5 Rules for Making Sneaky Art of your World
a creative manifesto.
Dear reader,
Earlier this year, illustrator/writer Carolyn Yoo reached out with a fun request - make a 5-point creative manifesto about ... anything. She has now compiled contributions from 18 artists and writers into an attractive zine that is going to be a source of endless inspiration to me.
Predictably, my creative manifesto is Five Rules for making SneakyArt of your World.
The SneakyArt Post is a newsletter of secretly drawn art of the world. Every week, I share the latest pages from my sketchbook and the best ideas from my journey as an artist and writer.
Did you catch my book announcement? I made a book!
Five Rules for Making Sneaky Art of your World
1) Walk softly and carry a tiny sketchbook. Wear padded shoes. Let the sketchbook be no larger than your palm. Don’t tell anyone, before or after.
2) In the absence of directions, use curiosity as compass. An art journey is not a straight line from origin to destination. To cover this unusual terrain, you must let curiosity guide the way.
3) Recognize the hidden beauty of everyday life. Beautiful things are everywhere, hiding in plain sight, just waiting to be seen.
4) Start as quickly as possible. Second thoughts will weigh you down. Trust instinct, and chase your inspirations.
5) Turn the page and keep going. Looking back can be useful, but do not squander good momentum by overdoing it.
My favourite rules by other contributors
Coleen Baik, 5 Rules for Endurance, #1 - Get rid of things.
Dan Blank, 5 Rules for Sharing your Unique Creative Voice, #5 - How you share is a craft.
Anna Brones, 5 Rules for Living Creatively, #4 - Procrastination can lead to inspiration.
Lian Cho, 5 Rules for Writing a Fun Story, #2 - Read it out loud.
Kristen Drozdowski, 5 Rules for Creative Authenticity, #3 - Embrace unexpected outcomes.
Kelcey Ervick, 5 Rules for Dreaming, #5 - Do it.
Petya K. Grady, 5 Rules for Deep Reading, #3 - Mark it up. Leave traces of yourself on the page.
amelia hruby, 5 Rules for Gardening your Attention, #3 - Set up with intention, then surrender.
Adam Ming, 5 Rules for Building a Daily Drawing Habit, #4 - Do it daily(ish).
Jenna Park, 5 Rules for Writing without Apology, #2 - Write what matters to you, not for an audience.
Meera Lee Patel, 5 Rules for Artistic Integrity, #3 - Develop an affection for solitude.
Michelle Pellizzon Lipsitz, 5 Rules for Creating Possibility out of Thin Air, #3 - Decide to make things fun for yourself. Do it for the bit.
Beth Spencer, 5 Rules for a Joyful Creative Practice, #2 - Only look at screens when absolutely necessary.
Nina Veteto, 5 Rules for Meaningful Connection with the Green World, #2 - Wander. Go slow and breathe deep.
Mitchell Volk, 5 Rules for Collaborating with Yourself, #1 - Document your ideas and watch patterns emerge.
Seth Werkheiser, 5 Rules for a Good Newsletter, #5 - Make it worth the open.
Carolyn Yoo, 5 Rules for Creative Self-Discovery, #2 - Play in analog.
So much inspiration. To buy the zine, visit here.
Reader, are there any rules (spoken or implicit) that guide your creative pursuits?
My favorite rule is this: Jenna Park, 5 Rules for Writing without Apology, #2 - Write what matters to you, not for an audience. It addresses a new bugaboo that creeping into my brain as I plan and post my Substack. It's easy to get caught up in what people might read or what might attract them to the page. So, that a reminder to put on my desktop. Thank you Nishant.
One of the rules I have for myself is to regularly sketch with ink because an eraser is a crutch. It has helped me loosen up and not care so much about perfection or accuracy.