the author been more self-aware, it is predictable and lamentable that had the author been more self-aware she certainly would not have written this book, which is as good a reason as any as I can give not to recommend this book for any purpose that involves reading.  Those who are conformist in the sense of being trendy to the latest decadent rebellion against God's ways will find much more to enjoy in this book, but I would hope even such people would have more sense than to consider the author a fit authority on creativity.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good book about developing one's own signature style/voice. Lots of interviews with people from a variety of creative/artistic fields.

[Mai M Ibrahim · Rating 3 out of 5]

لطيف ف المجمل وخفيف
الكتاب عبارة عن لقاءات مع بعض فنانين illustration ورسم وازاي وجدوا بصمتهم الفنية artistic voice + نصائح من الكاتبه اللي كان من وجهة نظري مش جديدة وكلاشيه
وعملت سيرش ع كل فنان عملت معاه حوار لقيت حاجات لطيفة اوي سواء فنية أو اقتراحات كتب جديدة😍

[Jennie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel bad giving this such a negative review. I love Lisa Congdon's art and her IG where she often muses with exceptional grace and empathy about the creative process. But nothing about this book worked for me. I found the glaring typos super distracting. The portraits of each artist were visually unpleasant, coming off as poorly done rather than purposely unsophisticated. Also the guest artists' meandering observations about creative voice were paired with their resumes, rather than examples of their art, which made it hard to follow and frankly rather boring. The advice was all so similar it prevented each person from feeling distinct - a strange tone in a book about individual voice. The writing was forgettable and for me it considerably dimmed the appeal of the actual artwork included.

[Maryse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I make art for my own personal pleasure and have no interest in becoming a professional artist so I was concerned this book would be a how-to on finding a voice that sells. But it wasn’t at all. Very thoughtful and thought provoking for someone like me.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so great. I feel like I learned more in this book than in art school. A great read for anyone wanting to explore their creativity whether they are brand new to art or a long time artist.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like Lisa Congdon a lot but I feel like this didn't need to be a book, it could be a short essay called "Make a lot of work and your voice will come out of that." I think your "voice" is just this thing that happens, and to have an entire book devoted to "finding it" was a little misleading. As a few others have mentioned, the layout wasn't the best either, small type and huge margins. I didn't get a lot out of the interviews either, it all just felt like the same stuff I read all the time, from people who all went to art school so they already have a leg up on finding their voices. I wish she had gotten permission to print some of the art from the people she interviewed, I think it would've given some better context. If you're looking to read a Lisa Congdon book I'd recommend A Glorious Freedom over this one.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hesitant at first to start this book because I assumed it was full of prompts and activities that I wouldn't do, and that would stop me from continuing with reading the book. But that's not the case. It's got a lot of very straightforward information, practical tips, and interesting interviews with various artists. I appreciate the author's attitude of "you can do it" towards art - and it helps to know that she didn't go to art school either!

[Cátia Vieira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Find Your Artistic Voice by Lisa Congdon has personal reflections about art and creation, beautiful illustrations and interviews with established artists and illustrators. In this book, you’ll be able to find encouraging advice and, above all, the answer to the question “How do I develop my own style/artistic voice?”

This isn’t the first time I read a book about creation. It’s always nice to get encouragement and know that every artist struggles but I haven’t learnt a lot from Lisa Congdon’s book. It doesn’t help that I thought Find Your Artistic Voice would encompass several forms of art. When I think about artistic creation, I think about art in general. Not just visual art. I thought it would discuss creation as a whole. So I imagined I would learn about the process of writers, musicians, and so on. But it’s truly dedicated to visual art. If you work or want to work in that field, then I highly recommend it. 💁‍♀️ I am sure you will find it way more helpful than I did!

For more reviews, follow me on Instagram @booksturnyouon

[Angie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just what I was hoping for

I’ve read a lot of books on art process but none that spoke directly to where I was on my creative journey. I recommend to all creatives.

[Lastoadri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Keep trying.
Don't stop experimenting.
Open your eyes and be mindful.
Have a partner.
Join new classes.
Use new mediums.
Immerse yourself in other artists' work.
Make art. Make art. Make art.
Don't fear copying others.
Don't think about your voice, keep going, trust the process, and it will eventually evolve.

[Jelena SM · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! The concept of the book in the form of interviews with eclectic artists offered distinctive perspectives on motivation, showing up, persistence, boredom and life experience. I felt this was a brief insight into the idea of what it means to give physical form to your voice which Lisa conveyed beautifully.

[Katrina Van Grouw · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read this for school. There was some excellent material in this book and I appreciated the different artist interviews, but I didn't love all the wokeism/social justice warrior vibes in the beginning. There were a lot of trite cliches that I could've done without. However, i really enjoyed the last couple chapters of this book and I will leave the summarized list Liza gives us:
1. GO OUTSIDE INTO THE WORLD, BE MINDFUL OF WHAT YOU SEE.

2. FIND A SPACE TO BE ALONE TO CREATE.
aka- solitude is important!
3. FIND A FEEDBACK PARTNER OR FORM A CRITIQUE GROUP.

4. TAKE CLASSES.
all kinds of classes can increase your skills and keep your inspiration/creative drive fresh.
5. BRAINSTORM.
focus on unique things you are interested in and explore and combine them.
6. DEVELOP YOUR VOCABULARY AND BECOME AN EXPERT.
do research into work you like and artists you are inspired by.
7. GET OUT TO SUPPORT AND LEARN FROM OTHER ARTISTS.
networking and community!
8. STAY OPEN TO ALL EXPERIENCES.
no matter what it is, it will have an impact on your work.
9. THINK LIKE A BEGINNER.
don't assume you know everything or assume it's not possible; be optimistic and willing to try.
10. REMEMBER, YOU ARE THE BOSS OF YOUR WORK AND HOW YOU MAKE IT.
ultimately the only way you have your own voice is through authentic work that matters to you.

[sarkasmuz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is one of those book every artist should read, BEFORE starting out as an artist or even thinking about making your art into a business (or, to put it more extreme, before you show your art to anyone). The search for your "artstyle" before searching who you really are, what story you are going to tell and what makes you, YOU, is ruining this journey for everyone. In this day and age of social media everyone and their mother want you to be noticed asap when posting. "Get a niche", "have a style people remember", "draw like this and that" makes your life as an artist really, really hard. This shouldn't be done at the start of your artistic journey. It comes with time.

And I really wished I would have read this book way sooner.

[Kate Kosek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saw this on the 'new' shelf in the library and thought I would give it a try since I like Lisa Congdon's art (which is a point she makes later in the book - to support fellow artists by going to their shows, taking their classes, reading their books, etc.).

Didn't really provide me with any new information, but I think it would be helpful, if not inspiring, to artists just starting out. I liked the interviews; they exposed me to new artists and books I need to look at.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read Art Inc and was super excited to learn if this book coming out. I definitely was not disappointed. The interviews were engaging, the book itself was well written with great ideas, and the art throughout tied it altogether. Highly recommend!

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Challenges: Fall into Reading 2020 (Card 2) - Non-fiction. Defined a bit more clearly what 'voice' is for a creative which is elusive at best, but you know it when you see it, hear it or read it. That one should really look at what one values, to be self reflexive, to practice art everyday and not worry about finding one's voice or it will be stymied. Express your truth, your experiences, your heritage, and all other facets of your life taken into account and translated into various elements of 'voice' that can be expressed in more than one style, in more than one medium, but yet has a consistent 'look' or 'feel' to it that is recognizable as you.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Lisa Congdon's art and I needed a book written by someone sharing my name for a book challenge. This is a nice collection of interviews with contemporary artists about establishing voice in work. The advice is fairly straight forward. Practice a lot and keep making art even if you feel like your art sucks. It's 100% true, and I wish I'd stuck with it when I was younger.

I can't say that there was anything truly profound but I am not that young and if I were a young person starting out in the art world I think there's a lot that could be taken from this. It's very encouraging and the art world can be tough, so props for that.

[Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome book for creatives!

This was a great book because of the approachable language and ideas surrounding creativity. The text invited creatives to pivot and examine the world around them looking for renewed inspiration or to discover inspiration all together. The interviews were helpful in examining creative and developing creative habits. Congdon’s artwork is beautiful on the page and enhances the ideas shared with the reader. Read this book!

[isa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 estrelas
o livro cumpriu o que propôs: me deu vontade de voltar a ser mais criativa e artistica, e ir encontrar minha voz nesse meio
gostei das pessoas entrevistadas, só gostaria que as perguntas tivessem sido um pouco mais distintas, e talvez apresentar alguma ilustração do trabalho dos entrevistados
ali depois dos 70% ficou um pouco redundante e óbvio, sem contar que não curti a finalização do livro
mas no geral uma leitura boa pra se encontrar no meio artístico

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not much that was new or super helpful here; study, practice, connect, be authentic, persevere. Interspersed among these essays on the elements of developing one’s style were interviews with various artists. The most annoying aspect of the interviews and the book was that the artist talked about their work but there were no pictures of their work!! So they would talk about how developing their whimsical style helped set them apart. What the heck did that look like?? You’ll never know.

[Ashleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely read by the absolute inspiration that is Lisa Congdon. Taking the same format as her book art:Inc she shows us how artists feel about finding their own voices and the explorations that lead them to where they are. She shows us that being an artist or creative means constant learning, development and cultivation of interests and experiences. It's been a beautifully positive read during this current down time I'm having whilst currently unable to concentrate on much more than news regarding covid-19.

[Mc · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little bit trite, stiff, vague, repetitive, and wordy, when a bit more research and organization could have made this book more useful and motivating. There are several useful tips, but too few. Contains interviews with a variety of living, working artists. The author avoids discussing negative topics. Needs to replace decorative flourishes with more concrete visual examples of developing or discerning style.

I think her next book will be better 👍

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the author's perspective as well as the other artist interviews throughout the book. My favorite one was Andrea Pippens interview. Speaking your truth and focus on style, skill, subject matter, medium and consistency. connecting to your voice and making the time everyday to explore it.

[Jake Mathis · Rating 5 out of 5]

For any artists with anxieties about being original or feeling lost in their creative process this book is a great read! Insight from numerous artists with varying mediums of work give a wealth of information about finding your voice and more importantly letting your voice come to you!

[cancan]

lo leí para la facu