Steal Like an Artist: 8 key ideas
The core ideas of Steal Like an Artist, each in under a minute, written in our own words. Want the full depth? Get the book.
- IDEA 1 OF 8
All creative work builds on others
Kleon argues that nothing is completely original; every new idea mixes earlier ones.
Good artists study and borrow from many sources and transform them, while bad copying means taking one source and passing it off as your own.
- IDEA 2 OF 8
Collect influences and their influences
Kleon suggests building a family tree of your heroes: study someone you admire, then study who inspired them.
Gathering ideas from many branches gives you a richer mix to remix into something that is yours.
- IDEA 3 OF 8
Start before you know yourself
You do not need a clear identity before making things, Kleon says.
By imitating heroes and practising, you gradually discover your own style. Making work is how you figure out who you are, not the other way around.
- IDEA 4 OF 8
Make what you wish existed
The book advises writing the book you want to read or making the thing you wish someone else had made.
Your own unmet desires are a good guide to work that feels fresh and personal.
- IDEA 5 OF 8
Use your hands, not just screens
Kleon notices that computers make us passive, so he keeps an analogue desk for paper, pens and sketching and a digital one for editing.
Moving your body while creating helps ideas flow in ways a keyboard alone may not.
- IDEA 6 OF 8
Side projects and hobbies matter
Kleon suggests keeping several interests alive, because the projects you play with often become your best work.
Combining different passions creates a unique blend, and hobbies offer creativity without pressure.
- IDEA 7 OF 8
Be boring so work can thrive
A creative life needs steady energy, so Kleon advises a calm, regular routine: look after your health, avoid debt and keep a day job if needed.
Stability in daily life leaves room for boldness in the work.
- IDEA 8 OF 8
Limits help creativity
Kleon sees creativity as partly a matter of what you leave out.
Too many options can freeze you, while constraints, like a short time or a few tools, push you to find inventive solutions.
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