Packed with the signature can-do attitude that makes beloved artist Danny Gregory a creativity guru to thousands across the globe, this unique guide serves up a hearty helping of inspiration. For aspiring artists who want to draw and paint but just can’t seem to find time in the day, Gregory offers 5– to 10–minute exercises for every skill level that fit into any schedule—whether on a plane, in a meeting, or at the breakfast table—along with practical instruction on techniques and materials, plus strategies for making work that’s exciting, unintimidating, and fulfilling. Filled with Gregory’s encouraging words and motivating illustrations, Art Before Breakfast teaches readers how to develop a creative habit and lead a richer life through making art.
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1023 reviews for Art Before Breakfast: A Zillion Ways to be More Creative No Matter How Busy You Are
4.5out of 5
★★★★★
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★★★★★
Hemanth Pradeep –
Life changing. Danny Gregory makes you shed inhibitions and/or reservations you may have regarding making art. Well written, delightfully illustrated, a good confidence builder for the beginner to turn them into a regular practitioner. If you always wanted to make art but had hesitation to actually do, this book is your magic mantra. Danny tells you how to enjoy making art. I’ve been a more active artist post this book and signing up into his Facebook group ‘Everyday Matters’.
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★★★★★
BobC –
Danny encourages the reader to make art – all kinds of art. Not perfect art, but what you see around you. And do it every day. Danny shares ideas and a lot of his own drawings to illustrate his suggestions. Recommended for artists, wannabe artists, and everybody else!
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★★★★★
Priscilla de C. Nunes –
O que eu mais gosto nos livros do Danny Gregory é como ele sempre se esforça para nos inspirar, tirar da cabeça nos objeções auto impostas e mostrar que é fácil começar. Mesmo sendo um dos seus livros mais recentes, o conteúdo está voltado para quem pretende se aventurar na prática do “Art Journaling”, e que não sabe onde encontrar tempo.
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★★★★★
Parka –
The media could not be loaded.
I like Danny Gregory’s books on sketching. They are always lively and inspiring. I’ve every single one of them since his first book on drawing, The Creative License. In some ways, Art Before Breakfast feels like a sequel to that.
Art Before Breakfast is a book on drawing with lots of ideas on what you can draw, a few techniques you can try out and suggestions on where you can find time to sneak in a drawing or two on your sketchbook. The tone is enthusiastic and motivating. The example drawings are accessible and fun. Nothing too daunting and the challenge is to move your pen.
This is also a book on the virtues of drawing and Danny Gregory has included many of his personal thoughts on drawing that are bound to inspire.
This book works great as one you can pick up from time to time, flip to a random page to read and recharge your creative cells, and to find something to draw. I like the tips on random techniques, such as mixing media, and there are different ways on how you can approach your drawings, using reference, creating themes, silencing your inner critic and more.
Those who already know the basics of drawing, observational drawing, will get most out of the book. There are some introductory drawing lessons though, such as contour drawing, spotting negative space and using measurements. I feel that if you’re a beginner who knows nothing about drawing, those introductory lessons may or may not be enough for you because they are rather brief. So if you’re looking for a book to learn how to draw, this is not the appropriate book. This is a what-to-draw book.
Just like other books by Danny Gregory, I enjoy this book and would like to recommend it to anyone looking for inspiration and motivation to draw.
By the way, there’s no such thing as having enough books on inspiration. Check out the following books too:
Playing with Sketches Freehand: Sketching Tips and Tricks Drawn from Art Just Draw It! Keys to Drawing with Imagination Sketch!: The Non-Artist’s Guide to Inspiration, Technique, and Drawing Daily Life
(See more pictures of the book on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)
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★★★★★
TrixieLinda –
I just love that man Danny Gregory. He is a real inspiration to me. He is a warm human being who has become an important part of my life. And to think I had never heard of him until one short year ago when I enrolled in the newly formed Sketchbook Skool, an online set of “lessons” about sketching and incorporating drawing and creativity into your life. If anyone had told me that I would be drawing at this time of my life, I would have said that is the last thing on my bucket list. I would have said that I haven’t drawn anything since I was five years old and that I have no talent whatsoever. Well, I am testament to Danny’s success in motivating and inspiring people to incorporate “art” (with a small “a”) into their lives. He makes you feel that you can do it. When I am discouraged or haven’t done anything for awhile, he has a way of speaking right to me through his blog posts and books and getting me going again. He understands the obstacles. “Art Before Breakfast” is his latest compendium of ways to make art a daily habit not because you are trying to make a beautiful picture or something to put in an art exhibit but rather because it makes you happy and brings peace and calm to your life. “Art Before Breakfast” is full of simple ideas of what to draw, how to incorporate drawing into your life all illustrated with Danny’s charming sketches and attractive layout. It isn’t really a how to book but gives tips and just enough instruction to get you started. One of Danny’s mantra’s is to not get hung up on having to have any particular art materials. A pen, a piece of paper and five minutes will do. I have others of Danny’s books including “Everyday Matters” and I am glad that “Art Before Breakfast” uses typed script for most of the pages as opposed to Danny’s scratchy writing with a nib pen which I have found a little difficult to read in the other books. There is enough of the pen writing to reflect Danny’s style and personality but it is nice to be able to more easily read the main points.
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★★★★★
Anthony M. Faaborg –
This is the book that finally got me out of my fear and into actually making art. Mr Gregory has written a wonderful little book, part instruction and part philosophy. He exhorts us not to worry about making Art with a capital “A,” but rather to make art with a lower-case “a.” What a liberating charge! My art will almost certainly never hang in a museum, but it can bring just a little bit of beauty to the world, and in any event if I practice I’ll be happy even in the effort of doing art, regardless of the physical result. I hesitate to give away the ending, but I’m going to let you in on a little secret: we’re all going to die. Mr Gregory acknowledges this in a beautiful way: “Life is a process, and every one has the same end result: that last volume, partly filled, cut off when we thought there was still art left to make. No need to rush to get there. Make the most of the page that lies open before you today.” Thank you Mr Gregory, for this loving push, exactly the type of push I needed.
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★★★★★
Suzy C –
I loved his first section to get you sketching something each day before breakfast. I tried all the techniques and surprised myself by things I could draw, that I’d previously thought were too hard. The rest of the book is a collection of tips and encouragements to try different techniques and locations, so the ‘art before breakfast’ section is really only at the beginning. This is a beautiful, playful and very useful book for anyone wanting to try sketching or improve their skills.
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
Seema Miah –
Danny Gregory is responsible for encouraging me and so many others to make creating art a part of our lives, regardless of whether we feel if it’s ‘good enough.’ Here he shows how we can grab moments here and there to draw and sketch what we see around us. It’s also beautifully illustrated with Gregory’s artwork. Get this book if you need a supportive and humorous guide to how to incorporate creativity into your life.
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
Daniel –
No es manual de dibujo , sino un libro para motivarte a dibujar y pintar más, dándote consejos sobre donde hacerlo y que tiempo aprovechar . Muy recomendable
Hemanth Pradeep –
Life changing.
Danny Gregory makes you shed inhibitions and/or reservations you may have regarding making art.
Well written, delightfully illustrated, a good confidence builder for the beginner to turn them into a regular practitioner. If you always wanted to make art but had hesitation to actually do, this book is your magic mantra. Danny tells you how to enjoy making art.
I’ve been a more active artist post this book and signing up into his Facebook group ‘Everyday Matters’.
BobC –
Danny encourages the reader to make art – all kinds of art. Not perfect art, but what you see around you. And do it every day. Danny shares ideas and a lot of his own drawings to illustrate his suggestions. Recommended for artists, wannabe artists, and everybody else!
Priscilla de C. Nunes –
O que eu mais gosto nos livros do Danny Gregory é como ele sempre se esforça para nos inspirar, tirar da cabeça nos objeções auto impostas e mostrar que é fácil começar. Mesmo sendo um dos seus livros mais recentes, o conteúdo está voltado para quem pretende se aventurar na prática do “Art Journaling”, e que não sabe onde encontrar tempo.
Parka –
The media could not be loaded.
I like Danny Gregory’s books on sketching. They are always lively and inspiring. I’ve every single one of them since his first book on drawing, The Creative License. In some ways, Art Before Breakfast feels like a sequel to that.
Art Before Breakfast is a book on drawing with lots of ideas on what you can draw, a few techniques you can try out and suggestions on where you can find time to sneak in a drawing or two on your sketchbook. The tone is enthusiastic and motivating. The example drawings are accessible and fun. Nothing too daunting and the challenge is to move your pen.
This is also a book on the virtues of drawing and Danny Gregory has included many of his personal thoughts on drawing that are bound to inspire.
This book works great as one you can pick up from time to time, flip to a random page to read and recharge your creative cells, and to find something to draw. I like the tips on random techniques, such as mixing media, and there are different ways on how you can approach your drawings, using reference, creating themes, silencing your inner critic and more.
Those who already know the basics of drawing, observational drawing, will get most out of the book. There are some introductory drawing lessons though, such as contour drawing, spotting negative space and using measurements. I feel that if you’re a beginner who knows nothing about drawing, those introductory lessons may or may not be enough for you because they are rather brief. So if you’re looking for a book to learn how to draw, this is not the appropriate book. This is a what-to-draw book.
Just like other books by Danny Gregory, I enjoy this book and would like to recommend it to anyone looking for inspiration and motivation to draw.
By the way, there’s no such thing as having enough books on inspiration. Check out the following books too:
Playing with Sketches
Freehand: Sketching Tips and Tricks Drawn from Art
Just Draw It!
Keys to Drawing with Imagination
Sketch!: The Non-Artist’s Guide to Inspiration, Technique, and Drawing Daily Life
(See more pictures of the book on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)
TrixieLinda –
I just love that man Danny Gregory. He is a real inspiration to me. He is a warm human being who has become an important part of my life. And to think I had never heard of him until one short year ago when I enrolled in the newly formed Sketchbook Skool, an online set of “lessons” about sketching and incorporating drawing and creativity into your life. If anyone had told me that I would be drawing at this time of my life, I would have said that is the last thing on my bucket list. I would have said that I haven’t drawn anything since I was five years old and that I have no talent whatsoever. Well, I am testament to Danny’s success in motivating and inspiring people to incorporate “art” (with a small “a”) into their lives. He makes you feel that you can do it. When I am discouraged or haven’t done anything for awhile, he has a way of speaking right to me through his blog posts and books and getting me going again. He understands the obstacles. “Art Before Breakfast” is his latest compendium of ways to make art a daily habit not because you are trying to make a beautiful picture or something to put in an art exhibit but rather because it makes you happy and brings peace and calm to your life. “Art Before Breakfast” is full of simple ideas of what to draw, how to incorporate drawing into your life all illustrated with Danny’s charming sketches and attractive layout. It isn’t really a how to book but gives tips and just enough instruction to get you started. One of Danny’s mantra’s is to not get hung up on having to have any particular art materials. A pen, a piece of paper and five minutes will do. I have others of Danny’s books including “Everyday Matters” and I am glad that “Art Before Breakfast” uses typed script for most of the pages as opposed to Danny’s scratchy writing with a nib pen which I have found a little difficult to read in the other books. There is enough of the pen writing to reflect Danny’s style and personality but it is nice to be able to more easily read the main points.
Anthony M. Faaborg –
This is the book that finally got me out of my fear and into actually making art. Mr Gregory has written a wonderful little book, part instruction and part philosophy. He exhorts us not to worry about making Art with a capital “A,” but rather to make art with a lower-case “a.” What a liberating charge! My art will almost certainly never hang in a museum, but it can bring just a little bit of beauty to the world, and in any event if I practice I’ll be happy even in the effort of doing art, regardless of the physical result. I hesitate to give away the ending, but I’m going to let you in on a little secret: we’re all going to die. Mr Gregory acknowledges this in a beautiful way: “Life is a process, and every one has the same end result: that last volume, partly filled, cut off when we thought there was still art left to make. No need to rush to get there. Make the most of the page that lies open before you today.” Thank you Mr Gregory, for this loving push, exactly the type of push I needed.
Suzy C –
I loved his first section to get you sketching something each day before breakfast. I tried all the techniques and surprised myself by things I could draw, that I’d previously thought were too hard. The rest of the book is a collection of tips and encouragements to try different techniques and locations, so the ‘art before breakfast’ section is really only at the beginning. This is a beautiful, playful and very useful book for anyone wanting to try sketching or improve their skills.
Seema Miah –
Danny Gregory is responsible for encouraging me and so many others to make creating art a part of our lives, regardless of whether we feel if it’s ‘good enough.’ Here he shows how we can grab moments here and there to draw and sketch what we see around us. It’s also beautifully illustrated with Gregory’s artwork. Get this book if you need a supportive and humorous guide to how to incorporate creativity into your life.
Daniel –
No es manual de dibujo , sino un libro para motivarte a dibujar y pintar más, dándote consejos sobre donde hacerlo y que tiempo aprovechar . Muy recomendable