Creative License, The: Giving Yourself Permission to Be The Artist You Truly Are (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

When Danny Gregory's life was turned upside down by tragedy, he learned to cope by teaching himself to draw. The result was a complete transformation of his life, his priorities, his career, and the way he saw the world. In handwritten chapters full of his lush watercolor illustrations, Danny now offers readers a program for reconnecting to their own creative energies, using drawing as an example. He gently instructs us in the art of allowing ourselves to fail, giving up the expectation of perfection and opening our eyes to the beauty around us. The result is the permission to express ourselves fully and take part in the creative process without fear. Artist or not, readers of all stripes will find inspiration in this unique and beautiful book.

About the Author

Danny Gregory is the author of Everyday Matters: A New York Diary; Hello World: A Life in Ham Radio; and Change Your Underwear Twice A Week: Lessons from the Golden Age of Classroom Filmstrips, which was named one of Amazon's Top 10 Humor Books of 2004. His weblog, Everyday Matters, is visited regularly by tens of thousands of creative aspirants from around the world. Danny has created illustrations for numerous books, magazines, and the New York Times. He is also an award-winning copywriter and creative director who has created global advertising campaigns for American Express, IBM, Ford Motor Company, Burger King, Chase, and AT&T. He was born in London, grew up in Pakistan, Australia, and Israel, is a graduate of Princeton University, and lives in Greenwich Village with his wife and son.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion; illustrated edition edition (December 21, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401307922
• ISBN-13: 978-1401307929
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (70 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #47,606 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

135 of 140 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Learning to Drive Your Creative Engine, December 28, 2005

By	Roslyn M. Stendahl (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was fortunate to be able to read the proofs of Danny's new book, "Creative License: Giving Yourself Permission to Be the Artist You Truly Are."

First a disclaimer: Danny is a pal. We've corresponded, chatted on the phone, he's visited, we have drawn together. You could stop reading this right now because of that, expecting a bias.

But I also am a life long journaler and I teach visual journaling at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts and in a variety of workshops in the schools, so I read almost all the books that come out in this field. I like to provide up to date recommendations for my students.

I think both these things put me in an interesting position to tell you something: reading this book is just like spending time with Danny. His sense of humor comes through. He is silly and playful, wry and sarcastic by turns, but always engaging. Something is always popping out of his brain. He's gathered all this up and put it in a book. And he wants to encourage you to draw and tap into your creativity.

There are a lot of books on creativity on the market. Some of them try cheerleading and cajoling, some encourage you through psychology, and others practically shame you into picking up your art materials. Danny's approach is different. Like the great pitch man he is, he creates an analogy (creative license is like a driving license) and then joyfully explains and expands until you want in. The nice thing about this approach is that you don't end up with two dozen vegematics in your attic like Opus. You'll end up with a visual journal that records what's important to you and you'll be more connected to your life.

Danny's book is organized in such a manner that it can be read straight through or dipped into. There's an introduction which establishes the groundwork for you to view yourself as a creative being. The driving license analogy is introduced here.

This is followed by nine chapters which deal with everything from how to draw (giving you instructions for exercises to get you up and running today) to shock (getting out of a rut), resistance (going on), and identity (self acceptance as an artist). (And lots more.)

Each chapter is further divided into smaller sections, often only a page spread or two, dealing with some aspect of the chapter topic. These sub sections read like brief meditations, parables, or pep talks.

I feel this type of organization is one of the best aspects of the book. It allows the reader to come back to the book for small tune ups so he can get back on the road (keeping with the driving metaphor).

Throughout the book Danny provides his readers with suggestion upon suggestion of things they might want to draw, examine, think about, or respond to. If you are new to drawing, visual journaling, or doing creative activities in your life, this book will help you realize how you've been a creative being all along. Now's the time to reengage your life, dreams, and creative self. Danny's book will give you enough gas to get you a fair ways down the road and the insight to be able to spot refilling stations.

If you already have a creative license and use it daily in your life, the book will still encourage you. Chances are your take on visual journals and creativity is skewed differently because you already understand your process. But a fresh view, another angle, can help you appreciate what you have and enable you to flex your creative muscles even more.

After reading the book I felt that the experience was like being swept up into a brainstorming meeting where there was a lot of laughter and enthusiasm but also serious, earnest work. I believe you'll enjoy this book.

I made all these assessments on the black and white proofs. I now have printed version of the book if full color. It is a visually entertaining book.

Danny can sell an idea and he does it clearly and with humor. I'll be taking this book along to my journaling classes so that my students can benefit from the perspective Danny brings to the topic.

Danny didn't ask me to write a review, but I felt compelled to because there are a lot of "creativity" books on the market. Why buy this one? Many prospective readers will come to this book from one of Danny's earlier books, "Everyday Matters." Others will find this book through Danny's website and blog. If you've enjoyed and found Danny's insights in either place helpful then you'll enjoy this book and it will speak to you in accessible ways that other creativity books might not. If you're reading this review cold, because you've never been exposed to Danny's work, then you must be searching for books that can put you in touch with your creative process. This book will help you in an encouraging way that might just get you over that hump you're facing.

(My quibble with the book is the handwriting font used for the text. I find such fonts difficult to read for any length of time. The great thing about this book however, is that you probably will only read small portions at a time. I mention this so people will understand my 4 [out of 5] star rating. I'm a book designer, we all have our prejudices; this is just another of my disclaimers. Other readers will perhaps find the handwriting font makes the reading experience more like reading an actual journal.)

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FANTASTIC!, March 9, 2007

By	Linda Woods "Author of JOURNAL REVOLUTION and... - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is fantastic! The Creative License is funny, it's inspiring, it's open and honest and egoless, it's encouraging, and it's entertaining. Danny's passion for art and life jump off the pages and tickle you with delight. His philosophies can be applied to any creative endeavor that excites YOU and he genuinely encourages his readers to find their creative passion whether it is drawing, knitting, or blogging (or whatever you dream up).
Thank you, Danny, for writing and illustrating such a wonderful, heartfelt book for the artist in all of us.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Believe in Your Art Ability, April 10, 2007

By	Mary M. Wilkins "collage artist" (Raleigh, NC USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a fantastic book on believing in your ability to be an artist. It also teaches you to do art on a daily basis to stretch and grow in the varied mediums.

I have kept journals for years, but never art journals. I was amazed at all of the fantastic work that can come from drawing on a daily basis. I even started drawing with pen rather than pencil to allow the mistakes to be there and not be afraid of them.

I would recommend this to anyone who doesn't believe they have any talent in art and for those who do and have been told over and over again that they just aren't quite right for 'today's art market'. Get out there and draw!