Essential read for every artist: Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead
Ivan | Tue, 2009-02-17 22:14
If there is one book you will read this year, make it The Fountainhead:
Hardcover book on Amazon.com
Audiobook in the iTMS
There are times in your career when you start questioning your profession. Such times are when client is asking you to ruin the work you are so happy with or when you have to work all night long to get a project done on time. Shall I just copy something and be done with it? Should I change my career and get a simple 9-5 quiet job? Is it all really worth it?
In The Fountainhead Ayn Rand gives you answers to many such questions and most importantly gives you a strong moral and philosophical foundation that you can build on no matter what life throws at you.
This book is the bible for any artist including designers who is serious about his craft.
Beware, the book will set standards that are very difficult to achieve for any designer. At the same time every step you take towards that ideal will make you ever more proud of your decisions and your work.
If you have read The Fountainhead, please let me know what you thoughts are. Also, let me know if there is any other book you can think of that has a profound impact on a designer's attitude toward his work.
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I'm there right now. Will pick this book up and read it. But who now is going to start the book club blog? ;)
"Art -- the one achievement of Man which has made the long trip up from all fours seem well advised." - James Thurber
Read it a couple of years ago and loved it. Atlas Shrugged, though harder to get into, is just as rewarding. I recognise the character types she describes very well, though as you say: living up to the ideal is tough going!
try before u buy
http://btjunkie.org/search?q=The+Fountainhead
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Its really funny that you posted this. I've just begun reading the book on the recommendation of my father. However, I've been aware of it and its theme for some time.
Although I'm a designer, I've been most impressed with the Fountainheads's simpler context. The sheer number of social boundaries a creative mind encounters is daunting beyond belief. It's a wonder anyone had the guts (or lunacy) to propose and back a totally new idea like heliocentrism, evolution, or even modern movements like the International Typographic Style. With nay-sayers around every corner, I'm sure it's hard. This book fluffs my persona well (maybe too much) since I've recently gained the ability to completely disregard the opinions of honest, respectable and intelligent people when I can see that they don't have an intrepid curiosity as I do. I've found out lately that many people are annoyed with ambition (especially young ambition)
I haven't gotten very far in this book but what I have read makes Roark almost my hero. I'm not sure that's the intended affect. Some may see him as a bumbling idiot with little foresight or care for his future.... The thought occurred to me in reading the first two chapters, there's a bit of similarity to the Catcher in the Rye. Anyone see it? ...without putting out a spoiler, please. :)
Nathan Hart Allen
SD Creative Director
cell: 479.236.7398
www.somethingdesigned.com
"God helps them that help themselves." -- Benjamin Franklin
To clarify and qualify what you said, I think the point is never to disregard the opinions of others, especially honest intelligent people. But rater to disregard them when you see that their honesty, integrity and intelligence has been curbed by a lack of thought or curiosity.
The book is very much about being true to yourself and your vision, but always understanding where and when you can learn from others. And also knowing the limits of your vision/self and being willing to learn enough to expand them.
As designers, I think the trickiest challenge we face day to day is persuading people to take chances that we know aren't really chances, and that we can find better, smarter ways to work if only they would drop their preconceptions.
I just finished Atlas Shrugged about a month ago and loved it, I feel like I can read anything after getting through that monster of a book. Since I really enjoyed her other book so well and based on several recommendations I've seemed to get recently I'm going to have to add this one to my queue to see what all the fuss is about.
I'm sure it's going to be excellent even if it's just half as good as Atlas Shrugged. I'm going to need a good book after I finish "The Age of Spiritual Machines", it's pretty compelling stuff but I can't help but get a little creeped out by it.
Steve
Thanks for the recommendation Ivan. This has come at a perfect time for me as I've been struggling with motivation. Lately I've taken quite a spiritual path, I'm quite far down it and it's changed a lot of my perceptions. Especially about the material world in which we live for a few short years. To cut a long story short, I'm looking for a more 'spiritual' motivation to keep me designing marketing literature such material things. I'm hoping I will find some guidance in this book.
Thanks again, Ivan, for your perfect timing.
Steve
fu•gu
the design agency
Steve
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Graphic Designer and Founder of fu•gu
http://www.fuguagency.co.uk
I just ordered a copy on Amazon. Yeah, when the all-nighter gets pulled I do sometimes think what the heck am I doing. Could be working at Home Depot or something with no worries. I love what I do and am curious as to what this book addresses.
I read Matt Ruffs "Sewer, Gas & Electric: The Public Works Trilogy " (in german translation) which is a parodie of Atlas Shrugged and liked it a lot.
Perhaps I should try the original now ;)
I read it about two years ago when I arrived in NYC, based on a recommendation from my wife, and from Joshua Davis (took a Flash class with him).
It blew me away, yet I also struggle with its reality. I mean, Ed Wood thought he was a Howard Roark, no?
Not to mention how do you eat when your buildings are honest and true, yet earn you no scratch. Although I guess the answer's in there too: Stay hungry.
On the flip side, I 100% un-recommend the movie version: PU!
Yeah, the black and white movie is really a disappointment, but it's impossible to recreate the book in a 2 hour movie. It should've been a series.
Steve Ditko who co-created Spider-Man is a huge fan of Ayn Rand. He was given an opportunity to create a comicbook based on The Fountainhead but rejected the offer. Said he didn't want to illustrate such important characters and have his illustrations serve as how people image the characters actually look.
The first thing an artist needs to learn is to make the boss happy!
We live in the real world mac-people! Bills must be paid!
http://fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com
http://fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com
I am not Steve Ballmer pretending not to be me!
Often times, what makes the boss happy isn't what's best for him, and therefore not what's best for you.
Nathan Hart Allen
SD Creative Director
cell: 479.236.7398
www.somethingdesigned.com
"God helps them that help themselves." -- Benjamin Franklin
All you need to do is to make him happy
http://www.funmahol.com