About 10 years ago, I read "Creativity, Inc" by Edwin Catmull, co-founder of Pixar. It detailed the ideas and events that lead up to the advent of feature 3D animation and filmmaking. I found it to be an inspiring story that mixed a passion for computer science with the desire for compelling storytelling. I was independently studying animation at the time, and it definitely lit a fire in me, as it was written by and for computer nerds who would like to make art.
I've always been more technically-oriented than artistic, so it was nice to see a book written from a similar perspective. I spent most of my young adulthood working on my technical skills so I could get a decent job, but around the time I read this book, I actually started putting time into creative endeavours in my free time as well.
Okay. So this is going to sound weird. Not a book recommendation - but rather a video game.
Thought it's about as non-fiction of a game as you can get. And it even talks about creative tools and the philosophy of what inspires creators.
Its called: "The Beginners Guide"
You can find it on Steam, and it's about 2 hours long. It is basically a narrator walking you through some video games he liked playing from a certain artist that disappeared. He just analyzes the decisions the artist made in the game and why before moving you, the player, to another game from that artist.
Most of the gameplay is very limited. Just walking and looking. Almost like you're going through a museum that itself is a work of art being described to you by someone who appreciates it.
There's a couple of clever twists, but when it comes to finding yourself creatively again, it certainly helped me.
Admittedly I'm a writer, but trying new experiences is what gets me creatively working again.
This one certainly did it for me, and thought I'd at least recommend the same.
12 Comments
rudyharrelson@lemmy.radio · 7 pts · 328d
About 10 years ago, I read "Creativity, Inc" by Edwin Catmull, co-founder of Pixar. It detailed the ideas and events that lead up to the advent of feature 3D animation and filmmaking. I found it to be an inspiring story that mixed a passion for computer science with the desire for compelling storytelling. I was independently studying animation at the time, and it definitely lit a fire in me, as it was written by and for computer nerds who would like to make art.
I've always been more technically-oriented than artistic, so it was nice to see a book written from a similar perspective. I spent most of my young adulthood working on my technical skills so I could get a decent job, but around the time I read this book, I actually started putting time into creative endeavours in my free time as well.
Nemo@slrpnk.net · 6 pts · 328d
I really like Hugh MacLeod's Ignore Everybody
SGGeorwell@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 327d
Wouldn’t that include Hugh MacLeod?
Nemo@slrpnk.net · 2 pts · 327d
Literally yes, he says several times to discard any of his advice that doesn't work for you.
SGGeorwell@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 327d
Well now I’m having a full blown panic attack.
lando55@lemmy.zip · 4 pts · 327d
Ignore it
timmytbt@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 327d
Not a book, but Brian Eno’s “Oblique Strategies”
sopularity_fax@sopuli.xyz · 1 pts · 327d
Thats him too? God hes prolific
EightBitBlood@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 327d
Okay. So this is going to sound weird. Not a book recommendation - but rather a video game.
Thought it's about as non-fiction of a game as you can get. And it even talks about creative tools and the philosophy of what inspires creators.
Its called: "The Beginners Guide"
You can find it on Steam, and it's about 2 hours long. It is basically a narrator walking you through some video games he liked playing from a certain artist that disappeared. He just analyzes the decisions the artist made in the game and why before moving you, the player, to another game from that artist.
Most of the gameplay is very limited. Just walking and looking. Almost like you're going through a museum that itself is a work of art being described to you by someone who appreciates it.
There's a couple of clever twists, but when it comes to finding yourself creatively again, it certainly helped me.
Admittedly I'm a writer, but trying new experiences is what gets me creatively working again. This one certainly did it for me, and thought I'd at least recommend the same.
GoodKingElliot@feddit.uk · 3 pts · 327d
The Artist's Way
AlphaOmega@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 327d
The holographic universe and the theory of chaos
fodor@lemmy.zip · 2 pts · 327d
MoonMelon@lemmy.ml · 2 pts · 327d
If you're into visual arts, "The Art Spirit" by Robert Henri is pretty great.