Andy J. MillerCritiques

Not being a naturally creative person this book is the jumpstart I needed. This is a beautiful book filled with inspiring tips from a variety of artists. Each artist has a few pages for their creative journey. Chock full of great ideas it would make an ideal gift book. Gorgeous photography.

This is a great coffee table book full of gorgeous illustrations and designs. The advice of each creative artist offered is both unique and helpful. Any artist or appreciator of art should have a copy of this book accessible for viewing. There are biographies included at the end that help the reader get to know the artists as well as provide a glimpse of their successes.½

This well-designed and appealing book devotes a two-page spread to each of 50 artists, each of whom illustrates a word or phrase and includes a few paragraphs about their own creative journey. Yet I can't escape the feeling that this is the sort of book you buy as a gift for your creative child, spouse, or friend rather than for yourself. If I'm looking for a creative jumpstart, I'm not sure that catchphrases like "Less talk, more action" or "Be brave, be strong" or "Live big by appreciating all that is small" are really going to help. I like this book; I just don't think it's therapy.½

A fun book to flip through when feeling stuck in your own creative process. Each piece is accompanied by an artist's statement, which are enjoyable to read. I ended up cutting out my favorite pages to hang over my desk at work.

I won this book through LibraryThing...and loved it! Creative Pep Talk offers readers a bountiful supply of inspiring wisdom and art, easily devoured in one sitting or saved for many small snacks. I recommend it to anyone who works in the creative fields or wants to. Next time you feel stuck or frustrated--open this up for a quick pep talk!

This book is visually enticing to open and flip through for inspiration in words or pictures. I love the variety of 50 different artists and every time I open it I see something different or get a new perspective from one of the artists. A great book to pick up whenever you are struggling in life or creatively!!

"Creative Pep Talk: Inspiration from 50 Artists" offers advice and encouragement for artists or anyone who might need some encouragement. The inspiration comes in the form of pithy sayings or phrases from different artists and designers. These sayings are accompanied by an artistic rendering by the contributor as well as a short explanation (anywhere from a sentence or two to several paragraphs) of the advice. The end result is a fun and oftentimes motivating book.

The book's counsel focuses on matters of creativity and art, but a lot of it applies to most people and situations. For instance, most people would benefit from suggestions like "Turn a negative into a positive" (Bob Ewing), "Pleasing everyone is the shortcut to beige" (Carolyn Sewell), and "Make Friends, Not Contacts" (Jen Mussari). Also, the physical book and design are lovely, as is usual for Chronicle Books). If I could change anything, it would have been nice to have more insight from some of the artists on their advice and how they apply it to their work. Also, while arranging the book in alphabetical order by the contributors' last names makes some sense, I found myself wishing that there was another level of organization (for instance, by theme). However, these are minor quibbles that don't take away from the work's positive aspects, and overall, it is an enjoyable and eye-catching way of getting some inspiration.½

As a frustrated artist, I lean on artistically inspirational books more than I probably should. My copy of Art & Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orland is completely worn out. I keep a copy of Neil Gaiman's little book, Make Good Art, close at hand. I feel like Creative Pep Talk is the love child of these two seminal pieces of artistic inspiration. I love it. The hardcover is bright, cheerful and beautiful. The pictures are pretty. The advice is timely. Creative Pep Talk is not, however, a "how to" book. Plenty of "how to" books flood the shelves these days. These books have their place but Creative Pep Talk does not belong among them. Andy Miller's book is a piece of art in its own right.

I recognize the standard criticism of these types of books. The main criticism is to stop reading about art and start doing it. Get your lazy butt into the studio and stop the dithering. Fine. I get it! Move on. Artists that are perfectly inspired and completely confident may never need a book like Creative Pep Talk. Personally, I suspect these artists are liars and if they do actually exist that they are as rare as unicorns...

Read this book to sooth your soul on those days when you feel like you will never have a creative thought ever again. It should be the pep talk that you need to return to your studio.

I really liked this book although it is not a traditional book in the sense that the contents are motivational sayings in an art format. If you are seeking to have a book that has the capability to inspire you this is a good one to have. If you are in need of inspiration to move forward this book maybe the answer.

This book is fun to thumb through and has an interesting collection of graphic styles. Each artist has one page of a pithy little inspirational paragraph or two facing a page of graphic art. I think I was expecting more concrete advice and project ideas. It is really nice as a piece of art itself, but I don't think it will help me in my personal artistic endeavors.

When you get stuck as a creator, this is the perfect book to pull out and pop open at any random spot. Every page is filled with clever advise from people who face stuck-ness every day. Each page has a little push to move you up-and-out of the rut and back onto the feeder lane for the freeway.

A sample page from the book:



This is exactly what you need if you want a tiny push every now and then.

This book is wonderful! It is an easy read and easy on the eyes, if you are going to start a creative project this book can provide some great inspiration. It would also make a good gift for any student graduating in an art career, graphic and media arts included as well as the liberal arts. Book can be used for quick creative push or read through for more major encouragement.

Beautiful hardback. Each of 50 artisits - graphic designers and illustrators - provide a page of inspirational text opposite a full-page illustration. If you are a graphic artist or illustrator, you will want to add this book to your personal collection. Illustrations are varied and lively.

Other artists may want to view the book for a little inspiration, but if your funds are low, you may wish to email your public librarian to order a copy. If you have artist's block, this book will expose you to another art form and different perspectives.