The hottest Creativity Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Art & Illustration Topics

False sharing and the suppression of creativity

Technology, Environment, and Art • 39 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. Sharing in the context of social media has shifted from self-expression to generating content for consumerism and mass appeal.
  2. Technology platforms often train us to modify our expressions to fit their standards, sacrificing true creativity for recognition.
  3. To maintain genuine creative expression, prioritize creating what you want over chasing likes and followers, and be wary of distorting your content for tech platforms.

2022 Annual (Meta)Review

Weekly Wisdom • 99 implied HN points • 12 Jan 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Creativity
  1. Reflecting on and reviewing the past year is important for personal growth and self-awareness.
  2. Consistency in journaling, planning, and reflecting can be a valuable tool for personal development and understanding oneself.
  3. Engaging in activities that promote collaboration, creativity, learning, and spirituality can lead to meaningful personal growth and fulfillment.

Musings from past

10x your mind • 59 implied HN points • 23 Nov 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity
  1. The author finds writing as a creative exercise and a way to connect with readers late at night on Thursdays.
  2. The post shares a poetic reflection from a past evening run, expressing unity with nature and surroundings.
  3. The author conveys a message of seeking creativity and inspiration from past works during times of writer's block.

#113 Is anyone there?

Design Lobster • 239 implied HN points • 11 Jul 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity
  1. Sophisticated AI tools are changing how art and design are created, sparking debates on the nature of creativity and artistry.
  2. Design that connects with its context can reveal surprising and special elements, adding depth and meaning to the work.
  3. The core of design always revolves around people, emphasizing the importance of designing with empathy and understanding the human element.
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#106 Design stinks!

Design Lobster • 299 implied HN points • 04 Apr 22
🪑 Design Creativity
  1. Consider incorporating scent into your design to evoke emotions and memories.
  2. Explore the creative possibilities of using machines with scent-detection capabilities in various industries.
  3. Good design is often overlooked when it works well, but stands out when it fails.

How to do good work and give good advice | #24

pole • 78 implied HN points • 08 Jun 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity
  1. Factoring, in algebra and art, involves breaking things apart to reuse useful parts elsewhere.
  2. Great work is often a remix of existing parts and following advocated principles.
  3. When giving advice, focus on asking questions, sharing stories, and providing context rather than giving direct advice.

The Erosion of Taste in the Age of Mass Production

Superfluid • 92 implied HN points • 15 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. Taste can't be simplified into a formula or process. It's something unique that comes from genuine understanding and experience, not just copying others.
  2. There's a danger in mass production and optimization. It leads to mediocrity and a lack of real creativity, which can hurt genuine innovation.
  3. True Taste involves seeing connections between different ideas and fields. It's about creativity and thinking deeply, not just following trends or patterns.

Thoughts after midnight

Jyri And • 19 implied HN points • 09 May 24
📚 Literature Creativity
  1. Sometimes, it's hard to start writing even when you have ideas. The pressure can make it feel overwhelming, like building a sand castle that falls apart.
  2. Waiting for inspiration to hit can lead to frustration. Relying on the subconscious might not always work, and it's okay to feel stuck sometimes.
  3. Expressing your feelings, even in a moment of doubt, can help clarify your thoughts. Writing down those feelings might just be a step toward finding a solution.

Issue 57 takes wing

Crow & Colophon • 19 implied HN points • 16 Apr 24
📚 Literature Creativity
  1. Issue 57 of The Bombay Literary Magazine is now live with a diverse collection of stories, poems, and more from different eras and backgrounds.
  2. The concept of a Table of Contents (TOC) has been around for a long time, but its true usefulness for readers is questioned, emphasizing the importance of letting the content speak for itself.
  3. The completion of literary works happens when they reside in the reader's mind, suggesting that art remains incomplete until interpreted and understood by individual readers.

Good Luck / episode eight

Nice Try • 39 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. In 1975, Brian Eno started recording his album with no ideas but a unique approach to creativity.
  2. He used a set of cards called Oblique Strategies to inspire his creative process.
  3. This method emphasized thinking outside the box and trying new things in the studio.

Taylor Sheridan's Lightbulb Moment (Tapping into your creative energy)

Neckar’s Notes • 90 implied HN points • 11 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. Creative energy is essential for success. Like light bulbs, we need to be connected to a source to shine our brightest.
  2. Taylor Sheridan's career shows that persistence can lead to breakthroughs. After years of struggle, he shifted from acting to writing and directing, which changed everything for him.
  3. True change comes from understanding who you really are and being true to yourself. Sheridan found success when he embraced his true identity instead of trying to fit into a role.

Going deep with Depths of Wikipedia's Annie Rauwerda

escape the algorithm • 159 implied HN points • 02 Nov 22
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. Traveling, exploring, and experiencing different places can lead to unique opportunities and perspectives, like unexpectedly owning a piece of undersea internet cable.
  2. Delving into the depths of the internet, like Wikipedia, can reveal hidden treasures and interesting stories that showcase the human effort behind online platforms.
  3. The internet offers a space for diverse communities and shared interests, enabling connections, creativity, and the exchange of valuable information.

Week #2 Friday Stuckism Mini-exhibition

The False Consensus Effect • 59 implied HN points • 05 Nov 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity
  1. Week #2 of the Friday Stuckist Mini-Exhibition included various artworks and a gathering of people for a 25th-anniversary celebration.
  2. The exhibition featured a diverse selection of paintings and artwork created by different individuals.
  3. The event had a lively atmosphere with drinks, food, and interactions among visitors, fostering a sense of community and creativity.

#52 Designers, what is "taste"?

Design Lobster • 599 implied HN points • 25 Jan 21
🪑 Design Creativity
  1. Taste in design involves forming opinions based on gut instincts that can be justified intellectually.
  2. The concept of taste in design is not about elitism but about embracing and learning from the wider world.
  3. Efficient and aesthetically appealing design, like the Crinkle crankle wall, can come from revisiting basic principles with creativity.

How Not to AI

The Intersection • 59 implied HN points • 02 Nov 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity
  1. Authenticity is becoming increasingly valuable in a world where AI can create realistic but artificial images.
  2. Using AI in creative work offers convenience, speed, and experimentation opportunities, but also raises concerns about originality and authenticity.
  3. As AI technology advances, maintaining authenticity, pursuing originality, and ensuring quality become crucial to stand out amid the convenience AI offers.

The Abyss and The Gulp

Austin Kleon • 399 implied HN points • 14 Dec 21
📚 Literature Creativity
  1. There is a big gap between doing research and actually writing. Many people find it easier to keep researching instead of starting the writing process.
  2. Once you finish writing, there is another challenge in getting it published or shared. The transition from writing to publishing can feel overwhelming.
  3. Creativity often involves facing these gaps and challenges. Understanding them can help people overcome obstacles in their creative work.

Taming the Blue Bird

The Joyous Struggle • 118 implied HN points • 30 Sep 22
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. The author is using Substack as a way to wean off a Twitter addiction and find a new creative outlet for writing.
  2. Twitter can be intellectually and socially stimulating but also lead to status anxiety, time wasted, and fear of missing out.
  3. The relationship with Twitter is complex – it offers validation but can be imprisoning, prompting the author to seek new spaces like Substack for a change.

Why Sucking At Writing Is The First Step To Being Good At It

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 179 implied HN points • 25 Oct 22
📚 Literature Creativity
  1. It's normal to not be great at something when you start. Embracing that feeling can actually help you improve.
  2. Sucking at writing can be a positive experience. It helps develop grit and can make writing more enjoyable.
  3. Instead of worrying about what others think, focus on enjoying the writing process. Everyone starts somewhere, and having fun matters!

What I Ought To Be Doing: Planting and Growing

polymathematics • 139 implied HN points • 13 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. Exploring multiple interests is important. You don’t have to stick to one path, and trying new things can lead to personal growth.
  2. Finding what you love is a journey. It's crucial to pay attention to how activities make you feel and find the right mix of skills and enjoyment.
  3. Impact matters in your work. Think about how what you do can benefit the world, and remember that it's fine to have hobbies outside of your career.

Projects

Obvious Bicycle • 275 HN points • 17 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. There's always a better version of your project, but at some point you must release it.
  2. Deadlines are important for finishing projects, but letting them evolve can lead to better results.
  3. If you're working on something, it's for you, and writing helps clarify your thoughts.

Welcome to The (Im)Posture

On Looking • 239 implied HN points • 05 Apr 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity
  1. The newsletter 'The (Im)Posture' aims to offer a critical space for illustrators to engage beyond common industry narratives and delve into the complexities of the field.
  2. The author emphasizes illustration as an expertise and a critical practice, encouraging questioning and reflection on topics like creativity, capitalism, and ethics.
  3. Unlike most newsletters, there is no extra content for paid subscribers; the focus is on creating valuable work without monetary barriers, with an option for readers to support if they find the content adds value.

Illustrating AI

On Looking • 79 implied HN points • 22 Mar 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity
  1. Illustrators have the power to shape public opinion on AI by leveraging their expertise in visual storytelling.
  2. There are ongoing efforts, like lawsuits and digital tools, to protect artists' work in the face of AI-generated art and copyright infringement.
  3. The representation of AI in illustrations can be reimagined to reflect the real-world impact of AI technologies, moving away from the typical futuristic and idealistic portrayals.

Nine ways to overcome the fear of making something bad

A Bit Gamey • 6 implied HN points • 14 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. Beginnings are naturally clumsy, but showing up regularly leads to steady improvement.
  2. Lower the stakes by calling your work a sketch or experiment, make small fast iterations, and treat failures as data so fear doesn’t stop you.
  3. Surround yourself with curious peers and good teachers, track progress not perfection, and keep a bit of confident optimism to keep going.

Losing words

The Leftovers • 99 implied HN points • 22 Nov 22
📚 Literature Creativity
  1. The author reflects on the idea that sometimes writing is meant to be left behind, rather than preserved or shared.
  2. The text discusses Daniela Cascella's book 'Singed,' which delves into themes of loss in various forms.
  3. The narrative explores the notion of writing as a cathartic process, allowing the writer to let go and embrace the act of losing words.

8. Principles for Solving Problems

Insight Axis • 59 implied HN points • 12 Apr 23
📖 Philosophy Creativity
  1. Problems are solvable, interesting problems have solutions waiting to be discovered.
  2. Understand why a problem exists to establish context and motivation for finding a solution.
  3. Question your basic assumptions to ensure they are true and necessary.

The Art of Inquiry

The Intersection • 59 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity
  1. Curiosity and critical thinking are important for personal and professional growth.
  2. Always question the problem first before jumping into finding the answer; make sure you're solving the right problem.
  3. Identify your unique strength or advantage and leverage it confidently for success.

Repetition is your friend

The Leftovers • 59 implied HN points • 20 Mar 23
📚 Literature Creativity
  1. Repetition can be helpful in writing, as it can lead to breakthroughs in creativity and overcoming blocks.
  2. Focusing on excessive thinking before writing may hinder progress, while allowing the story to evolve through writing can be more beneficial.
  3. Persistence in writing is essential, even if faced with initial challenges and frustrations.

Clear your mind the ‘write’ way

10x your mind • 59 implied HN points • 13 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Creativity
  1. Utilize mind dumping to declutter your thoughts, reduce stress, and regain focus by letting all your thoughts out on paper or screen.
  2. Try free writing to tap into your creativity, explore your thoughts, and overcome writer's block by letting your ideas flow without judgment or editing.
  3. Engage in action-oriented writing to regain control, prioritize tasks, and make progress toward your goals by following a structured approach after a mind dump.

What we write about when we write about nothing

The Leftovers • 59 implied HN points • 21 Aug 23
📚 Literature Creativity
  1. The post discusses the challenge of feeling drained of writing ideas and only being able to write about nothing.
  2. The content is presented in the form of a diary entry or a letter rather than a structured essay.
  3. The writer suggests readers to view the post as writing around the edges of the page, capturing a sense of nothingness in writing.

Collective Creativity

The Intersection • 59 implied HN points • 27 Sep 23
💼 Business Creativity
  1. Establish a common purpose for the company to align everyone's efforts.
  2. Foster a culture of debate to encourage creative tension and diverse perspectives.
  3. Value expertise within the team and highlight the importance of individual skills coming together for collective creativity.

How To Run An Offsite

Build To Scale • 59 implied HN points • 03 Oct 23
💼 Business Creativity
  1. An effective offsite meeting should have a clear purpose, such as planning for strategic changes, setting priorities, or working on challenging problems creatively.
  2. Include the next-level up-and-coming leaders in executive offsite meetings to have a broader impact and develop managerial talent.
  3. To tackle hard problems, gather a diverse group of people from different areas within the company to brainstorm solutions, as fresh perspectives can lead to creative breakthroughs.

end laziness now!

practiceprocesscraft • 58 implied HN points • 13 Feb 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Creativity
  1. Concepts like laziness can hinder creativity by giving a simplistic view of complex issues.
  2. Identify and deconstruct dominant concepts that block your creative process.
  3. By rewriting the story, you can recognize your real strengths and skills as a writer.