--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I like making books but I'm not sure…" description: "\"I like making books but I'm not sure exactly what I'm doing. Perhaps I just try to arrange a bunch of seemingly random drawings into something that mak..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/david-shrigley-23041_book_i-like-making-books-but-i-m-not-sure-exa_2283137.jpg" --- # I like making books but I'm not sure exactly what I'm… ![“I like making books but I'm not sure exactly what I'm doing. Perhaps I just try to arrange a bunch of seemingly random drawings into something that makes a vague narrative sense. Sometimes it sort of makes sense, sometimes it doesn't.” quote by David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/david-shrigley-23041_book_i-like-making-books-but-i-m-not-sure-exa_2283137.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/david-shrigley-23041_book_i-like-making-books-but-i-m-not-sure-exa_2283137.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/david-shrigley-23041_book_i-like-making-books-but-i-m-not-sure-exa_2283137.jpg) > “I like making books but I'm not sure exactly what I'm doing. Perhaps I just try to arrange a bunch of seemingly random drawings into something that makes a vague narrative sense. Sometimes it sort of makes sense, sometimes it doesn't.” [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The creator feels uncertain about his process, assembling random drawings into a vague narrative that sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t. **In simple terms:** Unclear artistic process. Key Takeaway Embrace experimentation and trust intuition. Themes creativity uncertainty process Mood confused curious Type reflective exploratory When to use this quote - art workshops - personal projects - creative blocks - gallery shows Key Concepts artistic expression narrative construction Questions to Reflect On - How can you define a personal method without limiting spontaneity? - What criteria could help evaluate the narrative coherence? A Different Perspective The lack of clear structure may hinder audience connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative/) [Vague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vague/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [If I obey Jesus Christ in the seemingly random circumstances of life, they become pinholes through which I see the face of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-i-obey-jesus-christ-in-the-seemingly-random-circumstances-of-life/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Facebook is weird. They have all of these seemingly random rules that I'm sure make sense to them, but don't make sense to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eichner/facebook-is-weird-they-have-all-of-these-seemingly-random-rules-that/) [Billy Eichner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eichner/) > [“Seemingly random events and movements and trends gather power and momentum, unseen for long periods of time, and then bursting to the surface unexpectedly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/seemingly-random-events-and-movements-and-trends-gather-power-and/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [When you expand your awareness, seemingly random events will be seen to fit into a larger purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/when-you-expand-your-awareness-seemingly-random-events-will-be-seen/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“Gary’s seemingly random, circuitous method actually has an underlying logic. But this test-and-learn approach flies in the face of the more traditional method, the”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herminia-ibarra/gary-s-seemingly-random-circuitous-method-actually-has-an-underlying/) Herminia Ibarra > [And for every project, because it takes years, you can see the early drawings and collages as just a simple, vague idea, and through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christo/and-for-every-project-because-it-takes-years-you-can-see-the-early/) [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) > [Live life and write about life. Of the making of many books there is indeed no end, but there are more than enough books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-self/live-life-and-write-about-life-of-the-making-of-many-books-there-is/) [Will Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-self/) > [Making books has always felt very connected to my bookselling experience, that of wanting to draw people's attention to things that I liked, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/making-books-has-always-felt-very-connected-to-my-bookselling/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [Each one seems to be, in some way, essentially different from the others, and each is a surprise to me. I think that making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordicai-gerstein/each-one-seems-to-be-in-some-way-essentially-different-from-the/) [Mordicai Gerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordicai-gerstein/) > [“To the making of many books there is no end, and much devotion to them is wearisome to the flesh.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ecclesiates-12-12/to-the-making-of-many-books-there-is-no-end-and-much-devotion-to-them/) Ecclesiates 12 12 > [Making books is a skilled trade, like making clocks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/making-books-is-a-skilled-trade-like-making-clocks/) [Jean De La Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Making books is hard work. Some books are, of course, more demanding than others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-macaulay/making-books-is-hard-work-some-books-are-of-course-more-demanding/) [David Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-macaulay/) > [The computer is the way I'm making books, but I still think about the physical properties. I visualize the length of a book, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/the-computer-is-the-way-i-m-making-books-but-i-still-think-about-the/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [“From earliest childhood I was charmed by the materials of my craft, by pencils and paper and, later, by the typewriter and the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/from-earliest-childhood-i-was-charmed-by-the-materials-of-my-craft-by/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [ Paul \[ Burwell\] and I had also got interested in making books. We'd been working with Bob Cobbing, the sound poet, since the beginning… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-toop/paul-burwell-and-i-had-also-got-interested-in-making-books-we-d-been/) [David Toop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-toop/) ## More by David Shrigley > [I don't really want to tell jokes about trivia; I'd kind of rather tell jokes about things like life and death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-don-t-really-want-to-tell-jokes-about-trivia-i-d-kind-of-rather/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I'm never really that worried about doing something a little different, 'cause it always just seems to fit into what I want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-m-never-really-that-worried-about-doing-something-a-little/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [If the work jells a little bit in terms of being placed in the oeuvre, I don't care - as long as it works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/if-the-work-jells-a-little-bit-in-terms-of-being-placed-in-the-oeuvre/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [Making drawings with text in the first place, it really was born of a desire to be economic, and to do things as simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/making-drawings-with-text-in-the-first-place-it-really-was-born-of-a/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I don't think I've ever made any conscious decision to be a comic artist, but to me there's something quite anarchic about comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-made-any-conscious-decision-to-be-a-comic/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I feel quite comfortable and happy with making a work that looks like it could have been made by somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-feel-quite-comfortable-and-happy-with-making-a-work-that-looks-like/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I think people are quite surprised that the handwriting I use in my drawings and paintings is my own handwriting. They're slightly shocked when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-think-people-are-quite-surprised-that-the-handwriting-i-use-in-my/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I think circumstance plays a big part in terms of what I do. For example, if I wasn't ever able to show in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-think-circumstance-plays-a-big-part-in-terms-of-what-i-do-for/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I'm not pretending to be somebody who's got really limited craft skills. I just am a person who's got really limited craft skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-m-not-pretending-to-be-somebody-who-s-got-really-limited-craft/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I guess I must just be obsessed with death. Apparently you think about it a lot more as you get older. Maybe you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-guess-i-must-just-be-obsessed-with-death-apparently-you-think-about/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [ I like comedy but I guess I don't think \[my art\] is that funny, either. It's too dark and a bit weird in places… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-like-comedy-but-i-guess-i-don-t-think-my-art-is-that-funny-either/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I think the thing is there's a work for every space, you always have to respond to a context, whether it be a physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-think-the-thing-is-there-s-a-work-for-every-space-you-always-have/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I don't like theorizing about my work myself, but that's not to say I have no interest in theory. Other people are free to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-don-t-like-theorizing-about-my-work-myself-but-that-s-not-to-say-i/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I think my books are better than my exhibitions. If people don't like my books then I don't mind. I guess you like them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-think-my-books-are-better-than-my-exhibitions-if-people-don-t-like/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I am a serious artist in my own right, in the sense that I've spent my entire life being an artist and trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-am-a-serious-artist-in-my-own-right-in-the-sense-that-i-ve-spent-my/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) [Explore all 26 David Shrigley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I like making books but I'm not sure exactly what I'm doing. 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