| What the world is going through right now is something we’ve never seen before. The recession was already there for a while now. And the outbreak has now brought the world to a standstill. Like, literally! It’s important right now to stay safe and sensible. “Sensible” being as important as “safe”. And while there is genuine concern about the world’s health and economy and toilet paper, some of us introverted hermits might actually be looking forward to locking ourselves up in our houses and rooms for a few days. – Let’s get productive. – Let’s write and paint and draw to our heart’s content. – Let’s soil those walls with ink and paint. – Let’s, as Neil Gaiman puts it, “Make Good Art!” And, of course, let’s read. Read, read, and read some more. I know you must have your own reading list to binge through. But in case you need a little nudge, or some inspiration, here’s what I’d recommend you get your hands on right away: – “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield – “Sandman” by Neil Gaiman – “The Rise of Superman” by Steven Kotler – “Sapiens” by Yuval Noah Harari“ – The Art of Asking” by Amanda Palmer So go ahead, stay safe and Make Good Art! Much love, Shakaib. P.S. The subject line, “Impression – Expression = Depression”, comes from another one of my favorite books. It’s called “Drawn to Life” by Walt Stanchfield. Stanchfield was the secret weapon of Walt Disney Animation Studios from 1937 to 2000. He was the gentle, loving, inspiring, badass drawing teacher of the most badass animators that existed on the planet. The giants who produced movies like Lion King, Aladdin, Mulan, Beauty and the Beast, etc. And some of those giants went on to create new animation powerhouses like Pixar. He would give handouts to his students in every class for 20 years. After he passed, Disney people collaborated with Stanchfield’s wife to gather all of his handouts and publish them in these two volumes called “Drawn to Life”. These two volumes contain the greatest wisdom related to art and life produced inside Disney. And you’ll see bits and pieces of history too, like that one handout where Stanchfield announced preparations of a new film called “The King of the Jungle”, which was later renamed to … guess what … The Lion King! And I don’t even need to say anything about the stunning, loose, lively sketches by the best artists of Disney Studios. And Stanchfield’s gentle admonishment and demonstration of how to “go bold”. It’s a must-have for you if you think you have even an iota of creative spark in you. Get the two volumes here: Draw to Life Volume 1 and Drawn to Life Volume 2 |
