← JOMO June

Don't Call It Art

Austin Kleon
⬇ Download↗ Open📖 Goodreads
Eric’s guideA short, punchy nudge for anyone who waits too long for permission to make something.

A short, punchy nudge for anyone who waits too long for permission to make something.

Read it for its creative posture: the book is less about art theory and more about lowering the friction between noticing, making, and sharing.

BBefore
  • Notice where Kleon is freeing the reader from labels rather than giving a method.
  • Treat the book as a set of creative permissions, not a systematic argument.
  • Keep an eye on verbs that make making feel lighter: steal, show, share, notice.
WWatch for
  • Short imperative sentences that sound casual but carry a strong stance.
  • Moments where he collapses the distance between amateur and artist.
  • The difference between anti-pretension and anti-seriousness.
AAfter
  • What label do you use to postpone making the thing?
  • Which sentence could become a personal rule for the month?
  • Where does the book feel liberating, and where does it feel too easy?
100%

Warming up Don't Call It Art