Creative Pep Talk

Inspiration from 50 Artists

Andy J. Miller

• Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781452152776

Every artist needs a little pep talk now and then. An inspiring tool and beautiful art book in one, Creative Pep Talk offers illustrated words of wisdom from 50 of today's leading creative professionals. With full-color, typographic prints and explanatory statements from a host of creative luminaries—including Aaron James Draplin, Oliver Jeffers, Lisa Congdon, Mike Perry, and many others—this volume encourages artists to stay excited, experiment boldly, and conquer fear. "Create curiosity, " "Learn to say no, " and "If you can't be good, be different" are just a few of the motivational maxims in this visually rich collection that's perfect for students, designers, artists, and creatives at any stage in their careers.

RILLA ALEXANDER

Rilla Alexander is an illustrator and designer whose work has appeared on everything from toys and teacups to buses and buildings. Her cast of characters dance across Museo del Prado’s ceramics and stationery, populate Swiss credit cards, and sleep on the walls of a Copenhagen hotel (where she replaced the bed with a tent). Rilla explores the creative process through her alter ego Sozi and her anthropomorphized ideas, using them to inspire both children and adults through picture books and workshops.

STEVE ALEXANDER

Steve Alexander is a designer, illustrator, educator, artist, and musician exploring the possibilities between the commercial and personal, abstract and literal, superficial and spiritual.

ALWAYS WITH HONOR

Always With Honor is the design and illustration studio of Elsa & Tyler Lang. Their work spans the range of branding, illustration, iconography, and environmental design. They have had the opportunity to work with a myriad of clients including the New York Times, Audubon, XBOX, Microsoft, Nike, and the U.S. Postal Service.

CHUCK ANDERSON

Chuck Anderson is the artist and designer behind NoPattern, a studio he founded in 2003 at the age of eighteen. Over the years, Chuck has lent his vibrant, surreal work to clients such as ESPN, Target, Vans, and Microsoft, among others. Now thirty, he continues to run NoPattern while also acting as the creative director of design at Havas Worldwide Chicago.

KATE BINGAMAN-BURT

Kate Bingaman-Burt’s work orbits around the objects in our lives: the things we buy, the things we discard, and the collectivity and social interaction that can arise from cycles of consumption. Via illustrations, daily documentation, publications, events, largescale participatory projects, client work, and a full-time role as an educator, Kate’s work invites a dialogue about contemporary forms of exchange.

DARREN BOOTH

Darren Booth is an award-winning illustrator and lettering artist. His handcrafted, expressive yet controlled, and succinct style has enabled him to collaborate with clients such as Google, Coca-Cola, AOL, Target, McDonald’s, and Disney. He’s also created his distinctive work for high-profile clients Steve Martin and Willie Nelson.

WILL BRYANT

Will Bryant is an Austin, Texas–based artist. His work weaves together humor with commerce, fun, and positivity. In his sculptural installations, photographic still lifes, and commercial illustration projects, there is always a sense of exuberance at play with a colorful palette.

His work has been plastered across advertising campaigns, T-shirts, record sleeves, posters, magazines, furniture, snowboards, and underwear, and also exhibited internationally. In 2013, he was named a Young Gun by the Art Directors Club.

When not working, he enjoys hanging out with his daughter and wife, reading about sports, shooting hoops, or lounging in expensive sweatpants.

BUILD

Build is a design studio, specializing in creating visual languages and identities for clients through art direction, graphic design, image making, moving image, and typography. By mixing bold design with wit and thinking, Build gives form to ideas, from dynamic to playful.

JON BURGERMAN

Jon Burgerman is a European artist currently painting, writing, animating, and performing in New York City.

He is known for his colorful characters, goofy humor, and Kool-Aid-cubist compositions.

As well as entertaining with his work, he also encourages creativity and play in his audience, using the mantra “It’s Great to Create.”

MIKEY B...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Dedication
• Copyright
• Table of Contents
• Preface
• Introduction
• Rilla Alexander
• Steve Alexander
• Always with Honor
• Chuck Anderson
• Kate Bingaman-Burt
• Darren Booth
• Will Bryant
• Build
• Jon Burgerman
• Mikey Burton
• Tad Carpenter
• Dan Cassaro
• Dan Christofferson
• Lisa Congdon
• Jon Contino
• Helen Dardik
• Aaron James Draplin
• Joey Ellis
• Danielle Evans/Marmalade Bleue
• Bob Ewing
• Daniel Fishel
• Adam R. Garcia/The Pressure
• Timothy Goodman
• Rob Hodgson
• Meg Hunt
• Erin Jang
• Oliver Jeffers
• Jolby & Friends
• Little Friends of Printmaking
• Erik Marinovich
• Mary Kate Mcdevitt
• Andy J. Miller
• Debbie Millman
• Jen Mussari
• Neasden Control Centre
• Andrew Neyer
• Mike Perry
• Chris Piascik
• Brandon Rike
• Nathaniel Russell
• Christopher David Ryan
• Rob Ryan
• Sagmeister & Walsh
• Carolyn Sewell
• Skinny Ships
• Matt Stevens
• Nate Utesch
• Sarah Walsh
• Teagan White
• Nate Williams
• Artist Biographies
• About the Author
• Chronicle Ebooks