How to Be an Artist

by Jerry Saltz

"Inspiration leaps off the pages from Jerry Saltz's new book on creativity. . . . This book is for the artist or non-artist, for the person who gets plain English, for the person who understands that practical talk can coax out the mystical messages that lie underneath." —Steve Martin

Art has the power to change our lives. For many, becoming an artist is a lifelong dream. But how to make it happen? In How to Be an Artist, Jerry Saltz, one of the art world’s most celebrated and passionate voices, offers an indispensable handbook for creative people of all kinds.

From the first sparks of inspiration—and how to pursue them without giving in to self-doubt—Saltz offers invaluable insight into what really matters to emerging artists: originality, persistence, a balance between knowledge and intuition, and that most precious of qualities, self-belief. Brimming with rules, prompts, and practical tips, How to Be an Artist gives artists new ways to break through creative blocks, get the most from materials, navigate career challenges, and above all find joy in the work.

Teeming with full-color artwork from visionaries ancient and modern, this beautiful and useful book will help artists of all kinds—painters, photographers, writers, performers—realize their dreams.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Self Help, Audiobook, Writing, Design, Personal Development

144 pages, Hardcover

First published March 17, 2020

Reviews

[Caroline · Rating 1 out of 5]

I should have known better.

[Jason Pettus · Rating 2 out of 5]

2021 reads, #38. I read this at the encouragement of my old friend John Reed, a novelist and experimental artist in New York, which he recommended mostly due to the fact that he's actually friends with the author, Jerry Saltz (just like he's seemingly friends with fucking everyone in the New York artistic community, which makes me jealous). And so I read it, and it was...eh, it was okay, but I found that it suffers from several major problems that prevent it from being the truly useful experience I was hoping it would be. (I'm feeling a sense of creative burnout in my life these days, which is how John and I got to talking about this book in the first place.) Those problems, in no particular order:

--Ultimately this book just never feels like it was written to provide serious advice for the serious artist in the first place, but was designed from the start to be a cutesy overpriced point-of-sale book for one middle-class suburban woman to give to another middle-class suburban woman when she needs a birthday gift but doesn't want to think too hard about it. As such, then, I was kind of shocked and disappointed to see that this decades-long professional art critic (first at the Village Voice, now at New York magazine) and former Pulitzer winner doesn't really have much else to say about the topic of creativity than your average calligraphy-obsessed Instagram mom, with his book full of such easy platitudes as "don't try to understand it, just do it!" and "create every day!" and "don't be afraid to be original!" Hashtag blessed indeed.

--Although he claims that this advice can be applied in any creative endeavor, whether you're a musician, filmmaker, dancer or what have you, in reality the majority of his 63 tips are geared specifically towards those who do drawing and painting, with such frustrating advice as "carry a sketchpad with you at all times" and "practice your art in small moments of your day in public" which couldn't possibly be applied by a musician or a dancer. As such, then, this book shouldn't really be called How to Be an Artist at all, but rather How to Be a Conceptual Painter Who Exhibits in SoHo Galleries and Gets Picked for the Whitney Biennial, not a surprise given Saltz's background.

--And finally, John promised/warned me that Saltz in his elderly years has started presenting himself to the public as a bon vivant of sorts, and reading this book made me profoundly understand what he was getting at; for this writing gets just so unbearably twee and whimsical at points that it becomes nearly impossible to take seriously. The problem is that Saltz just tries way too hard, insisting so often and so passionately about how delightfully eccentric he is that the whole thing comes full circle and proves him to be not delightfully eccentric at all, but just another grumpy old man like the rest of all us grumpy old men, who tries to make up for it with colorful ties and goofy photoshoots and silly memes about how he buys 18 gas-station coffees at the same time then keeps them all at home so he doesn't have to go back for the rest of the week and why he doesn't just buy a goddamned coffeemaker is anyone's guess.

So all in all, a mixed bag, falling on the slightly negative side; a book I don't regret reading (and that can be read from cover to cover in a single day), but a book that didn't actually provide much useful advice, and what little it did was stuff I could've just read on the walls of my aunt's cupcake store. Take that as you will when it comes to whether or not you should read it yourself.

[Jesica DeHart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am married to an art professor and what started as nonchalant peruse through this book found me hours later having read it cover to cover and hand-selling it to my husband as the book he absolutely must include as required reading for all his classes going forward. The cadence and thoughtfulness of this book completely drew me in and the storytelling kept me engrossed throughout. This is already at the top of my top titles for 2020 list.

[The Artisan Geek · Rating 5 out of 5]

28/11/19
Such a great read! In less than 150 pages Saltz manages to convey a lot of fundamental ideas concerning art and he does so in a way that leaves enough space for you to establish your own philosophy and views, which I believe you will end up benefiting greatly of! Be sure to find this on a segment of Seji Recommends soon :)

8/11/19
Riverhead Books kindly gifted me a copy of this book! :)

You can find me on
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[Tess Malone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even if you aren’t a visual artist, this book has applicable advice and philosophies for writers, entrepreneurs, and anyone who regularly needs to be creative. This is an art manifesto, self-help motivational text, and honest memoir that is an expansion of his New York Magazine column with art for reference and exercises to try. What makes it work is how knowledgeable but not snobby Saltz is with a strong, honest voice. It’s a quick read, but more a book you’ll return to.

[Cátia Vieira · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded down to 4. How to be an artist by Jerry Saltz is the perfect book if you’re a creative spirit!

My work involves creativity. And we can’t definitely take it for granted. Sometimes we feel creative, sometimes we don’t. But we have to work anyway. So this book is an amazing guide. Jerry Saltz gives us a few tips to keep us going! Some of the greatest advices I got from this book is to always leave a bit of work undone for the next day so I have a starting point. And if I feel blocked, I should reorganize my work space. I tried both so far and they work for me. Thanks to Riverhead Books for gifting me this copy. Follow me on Instagram @booksturnyouon for more reviews!

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a little simple at times, but it's also the kind of guidebook that I want to keep on my desk near my DREYER'S ENGLISH and my THE MYTH OF SISYPHUS and my WONDERBOOK. It's a reminder of how, why, and what it means to make art -- and I needed it today, when I read it, so damned if that's not enough, you know?

[Jason Diamond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very fun and inspiring. Especially good for times when you're stuck and unable to work. Was really glad I picked this up when I did.

[Cherniakhivska · Rating 4 out of 5]

копіюю свій відгук з фб, бо забула тут позначити, що прочитала.
Отже, дочитала я цю книжку: Джеррі Сольц «Як стати митцем». Купила як подарунок собі, коли заодно мусила купувати довідники з майнкрафту. Свідомо як розвагу, бо книжка – просто збірка мотиваційних порад для митців, легка, симпатична, кольорова. І коли почала читати, пам’ятаю, що мені дуже багато думок в ній подобалось. Бо мені вже давно здається, що нетворчі люди творчих не розуміють, не розуміють цього нависаючого каменя-обов’язку «щось прекрасне створювати». (Примітка: я нічого не знаю що там творчі інші люди відчувають, міряю все по собі, тому всі узагальнення стосуються тільки мене.) А тут якраз про творчість. Про невизначеність, блукання, страхи, заздрість, долання тощо. Найкумедніший був момент: відкриваю новий розділ, називається: «Знайте, що ненавидите». Думаю: о, я знаю, я ненавиджу себе. Читаю наступний рядок: «Мабуть, ви ненавидите себе.» Гг.

[Jen B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book to ANY artist out there! Saltz gives excellent advice on how to overcome the fear and insecurities many artists come across. It’s a quick read that holds a powerful message on embracing creativity through hard work, self-belief, and persistence. I have a feeling I will be referring back to this book over and over again for inspiration.

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this. Pretty quick read, and not so much of a do it this way and be successful but try these things and methods to look at similar problems in a new lens and try to think about things this way to change your view on things. Will probably read it again.

[Max · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was unfamiliar with the original list that this book was based on and I thought it would be interesting to read an art critics perspective on "how to be an artist" but it becomes quickly obvious as soon as you open this that there's little substance to the book and serves as a light read with most topics covering less than a single page, instead I would have preferred if the author delved a little deeper.

There isn't really anything new here apart from a few artists I hadn't heard of, as I'm not from a traditional art background. You're better off served with friendlier and more enjoyable books like "steal like an artist" or the less enjoyable but effective "the war of art" and when it comes to the self help aspects "the subtle art of not giving a f*ck"

3 stars, it's nicely presented, it's not bad but there are better books out there.

[Lamiya Goycayeva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Müəllif Cerri Solts “Nyu-York Tayms” nəşrində sənət tənqidçisi kimi fəaliyyət göstərir, incəsənət və mədəniyyət mövzusunda tənqidi köşə yazıları yazır.

Bu kitab da onun “Sənətkar olmağın yolları” başlığı altında çıxan məqalələr toplusudur. Kitab məsləhət xarakterli 63 punktdan ibarətdir.

Müəllif məsləhət verməyi sevən insanların toplayıcı obrazıdır: bəzən ağıllı fikirlər irəli sürsə də, çox vaxt boş-boş populistlik edir, tüpürdüyünü 2 səhifə sonra yalayır. Sevilməyə layiq olmayan insana zorla sevildiyini təlqin edən “layf kouçlar” kimi Solts da kifayət qədər əzmkar davranan hər bir insanı sənətkar ola biləcəyinə inandırmağa çalışır.

Ümumiyyətlə bu cür kitabların yeganə yaxşı tərəfi oxucunu yeni rəssamlarla, sənətkarlarla tanış etməsidir. Başqa bir işə yaramırlar.

Sırf illüstrasiya və şəkillərinə görə 5 baldan 3 bal verdim. Xəcalət çəkmirəm.

[Alejandra Carrillo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creo que por más bien intencionado que esté este libro, hay muchas circunstancias que no contempla y su visión del arte aunque trata de escaparse de los bordes académicos y tradicionales, no se desmarca de la idea del genio y el capital.

Creo que nunca lo promete pero es difícil animar a los y las artistas si no podemos imaginar otras formas de hacer arte.

En fin.

Pese a lo que pienso, este es uno de esos libros motivacionales que a veces son necesarios sobre todo frente al abatimiento. Hay que tenerlos cerca para cuando se nos olvida por qué hacemos lo que hacemos, cuando nos batean en las becas o en las editoriales. Siempre se puede empezar de cero, dice el Jerry y si no se todos modos vale la pena intentarlo.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A small treasure of a book. Saltz, an esteemed art critic, offers 63 homilies (the vast majority of them one page or less) on developing the mindset, discipline, and thick skin needed to be a creative person. The book is geared toward painters and visual artists, but most of the principles could translate to writers, film makers, etc. Practical, philosophical, funny, and steeped in art history. Includes some short training exercises and a number of beautiful paintings and photographs. Will be a book that lives on my office book shelf and gets flipped through or referenced often.

[AcademicEditor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice, inspirational book, albeit one that covers some frequently-trod ground. The author maintains a humorous, encouraging tone, so it's a quick and easy read. I have to admit, I didn't expect to laugh out loud, but point 25 cracked me up. This would be a good gift to yourself or a blocked artist (along with Julia Cameron's and Austin Kleon's books).

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital ARC for the purpose of my unbiased review.

[Erin Bomboy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful, easy-to-read, low-stress, low-stakes manual to becoming an artist. Not all the lessons may appeal to you and some of them definitely won’t reveal any great but latent artistic talent, but still, they can lead you deeper into creativity while awakening you to the magic of making things. Much of what author Jerry Saltz advocates is how to live your life thoughtfully rather than focusing on cracking on the great art nut.

[Sidney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short book. I think this is one of those you revisit when you need to book about artists.

[Erin]

I really enjoy books about making art that aren't about writing. All of the benefits, none of the pressures.

[Aaron Hertzmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, punchy, high-level advice about making art, clearly written. Probably the best book of this particular kind I've read.

[Emilia K · Rating 5 out of 5]

so funny and easy read

[Prabhani · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read for blocked artists and those who want to start. There are some good advices mentioned in this book. Some of them feel obvious but a good read to get inspired.

[ea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ohhhhh Jerry! I have to marvel at what your life must be like, having the same initials, place of origin, career and most notably sound-of-voice as the titular character of Jon Lovitz’s The Critic. (None of these features I perceive to be bad thing.)

This little book you’ve written is like one of those net bags of miniature oranges. Some of them I’ve peeled and bitten, felt the glorious taste of sunshine in my mouth. Then there are others, turning green-grey, hiding out while they decay, silently waiting for my fingers to brush against their putrid flesh.

I appreciate your thoughts on working in genre, about doing the work and learning to deal with rejection and envy, especially the statement, “Envy distracts the mind, leaving less room for development and most important for honest self-criticism. It crowds your imagination with the lives of others rather than what you need to be doing in your own work.”

But the rotten bits spoil the bunch. “Ok boomer” is a cliché. Still, it is the only response that anyone could have to your chapter that identifies success as time and then proceeds to suggest, without any specific instructions, that we, those who want to be artists, should strive to work three days a week “…for a gallery, an artist, a museum… as a teacher, an art handler, a bookkeeper, a proofreader.” I’ve worked both as a teacher and as an art handler; neither of those jobs paid enough to get ahead with full-time hours, let alone part-time.

My desire to tell you to GTFO multiplied tenfold during the chapter on having a family while being an artist. You call women idiotic for thinking that producing offspring would be bad for their career because “90% of all artist have had children. These artists have mostly been men and it wasn’t bad for their careers.” Are you really so dense? So idiotic? You can't draw the line from one side of your argument to the other? Having children was not bad for the careers of those artists because they were men. Ask the mothers of those children how their art careers are after they were saddled with the majority of the parenting duties.

You've made it clear that the best thing anyone can do for their work is to choose it above everything else... This has to include having offspring. There are beautiful women on this planet who want children more than they want to make art - let them be mothers! Then let the beautiful women who want to make their work more than they want children exist without your condescending scolding.

Three stars.

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short read. Interesting topic, but take this book and merge it with Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act.

Although, the author here is a writer, the book mostly referenced art from the viewpoint of painting.

I did enjoy a lot of the quotes from famous artists on art and creativity.

[Igne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Įkvepianti, labai gražiai parašyta (ir gražiai išleista!) knygelė apie tapimą ir buvimą menininku. Nors joje daugiausia dėmesio skiriama vaizduojamiesiems menams, rekomenduoju visiems, norintiems puoselėti vidinį menininką.

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book made me want to do some creative art again. It did inspire me.

I’m giving it 3 stars though since I didn’t approve of some of the art in here...

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5. Nice easy read. Lots of quick quote nuggets to serve as reminders to keep progressing.

[Natasha M. Nurse, Esq. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Art is life. Must I say more? Other than, read this book 🙏🏾

[katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

a few inspirational words, but it mostly feels hollow and cutesy and full of platitudes. saltz tries to position his advice for “artists of all types” but it’s very much geared toward visual artists — which is fine! but suffers a bit from maybe trying to be everything to everyone and so falls flat. i did like some of the exercises included though (making a memory tree, studying composition in famous artists’ work)

[Sofiia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Читала українською. Класний формат - 60 порад. Мотиваційні тексти та інколи практичні завдання. Багато посилань на різних митців та їх творчість.
Так як я не експерт у творчості та далека від неї по життю, то мені було цікаво, але не маю змоги критикувати. Думаю підійде як початківцям, так і для загального розвитку.