Drawn: a feast for eyes & brain

Welcome to the first book review I’ve ever written. Likely, it will also be my last. Not my thing, really.

Today I am moved to masquerade as a critic only because I finished my final reading of Drawn, by illustrator Craig Frazier, and I’m in awe. I say “final reading” because I probably have at least twenty readings under my belt by now. I was the editor.

I assure you, this does not make me a biased reviewer. I’m a believer in truth (see my tagline above), and I’d be very bad at faking enthusiasm.

I first met Craig when I approached him about creating the cover design for my book, Think Simple. I had already been smitten by his “visual wit” and delightfully odd way of looking at the world. There was always something “off” in his illustrations that demanded further inspection.

A skill like Craig’s does not magically appear overnight. It’s a lifelong endeavor. Drawn is a monograph examining the artist’s journey, and Craig’s words are as eye-opening as his images.

He is a storyteller, sharing experiences that guided his growth as an illustrator. He also explains the practices and methods that have led him to explore his own imagination to arrive at unexpected conclusions. In a world where technology tends to homogenize so much imagery, Craig’s exploration phase is surprisingly analog.

I recommend Drawn to two very different audiences. On one hand, it’s a must-read for creative people at any point in their career. Simply inspiring. On the other hand, to put it in Apple-ese, this is an empowering book “for the rest of us.” Whatever line of work you’re in, Drawn is about iterating your way to unexpected (and superior) solutions, to solve problems creatively—and most effectively.

Of course, you can buy Drawn for the most obvious reason. It’s gorgeous. It’s a coffee table book filled with wonderful images printed at super-high quality. Craig’s work spans the spectrum of illustration from US postage stamps to a Supertramp album cover, from concert posters to illustrations for Time Magazine, Fortune, Harvard Business Review and more. All of which showcase his unique ability to simultaneously convey an important message and make you smile.

Much more than “food for thought,” Drawn is food for creative thought. Big difference.

Craig’s book is now available here .