The hottest Creative Process Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Art & Illustration Topics

The story of Sublime's logo

The Sublime Newsletter • 534 implied HN points • 26 Oct 24
🪑 Design Creative Process
  1. Logos represent more than their appearance. They carry deeper meanings that connect with feelings and ideas, like innovation or nostalgia.
  2. Choosing a designer that breaks the mold can lead to unique and creative outcomes. Sometimes the riskier choice is to step outside the norm.
  3. The journey of creating something, like a logo, is just as important as the final product. It's about collaboration, sharing ideas, and making something beautiful together.

How I Pieced Together a Personal Style in Photography

In the Flash • 2238 implied HN points • 16 Oct 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Creative Process
  1. Developing a personal style in photography can take time and experimentation. It's normal to feel anxious about finding your unique voice.
  2. Originality in art comes from mixing ideas from different sources, not from trying to be completely unique. It's about remixing influences to create something new.
  3. Learning from other artists and styles can help shape your own work. It's okay to borrow elements that resonate with you to build your signature style.

Ina Garten Portraits for the New Yorker

In the Flash • 1698 implied HN points • 11 Oct 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Creative Process
  1. A photographer was advised to keep the shoot with Ina Garten simple and natural, avoiding anything unusual. This means sticking to natural light and straightforward setups.
  2. The photographer brought various tools for creativity but had to focus on a more minimalist approach as per the instructions.
  3. It's important in photography to balance creativity with the preferences of the subject or their team, ensuring everyone is comfortable.

Come See the Chair Show on Nov. 23

The American Peasant • 2036 implied HN points • 06 Oct 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Creative Process
  1. The Chair Show is happening on November 23, and it sounds like a fun event to see lots of interesting work.
  2. The person organizing the show prefers to sell their work directly rather than through a gallery, which often takes a large cut of the sales.
  3. They haven't shown their work in a gallery before, but they are excited about the opportunity and the social aspect of gallery shows.

You and I Meet in a Cosy Cafe

a constellation • 297 implied HN points • 23 Oct 24
🎶 Music Creative Process
  1. Writer's block can happen to anyone, and it's okay to not feel like writing sometimes. Sometimes life gets overwhelming, and we just need a break.
  2. It’s normal to want to keep certain creative projects private until they feel ready. Sometimes it feels special to keep things to ourselves.
  3. Feeling stuck on what to write about is common. It's important to remember that writing should be enjoyable, not just for others' expectations.
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Listening is the whole deal

Austin Kleon • 6554 implied HN points • 26 Jul 24
🎭️ Culture Creative Process
  1. Listening is really important in music and art. It helps you connect deeply with what you're experiencing, whether it's a song or a piece of writing.
  2. Movies like _Perfect Days_ show us the beauty of simple life moments, like taking photos and enjoying music, reminding us to appreciate everyday experiences.
  3. When creating something, many artists say they listen to their work. It’s like the art guides them on what to do next—this shows how important it is to be open and receptive during the creative process.

The Colorful Fever Dream of Djeneba Aduayom

In the Flash • 1039 implied HN points • 03 Oct 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Creative Process
  1. Djeneba Aduayom mixes color and black and white in her photography, choosing based on the story she wants to tell. This flexible approach helps her capture different feelings and interpretations.
  2. When dealing with creative burnout, she takes time to pause and reflect, engages in unrelated activities, and practices self-compassion. This process helps her recharge and reconnect with her creativity.
  3. Djeneba believes staying true to herself is the most important part of her art. Rather than following trends or fitting into categories, she focuses on creating work that reflects her unique experiences.

This is NOT my essay

Jeff Giesea • 279 implied HN points • 17 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Creative Process
  1. Using AI tools can change how we think about writing and creation. When we use apps to help us, it makes the process different from traditional writing.
  2. The idea of an original creation is becoming less clear. With many voices and influences in AI, it’s hard to say who truly owns the work.
  3. Collaboration with technology might be the new way to create. Instead of being solo artists, we are now partners with our tools, reshaping what creating really means.

I Used ChatGPT Vision and DALL-E 3 to Bring My Drawings to Life

Artificial Corner • 238 implied HN points • 18 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Creative Process
  1. You can use ChatGPT Vision and DALL-E 3 to turn your drawings into beautiful digital images. Just upload your drawing and get a detailed description to recreate it.
  2. Even simple sketches can be transformed into stunning visuals using these tools. They can enhance not only complex art but also quick doodles.
  3. You can also use ChatGPT to convert math formulas from screenshots into LaTeX code, making it easier to create professional-looking documents for school or research.

Sub Club Weekly Digest #2 (ish)

The Sub Club Newsletter • 495 implied HN points • 05 Oct 24
📚 Literature Creative Process
  1. There are new features on Chill Subs that show popular and competitive literary magazines. This helps writers find where to submit their work.
  2. The Submitter's Club offers help in getting work submitted to magazines. Members can submit their pieces and receive personalized recommendations.
  3. A new column called Story Doctors will answer craft questions about writing. Writers can submit their work for feedback and tips on improving their pieces.

Can AI's Sameness Problem Be Solved? This Founder Thinks So.

Big Technology • 4878 implied HN points • 14 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Creative Process
  1. AI-generated content often looks and sounds the same, which is a problem for creativity. The issue isn't with the technology itself, but how people use it.
  2. To create unique content, it's important to think carefully about your vision and provide references before using AI tools. Just pushing a button won't yield great results.
  3. Success with AI tools takes practice and iteration. Great content often comes from trying many different ideas and refining them over time.

Why I Take Gifts Seriously

The Honest Broker • 16057 implied HN points • 07 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Creative Process
  1. Gifts are important for building connections and community. They create goodwill and bonds that money alone cannot achieve.
  2. In the digital age, creative people often give their work away for free, which can undervalue their gifts and hurt their livelihood.
  3. We need to be open about the exploitation happening in the creative field and support platforms that respect and reward artists fairly.

The Architecture Of Ideas

Adjacent Possible • 506 implied HN points • 03 Feb 26
🪑 Design Creative Process
  1. Curating a notebook or collection is itself a creative act: assembling sources, visuals, and artifacts turns research into an exhibit that shapes how ideas are discovered and shared.
  2. A creative environment is broad and intentional: physical spaces, digital tools, rituals, and social networks all act as infrastructure that helps capture slow hunches and produce serendipitous idea collisions.
  3. Practical workflows and rules make long-form thinking possible: capture systems, movable-text tools, editing habits, and AI-assisted research help organize messy fragments so you can surface ideas you wouldn’t have found otherwise.

On Writing #2

Don't Worry About the Vase • 2464 implied HN points • 17 Nov 25
📚 Literature Creative Process
  1. Using AI tools for writing can be tricky. Sometimes, they're not very helpful in improving the writing itself, but they can be good for checking grammar and spotting errors.
  2. It's easier to write longer posts since people expect less from them. However, writing a shorter piece can actually require more effort to make every word count.
  3. Most people hear about a piece of writing from others instead of reading it themselves. So, how a message spreads can be just as important as the content itself.

The work of art

Austin Kleon • 2417 implied HN points • 30 Apr 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Creative Process
  1. Not being concerned about being liked can free up your creativity. It allows you to express yourself more freely without the pressure of pleasing others.
  2. Having a clear sense of taste is important in creative work. Knowing what you like helps you to articulate your preferences and make better choices.
  3. Editing is more than just correcting mistakes; it's about improving and refining your work. Great editors help you see what's missing and guide you to enhance your creation.

The Power of Second Acts in an Artist’s Life

Science of Art • 99 implied HN points • 03 Oct 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Creative Process
  1. Second acts in an artist's life are opportunities for reinvention and growth. They often come after personal changes and challenge artists to evolve their work.
  2. Many artists find renewed success or new directions after facing hardships. Experiences like illness or life transitions can inspire powerful and transformative art.
  3. It's never too late for artists to achieve recognition. Some artists create their best work later in life, showing that creativity can flourish at any age.

Processing: How Brandon Taylor Wrote Minor Black Figures

Counter Craft • 644 implied HN points • 20 Dec 25
📚 Literature Creative Process
  1. A novel should carry ideas and show people struggling with political and ideological conflicts in their social context, so writers shouldn’t fear being called didactic when they dramatize competing worldviews.
  2. Keep characters embodied by showing physical sensations and the social texture around them; after a few high-minded thoughts, return to what the body feels so scenes stay grounded and real.
  3. Use concrete craft habits: prefer a flexible, subjectivized third person, try drafting tricks like narrow margins and retyping for big revisions, and describe art as a character’s subjective impression rather than a literal recreation; reading theory can make writing harder but gives you sharper tools and clearer choices.

What Does Enough Mean?

CRAFT TALK • 3950 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
📚 Literature Creative Process
  1. Be gentle with yourself and acknowledge when you have accomplished enough.
  2. Focus on creating something that can make a lasting impact, even if it's just one thing.
  3. What feels like 'enough' is subjective and can vary from person to person.

What Victor Hugo taught me about writing during political upheaval

The Novelleist • 586 implied HN points • 15 Dec 25
📚 Literature Creative Process
  1. Political upheaval can derail creativity and make you overly reactionary, leaving you unsure what role your writing should play.
  2. Art can be a powerful tool of resistance; shifting form and tone lets writers attack injustice while still holding onto ideals.
  3. Decide whether you’ll cover the daily political trenches or use art to point toward a better future, and prioritize work that unites people around beauty, freedom, truth, and love.

Todd Rundgren as a songwriter and performer: The Creator Series #5

Rock 'n' Roll with Me • 279 implied HN points • 02 Aug 24
🎶 Music Creative Process
  1. Todd Rundgren believes there are different levels of musicians: entertainers, performers, and artists, with artists being the rarest who create unpredictable and unique expressions. He thinks being a performer is the best way to make a stable living in music.
  2. He values artistic freedom over chasing fame, using his success as a producer to create music that reflects his true self without worrying about commercial success. He sees the process of creating something from nothing as a key motivation for his work.
  3. Todd emphasizes the importance of practical help for artists, sharing how his manager supported him in both personal and professional matters, allowing him to focus on his music. He also finds inspiration from the music ecosystem around him and the collaborations he engages in.

Why Write Anything

CRAFT TALK • 5070 implied HN points • 19 Sep 23
📚 Literature Creative Process
  1. Having a quiet space like a porch can impact your creative process positively.
  2. Social media can be a mixed bag for creativity and connection.
  3. Meaningful writing requires genuine intent and thoughtfulness.

What questions should writers ask?

The Common Reader • 2764 implied HN points • 05 Jun 25
📚 Literature Creative Process
  1. Writers today should focus on asking deeper questions instead of just discussing surface-level political issues. This can help bring more relevance back to literature.
  2. There is an ongoing debate about how different forms of writing can be explored beyond novels and personal essays. Writers should think about how new platforms like Substack can influence this.
  3. The literary community should work on encouraging and promoting new talent, especially those who can connect with modern themes and technologies like AI.

For the Strikers

CRAFT TALK • 3871 implied HN points • 06 Sep 23
📚 Literature Creative Process
  1. Encouragement to continue writing for oneself, even in difficult times.
  2. Reflection on finding joy in writing through personal experiences and storytelling.
  3. Affirmation of the value in writing and importance of maintaining a love for the craft.

Mike Leigh’s gloriously inefficient filmmaking process

Subtle Maneuvers • 2220 implied HN points • 13 Nov 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creative Process
  1. Mike Leigh's filmmaking process starts with no script or story idea, just actors talking to create characters.
  2. Leigh's method involves months of rehearsals where actors improvise to bring characters to life before scripting.
  3. Leigh's unique and time-consuming approach to filmmaking results in fully realized, human characters and unforgettable movies.

Building my dream studio

Austin Kleon • 6734 implied HN points • 06 Dec 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Creative Process
  1. Creating a dedicated workspace can boost your creativity, especially if it reflects your personal style and needs. Building a space designed just for you can help keep things organized and focused.
  2. It's important to stay flexible and open-minded when designing your workspace. Things can change during the process, and being adaptable can help you make the most of any situation.
  3. Natural light and a good view are crucial for a productive environment. A well-lit space can make working feel enjoyable, transforming how you approach your projects.

New Painting Video: Baby Killer Benny

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1243 implied HN points • 03 Jul 25
🎨 Art & Illustration Creative Process
  1. There's a new painting video about Benjamin Netanyahu, where the creator discusses his recent comments on war crimes. It’s a creative way to engage in political commentary.
  2. The artist encourages viewers to watch the video on YouTube and offers various ways to support their work. They emphasize that all work is freely available for sharing and reuse.
  3. This newsletter is reader-supported, highlighting the importance of community backing for independent creators. It's a reminder that we can help keep such voices active.

Happy New Year

Story Club with George Saunders • 128 implied HN points • 01 Jan 26
📚 Literature Creative Process
  1. Decide first whether you really want to be published and let that honest desire guide your choices about how much time and energy to spend on it.
  2. Keep the business of publishing separate from your creative work by setting aside a small, regular block of time (for example, one afternoon every two weeks) and tracking submissions with a simple list or spreadsheet.
  3. Treat submission and rejection as useful feedback: trying to publish can motivate better work, reveal when an approach isn’t engaging readers, and free you to change direction toward originality.

What’s the matter?

Austin Kleon • 2058 implied HN points • 01 Aug 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creative Process
  1. Asking 'What’s the matter?' helps us understand what's bothering us and can lead to artistic ideas. It's a question that sparks creativity.
  2. The discomfort or irritation we feel can be the starting point for new work. Those feelings can inspire us to create something meaningful.
  3. We can also think about 'matter' in terms of the physical materials we use, like paint or paper. Getting hands-on might help when we're unsure of what to create.

Another clueless person attempts to defend generative AI "art"

Top Carbon Chauvinist • 19 implied HN points • 08 Sep 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Creative Process
  1. Generative AI art lacks true artistic intent because it does not involve a person making conscious creative decisions.
  2. Many famous art movements involved randomness, but they still required an artist's direction and vision.
  3. Using AI to create art can lead to results that are very different from what the person intended, making it hard to consider those results as true art.

Phantom Muse

Seven Senses • 1258 implied HN points • 28 Oct 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creative Process
  1. Creative inspiration often feels like it's not from the artist, but rather comes through them. Many artists think of themselves as channels for a mysterious creative energy.
  2. Some artists, like Barbara Kingsolver and Hilma Af Klint, have connected with the spirits of past creators to gather inspiration. These experiences highlight the idea that creativity can link us to something greater.
  3. Our five senses, plus intuition, can help us connect with creative muses and the memories of loved ones. We can use rituals, art, and even food to honor these connections and explore our creativity.

Almost everything I've written seems wrong now

Sasha's 'Newsletter' • 2302 implied HN points • 03 Nov 24
📚 Literature Creative Process
  1. Many writers feel that their past work no longer reflects their current ideas. They might find their old writing overly simplistic or disagreeable.
  2. Personal growth and changing beliefs make it hard to reconcile old writing with new thoughts. It's challenging to explain complex ideas that now contradict previous statements.
  3. Instead of worrying about regrets or how future readers will judge them, writers find peace in seeing their work as an offering. They hope that readers will learn and grow from both the mistakes and successes in their writing.

Masks Full of Feeling

Animation Obsessive • 448 implied HN points • 15 Aug 25
🎨 Art & Illustration Creative Process
  1. Kihachiro Kawamoto was a brilliant Japanese animator known for his incredible films. His works, like 'The Demon' and 'House of Flame', offer a stunning visual experience.
  2. The newsletter focuses on the art of masks in animation. Masks are not just for looks; they also convey deep emotions and feelings.
  3. Stop-motion animation is a significant theme of the discussion. It shows a unique and older technique that brings characters to life in a special way.

Drawing his way to 100k

Kenny’s Sub • 199 implied HN points • 27 May 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Creative Process
  1. Experimenting is essential. Janis Ozolins tried many different ideas before he found success with drawing. He learned a lot through mistakes and kept exploring until he found what worked for him.
  2. The grind is part of the job. Even if you love what you do, there are always some tasks that can feel tedious, like answering emails or bookkeeping. It’s important to find a balance between fun work and those less enjoyable tasks.
  3. Building an audience matters. Janis didn't rely heavily on freelance work at first. Instead, he focused on creating valuable content and engaging with his audience, which naturally led to opportunities without having to chase them.

Pyrotechnics and Play

Animation Obsessive • 1704 implied HN points • 29 Nov 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Creative Process
  1. Atsuko Fukushima is a talented Japanese animator known for her unique and playful style in various anime projects, including well-known films like Akira. Her work shines with energetic and whimsical animation.
  2. Fukushima's notable projects include the opening sequence of Robot Carnival and the short film Genius Party, showcasing her dynamic approach to animation. Both works, while different in tone, represent her signature style of bright visuals and lively motion.
  3. Throughout her career, Fukushima has contributed to both mainstream and independent anime, illustrating her versatility and creative spirit in the animation industry.