Read These Books to Become More Creative

In addition to being professional artists, Elli Milan and Casey Wakefield are avid readers. They discuss books they've read over the years that have helped them develop themselves personally and professionally.
Discover your passion for art and develop your skills with us. If you like this video make sure to subscribe to our channel for more content.
Interested in more epic tales from Elli Milan? Join the Artist Odyssey Community! Visit www.ellimilan.com and subscribe to her weekly digest of worthwhile inspiration and heart-lifting reflections as she shares her insights as a successful artist, author, educator, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker.
Catch all seasons of the inspiring Light Movement podcast where professional artists discuss topics designed to elevate your art to another level with this exciting art podcast. • The Light Movement Pod...
Watch artists create art from start to finish in our brand new series Start to Finish: • Start to Finish
For a fun and entertaining romp through art history, check out our new series Masters Before Us. Explore a variety of artists throughout time, from the most widely known to the most niche and obscure . • Masters Before Us
Learn more about our one-year art program that is designed to take anyone at any level in art and turn them into a professional: tinyurl.com/maimp2022
Whether you want to dive into art history, discuss current artist topics, or create beautiful art yourself, Milan Art Institute is the community you’ve been looking for.
Learn and connect with us!

[@milanartapp]

Learn more about our one-year art program that is designed to take anyone at any level in art and turn them into a professional: masteryprogram.com

[@rolo4945]

I had an art teacher who taught us to sketch from photos. When we got stuck she would tell us to turn the photo upside down and turn the sketch paper upside down and copy it that way. Sometimes our intellectual brain needs to stop putting ceilings on our creativity

[@Starstudded1000]

This whole talk is what I needed to hear as I have been fighting with an enormous gargoyles of my own making. I am in the mastery program and I have frozen up in the box exercise I stared failure and all I been doing is avoiding going back into the studio. So thank you. I needed this tonight.

[@eleniantoniou8287]

I find I use the excuse of my living environment, I share a flat with 6 people, my room is a small loft.. but have made it feel cosy. I paint on the floor in a small space and trying to motivate myself can be difficult yet sometimes my living conditions can inspire me to get creative because it will help me to finally buy a home with space to paint. Thank you for this post, I feel it was created just for me 🙏🏼❤️🦋

[@TracieWho]

easy for me to say where my resistance is. Lack of belief in myself and my skill

[@pamostman516]

I am a little over half way through The War of Art and my word for 2024 is resistance. It was astonishing to see all the forms it takes and stops me from attempting things. My plan is to enroll in the mastery program in January and resistance is raising its ugly head already and reminding me of all the other attempts I've done at something and did not carry through. But I want to be the man in the arena and daring greatly.

[@Quanisai]

The gargoyle is a great way to describe the resistance when wanting to create. He guards the right side of my brain and I have to fight him…even if I just have to scribble on paper

[@eonratslear981]

The Art Spirit by Robert Henri. I learn something new every time I read this book. It offers knowledge on many levels, when you are ready for it.

[@kenneth1767]

At least I was painting while listening to this.

[@onixlane]

Thank you for so much valuable information, you ladies are so healing; your energy is soothing yet strong.

[@milanartapp]

That is so kind for you to say! We thank you for your support!

[@michellegates3062]

Thank you for sharing these insights and books! When I can't get going I trick myself into going for a walk - I put on my walking shoes and tell myself I only have to walk to the gate. By the time I get to the gate, I want to keep walking. I know I'm silly, but it works every time.

[@WVgirl1959]

I can't help it, I have to say that this reminds me of the "Schweddy Balls" episode on SNL. Just because of the vocal agreements.❤

[@everymoment1007]

Thank you both for this creative, valuable and intelligent conversation. To add to the 'be creative in all of your life'... I love the art of William Morris, he was most active in the Arts and Crafts movement England, his quote on this "Have nothing in your house (and life, I think) that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful". Please more of this content, I am sitting in on this conversation hearing so much of value . xxtania

[@maryrushartist]

Very inspiring talk today. Surprisingly I hadn't heard of many of the books you recommended. I just ordered a couple of them from my local library. I can't wait to get them and learn! Thanks for all you do!!! Great to hear Casey. I'll look her up on social media and watch her from start to finish video.

[@grozdavranic6972]

Thank you so much for sharing...Great...Great Advice..

[@Kozette88]

The Artist Way by Julia Cameron 🌺💪🏾🌺

[@charleneproulx8618]

Great advice. I will check out these books. Thank you 😊

[@mariaminervadacanay1019]

I learned a lot! Thank you so much, Elli and Casey. God bless you more!

[@milanartapp]

God bless you as well❤️

[@RoseMCreations]

Could you list the book titles in the description? I can’t get the author names. Thank you 😊

[@tinkerquinn8580]

War of Art- Steven Pressfield The Artisan Soul- Erwin Raphael McManus Atomic Habits- James Clear Discipline Is Destiny- Ryan Holiday Daring Greatly- Brené Brown 😊

[@RoseMCreations]

@@tinkerquinn8580 thank you!

[@lisengel2498]

I like the factual info of the books talked about before the general dialogue of working and Living as a professional artist, so please write the references in the notes and then have your talk.

[@DDDD17890]

Great conversation, thank you! Some of them are free audiobooks here on yt, yay!🎉🎉

[@navalakshman5970]

Nice advice, it’s winter here , to cold , I can’t go to the patio where I paint

[@karinan.1716]

I love it, would you please add the links for the books?

[@Jeweliska]

Is there a coupon code for the Portrait Painting Essentials?

[@CristinaArriolaart]

Tyou

[@Andrea-Rose]

💚💚💚

[@michaelnadin]

no studio yet but my resistence came from family and much

[@Sushi33312]

Keep striving! I finally got a studio space a year ago and it was my life's dream! I am 69 yrs old. Never give up!

[@michaelnadin]

@@Sushi33312 I'm not don't worry

[@michaelnadin]

@@Sushi33312 and thanks for the comment, I appreciate it

[@Flatshader]

My resistance is my depression that gets in the way.

[@kathleenflanagan6760]

How do you beat resistance when you spent your life working hard to become an accomplished artist and your spouse wears you down year after year and makes it known that he thinks I'm wasting my time.

[@kenleergierig5156]

Make and take your own space and never forget who you are.

[@fabmediastudios3512]

I understand that your referencing the “right side of the brain” more as a metaphor for teaching purposes, but it should not be used. Saying that the rights side of the brain is the creative half and the left side is the analytical, has been proven wrong many decades ago (late 90’s) through functional MRI (fMRI) imaging. The book, “drawing on the right side of the brain” had brought the idea that creatives use their right side of the brain to the forefront of the creative world, but it was not at the time ever stated by any scientist that the brain is divided in such a way. It follows the same idea that we only use ten percent of our brain. That was taken out of context in the 1970’s when a doctor stated that it “appears that we only use about ten percent of our brain at any one moment,” which is also now proven false. In fact, science has seen that the brain may be working on a quantum-level after seeing to different sides of the brain communicating with one another directly (neurones) without using any existing or direct path between them. I’m sure someone will give me hell about tithes and try to argue the point, but we need to be careful, because some artists who have to work harder may give up because “they don’t have the right brain” working enough. What should be said is that the brain and the creative context of working in the arts allows us to do some exceptional things with enough training. I am unable to picture images with my “minds-eye” clearly, and I have to work at it to get something out of it, whereas others can define a whole seen down to the tiniest thing or fibre of the image. Being unable to clearly see something with your eyes closed (minds-eye) is called Aphantasia. Yet many artists have never experienced anything other than darkness.

[@steveb2145]

sorry, but it depends on where you are born, your life circumstances..do they allow you to have the freedom to be creative..humans are not born to be creative as in the artist sense..we are born to survive... luckily most in the west have the freedom to have the opportunity to be creative.. thats when we must not waste the opportunity.. a lot of good points here though..thanks..

[@RossJaynes]

OMG just list the books somewhere, this convo is so long and repetitive

[@tinkerquinn8580]

War of Art- Steven Pressfield The Artisan Soul- Erwin Raphael McManus Atomic Habits- James Clear Discipline Is Destiny- Ryan Holiday Daring Greatly- Brené Brown 😊

[@milanartapp]

Thank you for sharing them!

[@kelguy2002]

Oh thank you For saying What Everyone Is Thinking 😢zzzzzzzz

[@RossJaynes]

​@@kelguy2002np, this channel/all these videos talk a lot and doesn't really go anywhere lol

[@cynthiacairns9209]

So you're more of a blog person. Why are you wasting time watching a podcast?

[@evrwonderwhy]

Gosh, Casey sounds exactly like me! I have walls behind walls protecting me. If you do this all your life then when you reach your golden years you are alone behind those walls. 🫣