An Illustrated Life: Drawing Inspiration from the Private Sketchbooks of Artists, Illustrators and Designers [Paperback]

Danny Gregory (Author)

Book Description

Release date: December 1, 2008

Find Insight and Inspiration for Your Creative Life

An artist's journal is packed with sketches and captions; some rough, some polished. The margins sometimes spill over with hurriedly scrawled shopping lists and phone numbers. The cover may be travel-worn and the pages warped from watercolors. Open the book, and raw creativity seeps from each color and line. The intimacy and freedom on its pages are almost like being inside the artist's mind: You get a direct window into risks, lessons, mistakes, and dreams.

The private worlds of these visual journals are exactly what you'll find inside An Illustrated Life. This book offers a sneak peak into the wildly creative imaginations of 50 top illustrators, designers and artists. Included are sketchbook pages from R. Crumb, Chris Ware, James Jean, James Kochalka, and many others. In addition, author Danny Gregory has interviewed each artist and shares their thoughts on living the artistic life through journaling.

Watch artists—through words and images—record the world they see and craft the world as they want it to be. The pages of An Illustrated Life are sometimes startling, sometimes endearing, but always inspiring. Whether you're an illustrator, designer, or simply someone searching for inspiration, these pages will open a whole new world to you.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Amazon Best of the Month, December 2008: Danny Gregory's An Illustrated Life is a visual delight of color and texture--a funky and frenetic "book about books people have made," perfect for chronic doodlers, journalers, and art lovers. Sharing vibrant excerpts from the notebooks of 50 illustrators, artists, and designers, each accompanied by an introduction by the artist, it's a gorgeous, intimate exploration of the creative process. Gregory's passion for the "illustrated journal" is infectious--for him, artist's sketchbooks represent a nonthreatening place to record "risks, mistakes, regrets, thoughts, lessons, and dreams." Whether you are charmed by the illustrations of Amanda Kavanagh, or intimidated by the musings of Stefan Sagmeister, poring over this eclectic group of fledgling and famous "artists" will inspire you to tackle an illustrated journal of your own. --Daphne

About the Author

Danny Gregory has lived all over the world from Australia to Pakistan. He is currently Executive Creative Director of ad agency McGarry Bowen. His visual journaling Yahoo group has more than 2,300 members and his Everyday Matters blog receives thousands of visitors a month.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: HOW Books (December 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600610862
• ISBN-13: 978-1600610868
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.9 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (107 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,006 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > Arts & Photography > Graphic Design > Commercial > Illustration
  • #12 in Books > Arts & Photography > Graphic Design > Techniques
  • #36 in Books > Arts & Photography > Drawing

More About the Author

I spent most of my life not believing I had the right to consider myself an artist in any way. But then I started drawing about eight years ago and it changed my life. It led me to travel, to meet people, to get books published, but most of all it transformed the way I see the world around me and how I experience every day.

I believe that everyone has the same opportunity. Not to become a Professional Artist but to make art into a regular part of your everyday life. It doesn't matter what your elementary school art teacher said, or your parents, or your boss. You have it in you to draw, to play an instrument, to write poetry, whatever you choose. You can and should express your self. Regardless of what you fear anyone else may thinks of the results, you can become a creative person and achieve a new view of the life you lead.

I often wonder what the world would be like if every adult was as creative and free as we all were as kids. I think it would be calmer, lovelier, more peaceful place. And I'd like to do something about it.

Three years ago, I started writing about my experience of creativity and sharing it on my website, dannygregory.com. Within a few months, the Everyday Matters group was formed and now over a thousand people get together regularly to encourage each other in drawing and painting and making beautiful things. They chat on the Internet and they get together in cities and towns around the world to collaborate and share.

My new book, The Creative License, was written to help the sorts of people I met in our group. Some are students, some were artists and designers. But most were just people like me who had suddenly decided, when they were well into adulthood, that they wanted to return to making creativity a regular part of their lives. Most of them don't want to make a living painting or have their drawings hung in galleries and museums. They just want to have the pleasure and satisfaction of creating things.

If you would like to incorporate more creativity into your life, check out my new book, visit my site and drop me a line. I'd love to be inspired by you.


Meanwhile, here's some more of my story:


I was born in London, which we left when I was three or four. We moved briefly to Pittsburgh, Pa. then to Canberra, Australia. When I was nine, I went to live with my grandparents in Lahore, Pakistan. Next we went to a kibbutz in Israel then moved to a small town called Kfar Saba. As the Yom Kippur War broke out, we relocated to Brooklyn where I went to a Quaker high school. I was editor of the school paper and organized a Marxist study circle. I graduated from Princeton University, summa cum laude, with a degree in Politics. It was my 21st school.

When I was eleven, I began my first job - assisting the vet at the local slaughterhouse. I've worked in a record store, in one of New York's finest restaurants, and my congressman's office. I was a White House intern (Jimmy Carter lusted for me only in his heart) and a McDonalds' fry cook. I have also worked in a half dozen advertising agencies, and illustrated books, newspapers, and magazines. I am currently Executive Creative Director of a NY ad agency and Contributing Illustrator to The Morning News.

I live in Greenwich Village with myson, Jack Tea, and our miniature longhaired dachshunds, Joe and Tim. If you are in the area, come draw with me and my group.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

104 of 105 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A treasure trove of surprises and sketchbook goodness March 9, 2009

By Parka TOP 50 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Length: 0:22 Mins

When I was searching for information about the book, I found a lot of positive reviews. And I really mean A LOT. It's one thing that a book is well liked. It's another when it's so well liked people are actually talking about it.

An Illustrated Life is a compilation of sketchbook pages from 50 illustrators all over the world. Each journal is packed with sketches, captions and a narrative as the artist talks about his sketchbook. At 266 pages, some of the scans are a little small if you want to read the writings. One reader I found bought a magnifying glass just to make sure every detail isn't missed.

Every page is a surprise, every page is a discovery, a glimpse of what the artists is thinking, seeing and feeling. It's the perfect book to go to when you're looking inspiration and motivation.

Most artists have their websites listed. It's another avenue for exploration. Jjust to name some, they are R. Crumb, Christoph Niemann, James Jean, Peter Ankle, Cathy Johnson, James Kochalka, Brody Neuenschwander, Chris Ware, Stefan Sagmeister etc.

Danny Gregory has published a truly wonderful book. I really love it. It's well worth every single cent.

(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A BIG book of luscious art & addictive text. A Book That Many of Us Have Wanted to Find For Years! December 4, 2008

By Book Lover & Artist

Format:Paperback

Danny Gregory has done it again. He's nurturing and encouraging people from around the world to draw the little treasures of their lives. This book is a celebration of that special part of us that needs to draw, record, interpret, and play! When I got my copy, I was drawn like a magnet into the pages. This is a book that can be read and savored for a long, long time. There is so much, and it is all so rich. I carry it around with me throughout my day. Just looking at the beautiful cover makes me smile in anticipation.

The 50 artists have very different styles and approaches, which I found broadening. It is so much fun to read about their approaches, supplies, and ideas.

I have taken a magnifying glass to some of the images already, so I can marvel at the smallest of details.

I have found myself hoping that Danny Gregory will create a sequel - or - hopefully, a series of these books.

An engrossing read. Buy it...you will love it. While you're at it, buy a moleskin or other journal because you won't be able to stop drawing!

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars stupedous December 8, 2008

By Daniel Price

Format:Paperback

I have known Mr. Gregory for over ten years now and am convinced that there must be clones of him out there working to create all the wonderful books, ad campaigns, personal pieces of art and fascinating correspondence that go out with the signature D. Gregory atttached. This, his latest work of genius, is simply yet another example of what can be accomplished when there are several creative minds working on one project. I think it's time Dan came clean with his fans. Just how many Dan Gregorys are there? Seriously, this needs to be an annual affair so that we can all be inspired in book form by the endless wonderful pool of drawing talent out in the world. I, like many journalers and sketchers, receive copious amounts of inspiration to continue our work when we see others doing similar things in our field of endeavor. So talk to your publisher Dan. Get them to talk you into doing one of these every year or so. The world will be a better place because of it.