Hear that voice inside your head? The one that nitpicks all your new ideas? That's your monkey. This hypercritical little critter loves to make you second-guess yourself. It stirs up doubt. It kills your creativity. But it can be stopped. And acclaimed author Danny Gregory is here to show you how. After battling it out with his own monkey, he knows how to shut yours down. Gregory provides insight into the inner workings of your inner critic and teaches you how to put it in its place. Soon you'll be able to silence that voice and do what you want to do—create. Now follow his lead and Shut Your Monkey.

This charmingly illustrated guide shares ten truths about creativity, confidence, and how you can silence that stifling voice in your head. This book is a salve for creative minds everywhere, and duct tape for the mouth of every artist’s inner critic. Author and art curator Danielle Krysa explores ten essential truths we all must face in order to defeat self-doubt. Each encouraging chapter deconstructs a pivotal moment on the creative path—fear of the blank page, the dangers of jealousy, sharing work with others—and explains how to navigate roadblocks. Packed with helpful anecdotes, thoughts from successful creatives, and practical exercises gleaned from Danielle Krysa’s years of working with professional and aspiring artists—plus riotously apt illustrations from art world darling Martha Rich—this ebook arms readers with the most essential tool for their toolbox: the confidence they need to get down to business and make good work.

Collects excerpts from the personal travel journal sketchbooks of forty-three artists, illustrators, and designers.

After the loss of his wife in a tragic accident, beloved artist Danny Gregory chronicled his grief in the medium he knows best—the pages of his illustrated journals. This intimate reproduction of his journal is a stirring visual memoir of Gregory's journey towards recovery. Uniquely sincere, and by turns tender, raw, and hopeful, Gregory's idiosyncratic text and illustrations capture the darkest and lightest moments of his "year of magical drawing." Gregory's process reminds us that creative expression offers its own therapy, and that living each day to its fullest may be as simple as putting pen to paper. Anyone who has experienced loss will take solace in this refreshingly candid look at grieving, while art lovers will marvel at the artist's beautiful celebration of the power of creation.

Young readers may touch various surfaces on monkeys that are not the one someone is looking for, until at last the right one appears. On board pages.

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The voice in your head is not evil, but it does evil. It is powerful, but its power can be broken. And now more than ever in the history of our brainy species, we need to take it on and prevent it from preventing us from addressing the many challenges our world faces today. #2 The voice of the inner critic is a familiar one. It’s the voice of doom, and it warns you of the dire consequences that will fall on you if you take the step you are contemplating. It makes you second-guess yourself. #3 The voice is what messes with creative people the most. It hates change and risk, and it will do anything to prevent you from changing your mind or doing something new. You must learn to shut it down. #4 I have been a creative person my whole life, and people have been paying me to make things for over thirty years. I have created many new ideas with millions of dollars at stake. I have had many briefings, deadlines, presentations, reviews, and awards.