A Sketchbook can Save your Life
#299: what makes us (beautifully) human + links to the "make (sneaky) art" book tour.
Dear reader,
This summer I had the chance to speak with many people disillusioned by the value-capture of artificial intelligence systems, wondering what is left for humans if machines can do it all.
This is what I said:
Art is not an optimization problem1. It was not meant to be solved. There is no best solution. There is no most correct answer. But when all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. This is the problem of approaching art - and human creativity - as an AI-bro.
Also: Nothing has changed. The job of artists is the same as it has always been - to feel, to hurt, to respond, to dream, to grow, to breathe, to make. To be as human as possible. The value of your work is also the same as it has always been - how well it reflects your humanity.
And:
In my book - Make (Sneaky) Art - I speak about distinguishing finite vs infinite games. Finite games have clear rules of what is allowed, and ways to keep score. Finite games are played to win. For example, football, cricket, and a lot of careers. Infinite games are played simply to keep playing. There is no good reason to keep score. There is no winning either. Playing is the point of the game. For example, life, art.
Art is a journey without destination. You walk your path, take the detours that entice you, speak to others you find along the way, share ideas and resources, and keep going. Walking in a straight line towards some kind of optimized solution is the opposite of art.
Reader, you must distinguish the infinite games from the finite games of your life. And try not to waste your time. Attention is a unit of time. Time is a unit of life2.
This summer, at the Aspen Ideas Festival, I presented My Big Idea to Save the World - a sketchbook and a pen.
It is the simplest and cheapest way I know to beat the algorithms written, tweaked, and implemented, by legions of smart coders paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to not care about their impact on the world.
A sketchbook, if you let it, will show you what you are curious about. It will be a way to direct your attention where you want. It can be a way to live deliberately in this world, instead of passively consuming the slop of infinite feeds on a tiny screen. A sketchbook, if you let it, can save your life.
There are so many fine books on how to draw. I did not want to add to the list. The only reason to write this book was the chance to save the world -
How would life change if, whenever you had a free moment, you reached for a tiny sketchbook instead of your phone?
Preorders of Make (Sneaky) Art have already started shipping out. You can grab yours by preordering today.
Or, if you live in or around the following cities, you can 🎟️ come to my book tour, and 🎤 listen to me talk, and 👀 ask me questions, and ✍🏼 grab a signed, personalized copy:
🎟️ Fri 26 Sep | Nooroongji Books, Vancouver, BC [ticket]
🎟️ Sun 28 Sep | Book Passage, San Francisco, CA [ticket]
🎟️ Mon 13 Oct | Book Club Bar, New York, NY [ticket]
🎟️ Sat 25 Oct | OPUS Art Supplies, Victoria, BC [ticket]
🎟️ Sat 8 Nov | OPUS Art Supplies, Vancouver, BC [ticket]
🎟️ Thu 13 Nov | Broadway Books, Portland, OR [TBA]
(PS. If you know bookstores or other suitable venues in Seattle or Toronto, please get in touch. I really want to add them to the tour.)
Kind words for Make (Sneaky) Art
Jason Chatfield says,
I enjoyed this book so much. Make (Sneaky) Art is a gentle, joyful manifesto for reclaiming your attention and rediscovering the beauty hiding in plain sight. Nishant reminds us in his unique way that the simple act of putting pen to paper can make the world (and your place in it) feel more alive.
Beth Spencer says,
This inspiring book is perfect for the person who hasn't picked up a pencil in ages, the seasoned sketchbook artist, and everyone in between! A powerful reminder that our world is full of beauty waiting to be drawn.
Gabi Campanario says,
Nishant’s delightfully sophisticated drawings of tiny people and places will inspire you to pick up a sketchbook and start paying attention to the world around you. You don’t have to worry about making good drawings. All you need to do is start making lines.
Samantha Dion Baker says,
Nishant’s drawings capture the quiet beauty of humanity with simple, fluid lines, his pen barely lifting from the page. Through his work—and his thoughtful writing—he reminds us of the power in truly seeing one another. In today’s fast-paced, competitive world, his perspective feels especially profound, revealing the shared connections that unite us all.
Amy Stewart says,
Nishant Jain has encouraged thousands of people to pick up a pen and draw for the first time. Now he's gathered his stories, insight, and advice into one delightful and endlessly inspiring volume. A sketchbook habit is the very best sort of habit to acquire, and Make (Sneaky) Art is the place to start.
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.
Infinite games are not meant to be optimized. Therefore, your life is not an optimization problem either.
“To live in this world you must be able to do three things…”
Hey - if you have interest in piggybacking a Philadelphia trip after or before your New York event, let me know. I am an artist and board member at Philadelphia Sketch Club, and their audience would love to hear about this.
Love this!
"My Big Idea to Save the World - a sketchbook and a pen."