Adam Savage is probably best known for his role as the co-host of the long-running Mythbusters series. He's the guy in crazy costumes, blowing up cars or building rockets, typically narrating the whole experience with a stream of silly jokes or facial expressions.
In other words, he's not necessarily the first person every jewelry maker or writer or watercolorist would naturally turn to for advice about being a maker.
And that's a shame, because his first book, Every Tool's a Hammer is packed with so much wisdom about the pains and pleasures of making things. It's a mix of practical advice and bits of autobiography, including glimpses of the author's high school costumes, early set building jobs in theater, elaborate props for commercials for Coca-Cola and Toys R Us, and work on movies such as Space Cowboys. Reading the book was a bit like spending time with my own personal cheerleader, someone who has been in the trenches and wants to discuss all the aspects of creating things, even those parts which aren't nearly pretty enough to share on my Instagram account. It's a maker's manifesto.
Here are 7 lessons that really hit home for me:
- You are a maker.
Adam shares a generous definition: "Putting something in the world that didn't exist before is the broadest definition of making, which means that all of us can be makers." He includes computer programmers, writers, chefs, and all sorts of people under this umbrella definition.
It's been my experience that many people who are exceedingly creative don't think of themselves as makers. Maybe they think that a maker must be someone who does that professionally to support themselves? Or maybe they think that making is limited to something that requires a hammer or other standard tools? Whatever the reason, it may be time to rethink this limited definition.
- Selling your work is terrifying.
Adam's description is spot-on: "The first time it happens, it's equal parts thrilling and terrifying. The idea that someone is willing to pay you to do the thing you'd have paid them to let you do for free the day before is so incongruous to your amateur's brain that is almost feels like you're running a con."
The only thing I'd change about this assertion is that it can still be thrilling and terrifying even if you've made thousands of sales. You're just more likely to keep it to yourself, especially the terrifying part. - Deadlines must be meaningful.
This seems so obvious I'm not sure why I never thought about it this way. This is why a deadline to clean your house before a party always works, but one to clean "this weekend" or "at the end of the month" doesn't hold the same force. If you're not getting anything made, try setting a meaningful deadline (a friend's birthday? a craft show?) to complete a specific project. - Drawing is a form of communication.
I typically sketch custom orders and share them with customers. For me, this has always seemed the easiest and fastest way of making sure both of us are envisioning the same finished item. It made me happy that Adam addressed this point; I can't imagine having to send 47 texts back and forth hammering out a simple project. - Not all glues are created equal.
I know this is an oddly specific item, but really, I thought this chapter alone was worth the price of the book. I strongly prefer other connection methods (like rivets) over glue, but I realized in reading this chapter that was in part because I didn't understand all the differences in the glues on the market. So many choices, so many ways to go wrong! I'm not giving up my rivets, but at least now when I know I need to use glue for some reason, I feel like I have a much better chance of choosing the right one. - Buy extra materials.
Adam notes, "Screwing up IS learning. One of the best ways to do that is by giving yourself a cushion with materials."
This point is still difficult for me, even though I know it's absolutely true. I always think that I'm going to make something perfectly the first time out and invariably, that's not the case. This is especially true for a multi-step project or one with more unknowns (new materials, new techniques). Over the years, I have become much better at buying multiples for beads and small items; it's just new-to-me or pricey materials that still make me hesitate. - Creativity is not a straight line.
Adam doesn't like the word failure being tossed around casually. He writes, "What we are talking about is the freedom and willingness to try a bunch of new things in the pursuit of new ideas until we find the thing that works."
I love sketching possible projects, but often there's a big leap between what's on the paper and what ends up happening in real life. It can be frustrating, especially if you don't know that how things work is sometimes to not work. (As Adam writes, "There will be moments when, if you are not losing interest in a project, you are losing your mind about it. It will be confusing, dispiriting, and infuriating.)
Right now on my work table, there's a pin in progress that uses wood, metal, and plastic. I know it's going to be adorable ... if I can finish it! I went ahead and adhered the pinback to the wood because that was the easy part I knew how to do. The problem I'm having now is how to connect the wood and metal together. The holes looked fine on paper, but of course I didn't take into account that the wire needs to go around the edges (not straight through) and my wire gauge is not the right size. So the pin sits unfinished as I try to figure out if I should get wire that's a different size or figure out another connection method. I would start completely over, except that means my pinback can't be used!
On the positive side, I often remake items where differences may not be visible in the end product, but for whatever reason, it's better for me. For example, when I was making these Food of Love bangles with layered pieces of metals (pictured here), I discovered after making a few of them that I could tumble the top aluminum piece before riveting and skip filing the edges by hand. This saved me time and made for a nicer finished product. I'm not sure that a regular person who saw the two different versions would be able to tell them apart, but it made me happier to discover a better process.
There's so much more for makers in Every Tool's a Hammer: thoughts on cheap tools, the problem with drawer storage, why you should share your work, the fun of lists and checkboxes, the difficulty of delegating, and the important thing how-to videos usually skip. If you are an Adam Savage fan already, you'll find plenty of behind-the-scenes geekery with details (including some drawings and photos) of his many costumes and props. Whether you're brand new to making or very experienced, you'll likely find something that makes you nod your head in agreement or head to your studio with fresh inspiration.