What do you think?
Rate this book
The New Creative Artist: A Guide to Developing Your Creative Spirit
Play, Experiment and Discover the Creative Artist within! Choose to be creative! Artist and teacher Nita Leland believes that creativity lives in everyone, from the novice artist to the professional. Develop and strengthen your natural curiosity, flexibility, independence and playfulness, and become the artist you want to be. Inside this updated and expanded edition of Nita's bestselling The Creative Artist are over 110 fun activities to exercise your creative muscle:
- GenresArtNonfiction
176 pages, Spiral-bound
First published July 17, 2006
19 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 19, 2016
This book got so much content it honestly overwhelmed me a little bit. At times it felt like learning a new language where somebody explains you a bunch of grammar rules and then you don't know what to say anymore because its just too much.. But can you really say something negative or lower your rating about having too much information? I slowly took my time reading through the book and underlined important stuff to me and marked the exercises I want to try out.
There are some repeats in this book but does it really matter? Because with that much information and ideas you still going to get something out of it. Plus repetitions helps you to remember stuff. This book is really worth its money.
At the beginning the author felt like a motivational coach. Everybody got creativity, everybody can draw, everybody can make art. All it takes is practice and you only get better if you keep on doing it. Which I think is pretty much true. Usually you don't magically create a good piece of art just with "talent". Its a lot of work behind it. And as more you do and as more different things you try out as more your creativity comes into gear. And I was so glad to hear this because I always doubted myself for not staying on a straight path but instead going into different art forms or switching it up once in a while.
There is a big drawing chapter in the book, as better your technique as better your art will be. All the design elements are getting talked through in great detail and there is also a chapter about realistic and abstract art and how to approach these. What pulls the book together in my opinion are all the little exercise ideas.
The book is for every type of artists but most of the examples are paintings or drawings besides the "Art and Craft chapter" where different type of art forms are introduced.
So if you feel like you want to make art or you are already being an artist and want to step out of the box and need some inspiration for different ideas get this book.
There are some repeats in this book but does it really matter? Because with that much information and ideas you still going to get something out of it. Plus repetitions helps you to remember stuff. This book is really worth its money.
At the beginning the author felt like a motivational coach. Everybody got creativity, everybody can draw, everybody can make art. All it takes is practice and you only get better if you keep on doing it. Which I think is pretty much true. Usually you don't magically create a good piece of art just with "talent". Its a lot of work behind it. And as more you do and as more different things you try out as more your creativity comes into gear. And I was so glad to hear this because I always doubted myself for not staying on a straight path but instead going into different art forms or switching it up once in a while.
There is a big drawing chapter in the book, as better your technique as better your art will be. All the design elements are getting talked through in great detail and there is also a chapter about realistic and abstract art and how to approach these. What pulls the book together in my opinion are all the little exercise ideas.
The book is for every type of artists but most of the examples are paintings or drawings besides the "Art and Craft chapter" where different type of art forms are introduced.
So if you feel like you want to make art or you are already being an artist and want to step out of the box and need some inspiration for different ideas get this book.
January 10, 2019
One thing is sure, no laziness is permitted, no more boring artworks. Nita Leland will bombard you with creative ideas about how to dare to choose new ways of expressing yourself. She wont' let you alone in this process, her useful advices, inspiring examples and "motivational speeches" will surely move the art spirit in you. Excellent also the layout: colourful, sparkling, with images that irradiate creativity and positive thinking, plus activity lists and more, maybe a bit too distracting but surely enjoyable. Highly recommended.
January 1, 2019
As well as this book presents in digital format, this is the sort of book one wants to touch, to feel, to page through leisurely and devour each chapter. This is a beautiful book to experience.
A well thought out overview of many different types of art (or craftiness) including opportunities to challenge yourself and your way of thinking. Various assignments are presented to move you from your comfort zone without intimidation. This book makes a great gift for an artist of any skill level.
Use your P words to motivate yourself. (You will find them in this book.)
Also referenced in this book are other resources plus quotes and observations from known artists.
This is a fun volume as well as inspirational.
I requested this book to review via Netgalley. I look forward to purchasing a print copy for my personal library and to share.
A well thought out overview of many different types of art (or craftiness) including opportunities to challenge yourself and your way of thinking. Various assignments are presented to move you from your comfort zone without intimidation. This book makes a great gift for an artist of any skill level.
Use your P words to motivate yourself. (You will find them in this book.)
Also referenced in this book are other resources plus quotes and observations from known artists.
This is a fun volume as well as inspirational.
I requested this book to review via Netgalley. I look forward to purchasing a print copy for my personal library and to share.
January 12, 2019
I have followed Nita Leland classes over the years and have always found her inspiring. This book is about stimulating the artist in you, with each page, a new aspect of creativity and method to find it. The deeper one reads the more advanced and confidence driven one gets, and the more one comes to understand what being a creative artist means to them personally.
I really like this book, great if you get stuck as an artist or are just starting out.
I really like this book, great if you get stuck as an artist or are just starting out.
February 11, 2011
Thought this was a really wonderful book for the artist who needs to loosen up or reactivate the creativity that may have been stifled. There is a ton of great advice and exercises that I have even used for drawing programs with kids. It is definitely for any type of artist whether you deal with fabric, collage, painting, drawing, etc.
January 29, 2019
Disclaimer: I received an advance digital download of this book from NetGallery in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This book was a wonderful delight for me to read. It inspired me to get out of my creative rut.
I will highly recommend to all of my artistic friends and I will be buying a copy for myself and our local library.
This book was a wonderful delight for me to read. It inspired me to get out of my creative rut.
I will highly recommend to all of my artistic friends and I will be buying a copy for myself and our local library.
May 10, 2008
Checked out from the library and it has many creative ideas, some which piqued my interest.
August 4, 2010
Nita, you've done it again. I can't imagine cramming this much information about watermedia & multimedia into one book! Bravo.
March 25, 2011
Kyle and Lisa bought this for me for Christmas and it is full of inspiration and ideas...love ..love..love it!!!
July 27, 2011
5-stars for enthusiasm, 2 for originality. This is an eye-candy compilation of my bookshelf full of classic technique and "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain."
March 25, 2012
Another one of leland's hodgepodge cookbooks of ideas. Lots of fun, great examples, something i will have to take more time to explore later on!
November 15, 2012
great inspiration
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews