Creative Authenticity: 16 Principles to Clarify and Deepen Your Artistic Vision [Paperback]

Ian Roberts (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2004

Serious working artists are the intended audience of this collection of short essays that clarify common expressive and personal problems that many artists encounter, including the fear of being clichéd, the desire to convey truth in art, and the frustration behind trying to find an authentic voice. These crippling fears are laid to rest through insightful discussions of personal experiences, the struggles of famous artists, and the rewards of producing art that comes from an authentic creative core. Providing sensitive reassurances that these struggles are normal, these essays encourage artists to focus on the development of their crafts and find inspiration to work through self-doubt.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Atelier Saint-Luc Press (January 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972872329
• ISBN-13: 978-0972872324
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #369,846 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars inspiring reminders for artists, February 9, 2009

By 

Tori White "Tori" (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Creative Authenticity: 16 Principles to Clarify and Deepen Your Artistic Vision (Paperback)

On the strength of Obregan's review of Robert's book, I almost didn't purchase it -- However, my better instincts held out and I bought a copy and loved it. It may be true that there is no quick start to turning on your creativity or ridding oneself of creative block but as an artist, particularly a painter, I found the book truly helpful. Yes, some of the principles have been articulated by others in the past, but I liked the informal, down to earth tone of the book and I need to be reminded of these truths again and again. Roberts certainly isn't saying there's a magic bullet. Quite the opposite. Particularly helpful for me was the chapter of Follow Something Along and Limits Yield Intensity. But I liked the entire book. I think as artists we often spend so much time alone, that we can loose perspective on where we are going. The book is a reminder to stay the course, that one is not alone, that the problems I have are common to the process. And that there are concrete principles that hold true to the process no matter what your style or subject matter. Really, there aren't many books out there so openly honest that get to the heart of the artist's angst about their process and provide some guideposts to get you out of the mud. I've read it twice now and put it right up there with Henri's The Art Spirit for insight and inspiration. I highly recommend the book.

67 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Still Looking for Vision, January 23, 2006

By 

Conrad J. Obregon (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Creative Authenticity: 16 Principles to Clarify and Deepen Your Artistic Vision (Paperback)

I would guess that almost every serious artist has encountered a point in his or her career where he or she is dissatisfied with his or her work. Sometimes it's the failure to gain sufficient technical control, sometimes it's the inability to work, sometimes it's a feeling that you are doing the same thing over and over without saying anything new, and sometimes it's a failure of the work to provide any satisfaction. I would also guess that for just as long as artists have had these feelings, someone has said, reach inside yourself, or, get to know your subject, or, work on through it, or try something new, or even, just suck it up!

I've been blocked from time to time and I've tried one or another of these remedies with varying degrees of success. I've talked to other artists and art educators and asked how to jump-start creativity but there doesn't seem to be any magic bullet.

Ian Roberts, a painter, purports to offer 16 principles to clarify and deepen your artistic vision. I'm certain Roberts really tried hard and believed he had something to offer. If you are an artist and you've never heard the advice I described above, this book may be of interest to you. But if you've ever explored recommendations for creativity, this volume will be just a rambling set of platitudes.

Consider some of the principles: searching for beauty; communication; your home turf. These aren't principles or at least they are not rules of action to guide the artist's conduct. Instead each of these is an art-related subject around which the author wanders through his opinions about aesthetics and the sorry state of the current art world without really clarifying how one can get in touch with the inner artist.

I suspect one of the problems is that artists, with the exception of writers, are not word people, and not used to logical explanation. It's reputed that when Edward Hopper was asked how he developed his skills in handling light and air, he said "I just paint what I see". Similarly Roberts says that the artist's subject is unimportant. It is how the artist feels that counts.

Roberts does have things to say that are important. For example, in a principle called "Limits Yield Intensity" he urges the artist to simplify his ideas. But in the next sentence he quotes another author who says "A state of excitement, and it's like a faucet: nothing comes unless you turn it on, and the more you turn it on, the more it comes." This is a poetic description of inspiration, but it obscures the central idea about simplifying. Roberts doesn't follow his own advice.

Perhaps it's impossible to clearly articulate how an artist can discover or rediscover his creative authenticity. Certainly, this book doesn't do that.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars READ THIS, February 26, 2004

By 

Jane Boller Stroebel (Cedarburg, WI. USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Creative Authenticity: 16 Principles to Clarify and Deepen Your Artistic Vision (Paperback)

I am a painter. I know all this! Yet, I NEED to read this book over and over! Ian Roberts is RIGHT ON!.....CLEAR and BRIEF. His "painters soul" shines in this small jewel of a book!