In his soon to be published book, Steal Like An Artist, author and artist, Austin Kleon, takes artistic truisms and delivers them with simplicity, humor & open heartedness, creating a delightful  guide to nurture and inspire our the creative mind.

He sets out his manifesto and expands the points on his blog :

First and formost:

1. Steal like an artist. 

Selected entries: Every artist gets asked the question, “Where do you get your ideas?”

The honest artist answers, “I steal them.”

Figure out what’s worth stealing. Move on to the next thing.

That’s about all there is to it.

Here’s what artists understand. It’s a three-word sentence that fills me with hope every time I read it:

It says it right there in the Bible. Ecclesiastes:

That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.

Every new idea is just a mashup or a remix of previous ideas.

You are, in fact, a mashup of what you choose to let into your life. You are the sum of your influences. The German writer Goethe said, “We are shaped and fashioned by what we love.”

An artist is a collector. Not a hoarder, mind you, there’s a difference: hoarders collect indiscriminately, the artist collects selectively. They only collect things that they really love.

I think the same thing is true of our idea incomes. You’re only going to be as good as the stuff you surround yourself with.

Your job is to collect ideas. The best way to collect ideas is to read. Read, read, read, read, read. Read the newspaper. Read the weather. Read the signs on the road. Read the faces of strangers. The more you read, the more you can choose to be influenced by.

Steal things and save them for later. Carry around a sketchpad. Write in your books. Tear things out of magazines and collage them in your scrapbook.

Steal like an artist.

There’s much more on his blog, expanding on each point and enriching the conversation. If you like his article, he assures us we’ll love the book. I think so.

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What are the (re)inventive illustrators at Laughing Stock remixing now??

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 If magic is about transformation and illusion, then illustration evokes these very qualities. In an illustrator’s hands, reality is transformed, interpreted, concepted and nuanced with emotion, psychology, composition, design, personality, sleight of hand and all manner of magic. A perfect act of conjuring in the tradition of great magicians of old.

As Halloween approaches, the intersection of art & magic rises into consciousness. Perhaps it is because the tradition of magic is in my DNA. A first cousin, 3 generations removed, was one of the greats in the world of magic. Renowned for his transformations, illusions, seeming impossible feats, & even a master of leveraging the social media of his time. He was an artist in his field, as illustrators are in theirs. We even have the same challenges of self-promotion and could learn from his mastery of publicity & media coverage.

He escaped the bonds of earth on Halloween 1926, and if perchance his spirit returns, as some expected, and if you see him, please advise. He will remind us that the art of magic and the magic of art are indeed related, just as I am related to the Great Houdini & his brother Hardeen (Theo). This photo is from my family album (© Sharon Kurlansky), and I am told by a Houdini expert, that this may be the earliest know photo of Houdini & Theo posing with the Metamorphosis Trick paraphernalia.

I am fascinated by the illlustrative process and passionate about those who practice this most magical of arts, especially the illustrators at Laughing Stock. When you want to conjure some visual magic for your projects, hire an illustrator or license their stock images from some of the best in the field. Ka-zam.

Addendum  This just in:   As if by magic, just after this article was posted, Ronald Slabbers, our friend and contributing illustrator from the Netherlands, sent me an email that he just finished this image for his client, The Dutch Financial Daily entitled “Houdini Act”. Serendipity, synchronicity, coincidence?? You decide.

Footnote:   “Some scientists see a theoretical grounding for synchronicity in quantum physics, fractal geometry, and chaos theory. They are finding that the isolation and separation of objects from each other is more apparent than real; at deeper levels, everything — atoms, cells, molecules, plants, animals, people — participates in a sensitive, flowing web of information. Physicists have shown, for example, that if two photons are separated, no matter by how far, a change in one creates a simultaneous change in the other.” “A Wink from the Cosmos,” by Meg Lundstrom  (Intuition Magazine, May 1996)  http://www.flowpower.com/What%20is%20Synchronicity.htm

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Double, double toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble ~William Shakespeare from Macbeth

When you want to add some EERIE to your messages, dip into the bubbling cauldron of creativity and get some spirited illustration magic.  The talented group of illustrators at Laughing Stock say boo & invite you into our little shop of halloween horrors.

All Hallows Eve, or for that matter anytime is optimal to punctuate your projects with inventive illustration, stock or originals.

No fear, there’s lots of treats to enjoy when you deploy the right visuals to get your message seen: 30-40% higher chance of getting noticed..positively scary!!

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When done well, infographics are 30-40 times more likely to be viewed and shared vs. text ~Stew Langille

Today, information graphics surround us in all forms of media: on road signs, magazines, in presentation materials, manuals, transit signs, etc. They illustrate information that would be unwieldy in text form, and act as a visual shorthand for everyday concepts and complex scientific knowledge.

Producing information graphics is fertile ground for Laughing Stock illustrator Robert Pizzo. His distinctive style, use of basic geometric shapes, and strong flat color are hallmarks of his work.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Robert about the way he works with data visualizations:

Q. Some of your current work is focused on infographics, Robert. What prompted you to add that capability to your illustration skills?

A. The first time, someone talked me into it. The next time, I talked someone else into it. About 15 years ago an art director at The Wall Street Journal, who was a steady client, asked me to do a big chart on genetics. I had never done anything like that but the deadline was fast, the client was desperate, and every time I hesitated on the phone the fee went up, so I reluctantly took it on. It was extremely involved and it didn’t turn out bad, but I wasn’t going looking for infographic work after that.

Then a few years ago I was working on a series of illustrations for a regular client. Everything was running smooth but the art director was complaining about having to do something with a horrible looking chart sidebar that didn’t match the rest of the layout. I offered to step in and take a shot at it. His only direction was, “make it look good”.

This time, the data was a bit simpler and I found I enjoyed the challenge of designing a clear, readable bit of info. After that, he started calling me frequently for infographics.

Q. Tell us how information graphics differs from your editorial or interpretive work.

A. It’s very different. With my regular illustration work I always begin traditionally with pencil sketching, refining my work until I have a very tight pencil to scan to Illustrator. Working with a pencil first frees me to take the design of the illustration any place without being restricted by the computers tendency for perfection.

With my infographic work, I go straight to the computer. The reason is, all the type needs to be set first. In this case the data is key and I need to see the ratio of type to open space to determine how much leeway I’ll have with the design. Interestingly, I’ve tried making pencil thumbnails first on infographic assignments but I rarely end up using the ideas. Instead, I like to think of this kind of work as a Rorschach test, where I lay out the info and then look at it and say, “what kind of image does this conjure up? The info boxes kind of look like trucks…” or something like that. With all the obvious differences, I’m still using my own design sense when it comes to graphic shapes, layout and color.

Q. How does research and distillation of information play into your process?

A. One of my first big infographic assignments was a series for an entire special issue of a magazine. Since I was new to the process I was worried I’d be compiling the chart info myself. I realized then that I really should have paid attention all those years ago in math class. My fears were unfounded though, because the way it works is this: clients have already done the basic compiling of info and know what they want to convey. The problem is, the Excel program they’ve used to create the graphs is lacking, to say the very least. And it only interprets information a couple of basic ways, it can’t look at the info creatively, which is where I come in. I can also see where a chart is being redundant and I can simplify the information for a faster read and add some illustration to it.

Conclusion: Infographics, information design, or data visualization present complex information, data, & knowledge quickly and clearly to communicate concepts, tell stories, and educate visually. No wonder infographics are enjoying a substantial uptrend and clients are eager to work with talented & knowledgeable artists to help tell their stories.

Next Steps: Hire Robert for your next gig:  Infographics or otherwise.

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Our man in Amsterdam, Ronald Slabbers is on assignment for the Cass Business School in London. No, he’s not pushing drugs, Ronald is pushing his illustration for their article about cocaine (Ab)use in London. He’s also pushing his new illustration approach & exploring his ‘simple’ / conceptual / elegant style. Rock on, Ronald.

See Ronald Slabbers stock illustration portfolio at Laughing Stock and work with him on your next assignment for an illustration high

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Illustrator/animator, Blair Thornley, a Laughing Stock contributor and fav, offers a poignant view of the ups and downs of weigh loss thru the eyes of her animated character, Mr. Lou. This is a must see video   Mr_Lou < Click this link

Blair created this animation with hundreds of drawings, so that movement and gesture fits perfectly with the story and so that Mr. Lou comes to life in an intriguing and poignant way.

See Blair’s stock portfolio at Laughing Stock, and hire her for your next project.. whether still or animated.

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Judy Stead, Laughing Stock illustrator, shares what inspires her and how she tunes in to her muses. View her recently updated stock illustration portfolio here and when you’re ready to hire an outstanding illustrator, Judy is at your service.

Listening. It’s different from hearing. Listening involves…involvement. And attention. And concentration while the brain processes meaning from sound, then chooses an emotional response. Making this image, I had lots of inspiring company in the studio as I listened to (in no particular order): Etta James, Otis Redding, Edith Piaf, John Lennon, Puccini, Springsteen, Cat Power, Django Rheinhardt, Elvis Costello, The Ventures, The Corrs, Charlie Hayden, Cocteau Twins, Lou Reed, Rufus Wainwright, U2, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Bach, Thelonius Monk.

Inspiration. It’s as necessary to creativity as air is to breath, and like air, inspiration is everywhere. We take inspiration wherever we find it, or more often, where it finds and surprises us-  an unexpected color combo in nature, a soulful melody that sparks a memory, travel to an exotic place or just wandering down a new street.

As an illustrator/artist, working alone in my studio so much, I listen and look for inspiration every day, and try to always be open to the miracle of an idea. And once in awhile, it turns into something that pleases me, like “Listen”.

Here are two of Judy’s recent illustrations she’s added to her spirited portfolio at Laughing Stock. The image, “Listen” was recently added to the Laughing Stock home page.

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Neil Brennan claims that he is not a cartoonist, but he said “when I heard the news, this image was just begging to be done. “I can’t imagine a better way to eulogize this evil than to mock and laugh at it.”

Neil adds: “BTW, The special ops unit that got Osama, SEAL Team 6 is based right here in Hampton Roads Virginia. We couldn’t be more proud of them. This is a good day for America.”

It turns out the connection to the SEALs runs even deeper for Neil. He mentions that when be was a swimmer in high school and in Navy boot camp, he tried out for the SEALs. “I was accepted, but the try outs alone changed my mind about joining this elite special forces team. These guys are serious warriors!!! I instead spent my enlistment as a navigator on a nuclear submarine. After 4 years of that,… on to art school. Talk about culture shock?”

Neil’s portfolio at Laughing Stock differs substantially, but don’t you think he has a calling as a budding cartoonist, as well?

Neil Brennan is available for custom illustration and for the licensing of his stock images.

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Our man in Amsterdam, and esteemed colleague, Ronald Slabbers takes his cartoon work very seriously indeed. Ronald says, “I am definitely not a born cartoonist. I am a ‘line constructor’ and creating a drawing takes me at least 2 sleepless nights and about 6 to 20 pencil sketches. “

Among his many clients is the well respected Dutch Financial Daily, for whom he produces a weekly illustration for their Saturday edition.

“The first few months I was really horrified by the thought of it, only just recently I found the peace of mind that gives me the confidence of being able to produce an original drawing from every idea or thought.”

Hereʼs the  “cartoon” aspect of Ronaldʼs work that takes on the cultural, political, and financial landscape to poke some serious fun at it all.

To view his complete stock portfolio at Laughing Stock click here. Ronald is available for original commissions, of course. Visit Ron’s blog and website.. and have some more serious fun!

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For Laughing Stock illustrator Neil Brennan, the creative process is all about visual communication. Clients rely on him to develop images that enhance their message and speak to their target audience. With the project’s theme in mind, Neil translates that information into thought provoking images that are hand-crafted and distilled by his unique talents. He shares the creative process with us here:

View Neil’s portfolio to license his stock illustration or to commission an original assignment

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