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Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking Paperback – April 1, 2001

by David Bayles (Author), Ted Orland (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 3,050 ratings
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"This is a book about making art. Ordinary art. Ordinary art means something like: all art not made by Mozart. After all, art is rarely made by Mozart-like people; essentially—statistically speaking—there aren't any people like that. Geniuses get made once-a-century or so, yet good art gets made all the time, so to equate the making of art with the workings of genius removes this intimately human activity to a strangely unreachable and unknowable place. For all practical purposes making art can be examined in great detail without ever getting entangled in the very remote problems of genius."
—-from the Introduction

Art & Fear explores the way art gets made, the reasons it often doesn't get made, and the nature of the difficulties that cause so many artists to give up along the way. The book's co-authors, David Bayles and Ted Orland, are themselves both working artists, grappling daily with the problems of making art in the real world. Their insights and observations, drawn from personal experience, provide an incisive view into the world of art as it is expeienced by artmakers themselves.

This is not your typical self-help book. This is a book written by artists, for artists -— it's about what it feels like when artists sit down at their easel or keyboard, in their studio or performance space, trying to do the work they need to do. First published in 1994, Art & Fear quickly became an underground classic. Word-of-mouth response alone—now enhanced by internet posting—has placed it among the best-selling books on artmaking and creativity nationally.

Art & Fear has attracted a remarkably diverse audience, ranging from beginning to accomplished artists in every medium, and including an exceptional concentration among students and teachers. The original Capra Press edition of Art & Fear sold 80,000 copies.

An excerpt:

Today, more than it was however many years ago, art is hard because you have to keep after it so consistently. On so many different fronts. For so little external reward. Artists become veteran artists only by making peace not just with themselves, but with a huge range of issues. You have to find your work...

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    122 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Image Continuum Press
  4. Publication date
    April 1, 2001
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.4 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0961454733
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0961454739
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Both authors are teachers and working artists. Ted Orland's previous books include Scenes of Wonder & Curiosity and Man & Yosemite.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Image Continuum Press; 1st edition (April 1, 2001)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 122 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0961454733
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0961454739
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.4 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 3,050 ratings

About the authors

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  1. David Bayles

    David Bayles

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    David Bayles is a conservationist and author of "Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking" and "Notes on a Shared Landscape: Making Sense of the American West."

    See more on the author's page
  2. Ted Orland

    Ted Orland

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Ted Orland began his professional career working as a young graphic artist for designer Charles Eames, and later served as Assistant to photographer Ansel Adams. Ted currently lives in Santa Cruz CA, where he pursues parallel careers in teaching, writing and photography. He is co-author (with David Bayles) of the best-selling artists’ survival guide, “Art & Fear”, and author of its recent companion piece, “The View From the Studio Door”. He also leads workshops on a variety of artistic issues and photographic topics. Ted’s own fine art photography is represented by The Ansel Adams Gallery.

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
3,050 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Cesar B.
5.0 out of 5 stars every artist needs to read this
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2024
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This is such a great book for any artist. I believe every artist needs to read this at least once in their life. It helps ‘disarm’ anxieties and helps the artist consider why taking the risk is the best decision in the end. It writes on finding your own path, questioning why you do what you do, and appreciating every step of the artistic journey. It focuses not just in executing art, but building an appreciation for even the most mundane and universal things so many artists experience. I’ve given this book to 2 other friends and will continue to talk about it until the day I pass. It’s helped me triumph over my fears, and make art that’s incredibly connective to my soul; despite not knowing the path ahead. Thank you for all the work that went into this book!
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars I got the premise to come up with my own consequence for my own artistic purpose!
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2016
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"Art and Fear," can be taken as a premise and a hypothesis to whatever aims one wants to go with it, to conquer fear is mine alone, to overcome anxiety is mine too, knowing that I am not the only one is comforting enough, we share a common sense of this interplay of art and fear, this books goes on to present these observations with a much to do about why doing is so important yet common to artists, but does not present: "a how to way" as to overcome a common stumbling block to creativity that many artists face; unfortunately, one critic of this book says that it presents the why and not the how of doing art when faced with fear, in what is its worth, it is a what observation; but when a what observation is taken as a premise and we readers take it upon ourselves to make and take away from this book what we find applicable to us alone and personally, we have come up with our how to approach and overcome this stumbling to our creativity and procrastination until something of a pleasurable emotion or mood hits us is wrongly taught us in mythic proportions assumed to be true. I am saying this because this is me and not is represented in this book. It is a sequel to the premises set forth here to come.
"Art and Fear," is a message that I wanted and needed to hear, because I had had fits of starting out painting and drawing at many times then quitting then wanting and coming back to it again...repeatedly asking myself: "why do it?" if it was such a frustrating activity for myself only, i.e. why cause such unneeded frustrations to failure? The answer I gleaned indirectly after reading this book was, it is a "thankless...job to..." for me personally to get under what is seemingly the surface of appearance into the deeper unseen stuff of reality. I am now with a purpose, because I am highly creative and love to express it, I do art with fear, but afterwards, I give it away as an expression of love for the presentation may not be perfect, it is anyhow, a better thing to give more personal and not something that can be purchased with a price from a store commercially so. It is thus a part of me produced incapsulating a moment of emotional wish fulfillment.
The work is thus a proof of thoughtfulness and mindfulness. It is after many tries at entry that one finds a way into the creation of a piece of art. It goes beyond a proof that I exist, then it is a proof that what I thought of is not something subjective, that which only exists in the mind for one moment and then can disappeared, because I gave it a life to live on its own structure and form, it can live outside of me as an objective thing materialistically realistic. To give something a form and structure to the known that one fears is highly liberating and empowering to put a name to an unknown disease appeases the mind and gives it a sense of relief and release like a sneeze.
Just to know that it is ordinary people who commonly faced fear daily and to be able to find a way to express it creatively, i.e. to find that one is an anger and to put such anger into a passionate form that is creatively is useful of one's pent up emotions instead of doing something destructive one can do something because it is a highly personal choice do something else that is more within one's interest and therapeutic too, constructive and thus leave the criticisms to others, I don't have control over what made you say what you did that hurts me nor what you did that I cannot comprehend, but I have some control over what I see and hear and that which can be expressed without words in a piece of art be it in any form whatsoever I have produced. I help shaped my destiny and thus am independent of what you have done to me says a lot about our own free will in response to tragedy. Personally, I am battling with Cancer, and Art done be it of any form not perfect is the perfect way to respond to my fate with my time limited to me. I do what I can do...which is to preserve a piece of me personally to people of whom I presented this gift of me to hopefully outlast me, it is not mean to be exhibited in any fashion. To those who know me, this presentation is what is meant to convey in its expression a part of me eternally from my innermost being to be cherished for I know that I may live longer than what is imposed on me.
Therefore, when faced with fear and anger, what is one to do? One can do art that gives form and function as much as structure if not to tame the fears and inner self realization of terminal illness to give what is really who one is to people of the world in some objective way one's own sense of tragedy transformed into something inspirational to another person. Carry on, I say, with whatever vision that may never be fully realizable now, but to be comprehensive enough for otherrs to carry on with one's wishes. It is liken to ordinary people writing a will, it is then a message on the ocean of life.
The above observation is not what is given as the purpose in this book for why people do what they can call art. But it is what I can add to this purpose among many of why people do what they did. I got the most out of this book when I took off where I had left off in the first place when I was highly creative in the past and now wished to revisited that inspirational time and to create something that was that good and great, but I came to a realization that I had bestilled a higher purpose in the application of this inner desire to do something that I had no training to do, but raw inner desire that many people share for art, forget geniuses, I am surly not one of these Mozarts.
From one hand to another, I hoped to convey hope for anyone who says that this book does not show you how someone is going to overcome an artistic block and just to do it...simply is the stumbling block, I hoped that from the sole purpose of knowing another why one does it and if it is only a giving away thing, it needs not be perfection given away, one can do it to give something highly personal, such as here, a condition that one is going through in life that has not a name or a form apart from calling it fear that is overwhelming such as Cancer, to find in this activity a solace to grapple with it conceptually so to put a good grip on a reality and then turn it into something productive to say something positive about why one lived and continues to live is important enough to communicate to someone else why one is here in the first place, that one has value and these are the values that sustained my creativity for its own rewards is saying I am valued because I exist. The object may be an object of affection only to me in regards to it, it is cherished for its imperfections than its closeness to being perfect. It is simply an interplay of work with the pleasure of lovingly spending the time doing something that gives hope to anyone looking for any in their time of despair to overcome their challenges. Not to be discouraged, but to go ahead, from my hands and mind, and heart to yours, I encourage you to try something new, go ahead, no one needs to know and it is with this private playful practice that we become a professional, you and I know we have to start somewhere where there is at times only us on the innermost of our being have the seeded desire to begin an adventure into the unknown with fear are we procrastinating to begin shaping our future as to avoid painful emotional hurts from criticisms. I say to you, I have learned and this is not found in this book, I have no control over what you say nor do, but I have total control over my view and my work, be it artistic or something of such nature that has healed me of my hurts or fear of the unknown which may be called anxiety. I have solved my problem within me through art. If art can do this for me, just think of what it holds for you, try and if you don
t succeed forget about saying I try...I'll try...,I'll try...until you finally realized with paradoxical conclusion, why not try it anyway now, because yesterday's tomorrow is today!
18 people found this helpful
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Life is good
4.0 out of 5 stars They could have picked a better title
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2024
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If you are an artist of any type, just starting out or struggling along the way, this is your book.
None of us are a da Vinci, or Dylan, or Degas, or Brando and never hope to be. But that doesn’t mean we’re no good. Art is made everyday by everyday people. (I read the “Artist’s Way”. I suggest that you leave it on the shelf.)
This is a book that will teach you how to deal with your self doubts. Buy this book. Read it.
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knb53
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! The introduction is worth the price of the book...
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2024
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Yeah, well... those of us who feel compelled to make art (poetry in my case) sometimes suffer various pangs. This book has a lot of important stuff to say about that. Read it and weep. (Happy tears... mostly)
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Conrad J. Obregon
5.0 out of 5 stars Poetry, Polemics and Aphorisms about Art
Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2006
Verified Purchase
The fear to which the authors refer in the title is the fear that an individual may have that will lead him to quit being an artist. The authors believe that artists quit either when they believe their next effort will fail or when they lose the destination for their work. This is a book about the process of making art.

This book is a road map, not a survival guide. The authors provide a list of the obstacles that the artist will encounter in making his art, but they do not provide methods for overcoming these obstacles. In fact they seem to say that the artist must expect these obstacles and if he or she wants to make art, keep plowing through them.

The book is beautifully written with flowing, majestic language that brooks no questions about the authors' pronouncements about the difficulties the artist faces. As factors that interfere with the ordinary individual's ability to make art, the authors dismiss fear that you are pretending, or that you lack talent or that you must seek perfection. Ordinary people, they say, can learn to make art. Similarly they dismiss the artist's fear of others, whether because the others lack understanding, or acceptance, or approval of the artist's work.

The pithy statements that fill the book can certainly provide a ready source of affirmations if that's the way one deals with fears. For example the authors say:

"Vision, Uncertainty, and Knowledge of Materials are inevitabilities that all artists must acknowledge and learn from: vision is always ahead of execution, knowledge of materials is your contact with reality, and uncertainty is a virtue."

And they say:

"Unreal expectations are easy to come by....Unfortunately expectations based on illusion lead almost always to disillusionment."

Although the book is brief there are many opportunities for deeper contemplation. For example the authors distinguish between craft and art. Consideration of this distinction may help the artist to realize whether he is really creating art or just doing the same old thing. And yet as the critic Mark Schorer noted, "technique is discovery". Squaring away the distinction is important to an artist.

Who should read this book? Not the consumer of art. The authors make it clear that there is no relationship between looking at art and making art. Probably every aspiring artist. It might be that the list of difficulties could lead one to quit before starting. But foreknowledge of the difficulties of making art may help the would-be artist to take those difficulties in his or her stride. Certainly the practicing artist will benefit from reading the book, with its message not to despair when fear occurs, but to keep pushing on if one really wants to make art.
18 people found this helpful
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Clifford Jones
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book written by artists for artists.
Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2024
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These guys are the real deal; they know and embrace the struggle and do so with grace. Great book for artists.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Pauline van Beek
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in Canada on January 27, 2024
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Great book. Really makes you think about how and why you make art.
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Adrian K Mtz
5.0 out of 5 stars Hermoso libro
Reviewed in Mexico on March 4, 2022
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No tuve la oportunidad de asistir a una escuela de artes para educarme. Lo hice gracias a maestros particulares y autodidactica. Todo lo que hubiera querido escuchar de algún maestro o escuela de artes que no se te dice , está en este libro.

Muchismas gracias
One person found this helpful
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luizangela monteiro lopes bozoni
5.0 out of 5 stars Sobre dificuldade no processo criativo.
Reviewed in Brazil on March 3, 2022
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Quando o artista "trava" e não consegue "destravar", aqui um bom material para refletir sobre essa questão.
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cristina
5.0 out of 5 stars La svolta!
Reviewed in Italy on March 18, 2024
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Sono anni che resto bloccata sul fare arte in generale e mille parole di sprono da persone amiche non sono riuscite a smuovermi.. questo libro fin dalla prima pagina ha parole che toccano il tasto giusto ..descrizioni perfette delle ns paure e motivazioni che ho cominciato a smettere di giudicarmi e sentirmi frustrata, e ho ripreso i colori in mano! Questo libro ci è riuscito davvero! Grazie a chi lo ha scritto perché è meglio di dieci sedute da uno psicologo. È in inglese ma comprensibile se di base si ha la conoscenza buona. Anzi è un ottimo modo di esercitare la lingua.
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Käufer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in Germany on July 4, 2023
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This book gets to the chore of what it means to be an artist. Very encouraging!
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