How Art Can Make You Happy
4.5/5
()
About this ebook
Read more from Bridget Watson Payne
The Secret Art of Being a Grown-Up: Tips, Tricks, and Perks No One Thought to Tell You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Secret Art of Being a Parent: Tips, tricks, and lifesavers you don't have to learn the hard way Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How Time Is on Your Side Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to How Art Can Make You Happy
Related ebooks
Make Your Art No Matter What: Moving Beyond Creative Hurdles Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5In Pursuit of Inspiration: Trust Your Instincts and Make More Art Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Creative Block: Get Unstuck Discover New Ideas: Advice & Projects from 50 Successful Artists Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Making Art a Practice: How to Be the Artist You Are Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Art Before Breakfast: A Zillion Ways to be More Creative No Matter How Busy You Are Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The World Needs Your Art: Casual Magic to Unlock Your Creativity Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsART/WORK: Everything You Need to Know (and Do) As You Pursue Your Art Career Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Your Inner Critic Is a Big Jerk: And Other Truths About Being Creative Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Little Spark: 30 Ways to Ignite Your Creativity Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCreative Calling: Establish a Daily Practice, Infuse Your World with Meaning, and Succeed in Work + Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Confident Creative: Drawing to Free the Hand and Mind Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsArt & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Art Rules: Wisdom and Guidance from Art World Experts Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Creative Authenticity: 16 Principles to Clarify and Deepen Your Artistic Vision Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The View From The Studio Door: How Artists Find Their Way In An Uncertain World Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhere Does Art Come From?: How to Find Inspiration and Ideas Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Artist's Quest of Inspiration Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Crafter's Devotional: 365 Days of Tips, Tricks, and Techniques for Unlocking Your Creative Spirit Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Conscious Creativity: Look, Connect, Create Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Art of Aliveness: A Creative Return to What Matters Most Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Success For Self-Taught Artists: From Proficiency to Prosperity Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I am an Artist Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLooking at Art Philosophically: Aesthetic Concepts Fundamental to Being an Artist Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThink Like an Artist: And Lead a More Creative, Productive Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Art World Demystified: How Artists Define and Achieve Their Goals Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHow To Make Art Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/510 Things to Forget: To be Creatively Free Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUnleashing the Artist Within: Breaking through Blocks and Restoring Creative Purpose Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Art For You
Morpho: Anatomy for Artists Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Designer's Dictionary of Color Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Art 101: From Vincent van Gogh to Andy Warhol, Key People, Ideas, and Moments in the History of Art Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Draw and Paint Anatomy, All New 2nd Edition: Creating Lifelike Humans and Realistic Animals Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Complete Book of Drawing: Essential Skills for Every Artist Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Botanical Drawing: A Step-By-Step Guide to Drawing Flowers, Vegetables, Fruit and Other Plant Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Drawing School: Fundamentals for the Beginner Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Everything Is F*cked: A Book About Hope Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anatomy for Fantasy Artists: An Essential Guide to Creating Action Figures & Fantastical Forms Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Designer's Guide to Color Combinations Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Draw Like an Artist: 100 Flowers and Plants Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Complete Papyrus of Ani Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The World Needs Your Art: Casual Magic to Unlock Your Creativity Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDrawing and Sketching Portraits: How to Draw Realistic Faces for Beginners Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Drawing Portraits Fundamentals: A Portrait-Artist.org Book (How to Draw People) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Creative, Inc.: The Ultimate Guide to Running a Successful Freelance Business Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Find Your Artistic Voice: The Essential Guide to Working Your Creative Magic Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Creature Garden: An Illustrator's Guide to Beautiful Beasts & Fictional Fauna Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to the Comic Book Universe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Shape of Ideas: An Illustrated Exploration of Creativity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Tales From the Loop Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for How Art Can Make You Happy
2 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
How Art Can Make You Happy - Bridget Watson Payne
Copyright © 2017 by Chronicle Books LLC.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.
ISBN 9781452153599 (epub, mobi)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Names: Payne, Bridget Watson, author.
Title: How art can make you happy / by Bridget Watson Payne.
Description: San Francisco : Chronicle Books, 2017.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016021862 | ISBN 9781452153223 (alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Art appreciation.
Classification: LCC N7477 .P39 2017 | DDC 701/.18—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016021862
Designed by Vanessa Dina
Chronicle Books LLC
680 Second Street
San Francisco, California 94107
www.chroniclebooks.com
Chronicle books and gifts are available at special quantity discounts to corporations, professional associations, literacy programs, and other organizations. For details and discount information, please contact our premiums department at corporatesales@chroniclebooks.com or at 1-800-759-0190.
ART IS MAGICAL
INTRODUCTION 8
WHAT IS ART ANYWAY? 10
ALL THE ART ALL THE TIME 11
WHY LOOKING AT ART WILL MAKE YOU A HAPPIER HUMAN BEING 12
ART IS MAGICAL 13
THE REALITY OF THE WORLD 14
Art Forces You Outside Your Own Limitations 17
Art That Looks Like the World Helps You See the World 19
Art That Doesn’t Look Like the World Helps You See the World 22
THE REALITY OF OTHER PEOPLE 24
The People Who Made This Art Were Real 26
The People Depicted in This Art Are Real 28
The People Who Have Seen This Art Were Real 30
THE REALITY OF YOURSELF 31
Art Makes You Feel 33
Art Makes You Think 35
Art Gives You Pleasure (Even When It’s Not Pleasant) 36
HOW TO FIND THE ART YOU LIKE 38
THE POWER OF LIKING 39
BE YOUR OWN TASTEMAKER 40
TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS 42
FINDING THE WORDS FOR WHAT YOU LIKE 44
IF WORDS FAIL 47
LET’S TALK ABOUT MUSEUMS 50
ART MUSEUMS ARE FOR YOU 51
A WORD ABOUT WALL TEXT AND AUDIO GUIDES 52
OFFICIAL PERMISSION REGARDING BLOCKBUSTER SHOWS 53
Why You Have Time to Go 54
Why It’s Ok Not to Go 56
ALTERNATIVE THINGS TO GO TO INSTEAD 57
HOW TO WALK INTO A MUSEUM AND ENJOY THE ART THERE 58
LOOKING AT PEOPLE LOOKING AT ART 62
WHAT IF THERE ARE NO MUSEUMS WHERE I LIVE? 63
FIND ART HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT 64
HOW TO VISIT ART GALLERIES 66
FACING THE FEAR 67
BASIC BEST PRACTICES FOR THE VISITING OF GALLERIES 68
HOW TO BE AN ART FART 72
IF ALL ELSE FAILS: PRETEND ART SHOPPING 74
HOW TO LOOK AT ART WITHOUT LEAVING YOUR HOUSE 78
THE JOY OF LOOKING AT ART IN YOUR PAJAMAS 79
SPENDING TIME WITH ART BOOKS 80
ONLINE RESOURCES 82
ART ON THE WALLS OF YOUR VERY OWN HOME 84
TALKING ABOUT ART 88
BIG HINT ABOUT MAKING CONVERSATION 89
ART SMART 90
NAME-DROPPING 91
GOOD CONVERSATION 92
MAKE AN ART DATE 95
NAME RETENTION TECHNIQUES 96
EXTRA CREDIT: MAKE YOUR OWN ART! 100
GET CREATIVE 101
EASY: PAINT WITH A KID 102
STEP IT UP A NOTCH: DRAW FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES EVERY DAY FOR A WEEK 103
THE CANON SUPER-SIMPLIFIED SO YOU CAN FINALLY STOP FEELING BAD ABOUT YOUR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THAT 104
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER 105
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 108
BIBLIOGRAPHY 109
About the Author 112
INTRODUCTION
Once upon a time you loved art. Or else you want to discover art now. It’s safe to assume one or the other of those things about you, right? Presumably the reason you’re reading a book called How Art Can Make You Happy right now is that you either once had, or aspire to have, a happy romance with art. Maybe the love went astray or maybe you can’t figure out how to get it off the ground in the first place. Maybe you used to go look at art in museums and galleries but you no longer make that a priority. Or maybe you want to do one or the other or both of those things but are afraid to start.
And none of