This week Neil Gaiman’s MAKE GOOD ART Book came out (which was designed by Chip Kidd) and one cool thing to happen is that the Philadelphia Weekly not only did a great interview all about the creation of this book, but they put Neil’s face on the cover! Oddly, this is only the second time that has happened (the first was on WIRED Magazine).

Neil Gaiman was interviewed by Kyle Cassidy. The article covers many topics all related to the new MAKE GOOD ART book like how did the, now famous, graduation Speech even come about and what prompted the creation of this book. It’s a great interview with this fun Author. Here’s a LINK to check it out, just CLICK HERE!

NPR Radio’s Talk of the Nation recently interviewed Neil Gaiman about his latest Graduation Gift book titled, “Neil Gaiman’s MAKE GOOD ART Speech”. The new book, designed by Chip Kidd and published by Harper Collins, is set to be released on Wednesday, May 15th, 2013.

Click here to listen to the NPR Radio Interview with Neil Gaiman:

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To celebrate the launch of Neil Gaiman’s “MAKE GOOD ART“ Speech Book Neil Gaiman and Chip Kidd will both appear at the OBERON in Cambridge (Boston) on Wednesday, June 5th, 2013 at 6:30pm.

Literary legend Neil Gaiman (American Gods, The Sandman, Stardust & soon to be, Ocean at the End of the Lane: a Novel), in his wonderful 2012 commencement address at the University of the Arts in Pennsylvania, encouraged graduates to do one thing, even in the worst of times: Make Good Art. Gaiman– who has written novels, short fiction, comic books, screenplays, children’s books, and graphic novels– and Chip Kidd, who designed the innovative cover and interior for the published book based on the speech, convene at the Oberon to discuss Gaiman's unconventional career path, prodigious output, and the bravery and creativity that goes into making good art. This special, intimate evening presents a rare encounter with one of contemporary literature’s most creative minds alongside the top graphic designer in publishing. They will discuss their own artistic processes and pass along advice for how to Make Good Art. Tickets are $25, which includes a copy of MAKE GOOD ART with a book signing to follow the conversation.

For Ticket Information please CLICK HERE!

Also, CLICK HERE to preview a sampling of Make Good Art‘s fantastically stylized interior.

The University of the Arts is excited to present “Make Good Art: A Conversation and Book Signing with Neil Gaiman” on Tuesday, May 14th at 7 p.m. in Levitt Auditorium, at Gershman Hall. Also, UArts is located in Philadelphia, PA.

Neil Gaiman is an award-winning author and graphic novelist whose 2012 commencement speech to UArts graduates became an international viral sensation. Gaiman’s speech urged graduates to “make good art” and resonated with creative people around the world. The book, MAKE GOOD ART, which will be released later this month, contains the full text of that speech and was designed by book designer Chip Kidd. (Chip Kidd will NOT be at the event, this post is for Neil’s Fans).

A limited number of free tickets are available exclusively to UArts students, faculty and staff, ONE PER PERSON. Students will be able to pick up tickets in Gershman Hall, Room 304, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., starting Monday, May 6 through Friday, May 10. STUDENT ID IS REQUIRED for pickup.

Faculty and staff will be able to pick up tickets in the Advancement Office on the first floor of Hamilton Hall from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, May 6 through Friday, May 10. Please show your UArts ID when picking up your tickets.

The evening of May 14 will consist of a Q-and-A session between Gaiman and UArts President Sean Buffington, then Gaiman will answer audience questions culled from note cards that will be filled out and collected prior to the start of the event. Doors will open at 6 p.m., with copies of MAKE GOOD ART on sale before and after the question-and-answer session. Gaiman will be available afterward to sign copies of MAKE GOOD ART
(as many copies of the book as each attendee purchases, and up to two other Neil Gaiman titles).

Again, please keep in mind that this event is exclusively for members of the UArts community, with one ticket per person on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, please CLICK HERE!

HARPER COLLINS, the Book Publisher responsible for bringing Neil Gaiman and Chip Kidd together to create a wonderful new book all based on Neil Gaiman’s insanely great “MAKE GOOD ART” Speech, has just placed an incredible special PREVIEW of the first few pages to give you an idea on the basic concept of what the book’s interior will look like. Hey, you can view this sneak-peek by clicking RIGHT HERE!

Also, The book is set to not come out until May 18th, but if you CLICK HERE you can pre-order it at a special price. Thanks!

LONDON BOOK FAIR – Check out this wonderful video of Neil Gaiman’s keynote speech at The Digital Minds Conference 2013, QEII Conference Centre, Westminster, London. He shared some very powerful ideas and the speech given will really make you think. It was recorded on April 14th, 2013. His talk is mostly about the differences between Digital e-Books and real Books… and their futures.

Gavin Aung Than is a freelance cartoonist who lives in Melbourne, Australia. He runs a website called ZEN PENCILS where he shares his wonderful art and also sells limited-edition art prints and posters. Shown up above is one such item. This is his “CREATE GOOD ART” Poster which is based on one one his comic strips.

OK, I’m sorry, I’m getting a little way too ahead of myself. Please check out this back story:

Back in May of 2012 Gavin had seen the (now famous) speech of the bestselling author, Neil Gaiman, who delivered a special commencement address at Philadelphia's University of the Arts, in which he shared his thoughts about creativity, bravery, and strength. He encouraged the fledgling painters, musicians, writers, and dreamers to break rules and think outside the box. Most of all, he urged them to “Make Good Art”. Now, after seeing this speech, Gavin was inspired to create a special comic strip quoting a small portion of Gaiman’s address. I mean, the speech was about, “Hey! Go Make some ART”, so he did! You can read that COMIC STRIP by clicking right HERE.

Now, long story short, the comic strip went totally viral and so Gavin decided to contact Neil Gaiman for permission to print the strip as a special poster. Neil gave his blessing, under one condition, that a portion of the purchase price be donated to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF). Hey, no problem! Now we have this wonderful poster I’ve been rambling on about forever, ha!

The poster is available for purchase RIGHT HERE. It is available in a vast multitude of sizes ranging from MINI (10″ X 7″ at $17.00) to X-LARGE (39″ X 28″ at $60.00) with 50% of the purchase price going right to CBLF, whose work fights censorship and saves free speech in America!

Now, we should also mention that Neil Gaiman’s famous speech is being made into a book (unrelated to the comic strip we have been talking about). The book is titled, Neil Gaiman’s MAKE GOOD ART Speech, and was designed by graphic artist Chip Kidd. The book will contain the full text of Gaiman's inspiring speech, all done in a unique clever way. Here’s Neil, holding the book fresh off the press from the Publisher, William Morrow!

Look for the book to hit Bookstores around May 18th, 2013 or you can always pre-order from TFAW (Just CLICK HERE) or from Amazon, link provided down below. Also, if you want to view a High-Def Photo of Chip Kidd’s Book Cover Jacket, then please be sure to visit this site’s GALLERY PAGE.

Oh yeah, and if you have NOT seen the VIDEO of Neil Gaiman’s Speech then please be sure to do so by CLICKING HERE!

This year Book Author & Writer Neil Gaiman has been placed in Time Magazine’s latest poll titled “THE TIME 100” . So, since he’s a friend, we’re asking everybody to please go vote for him! Hey, this guy deserves it. His books and writing are amazing. You can easily place your vote by CLICKING HERE and then pressing the “Absolutely” button. Yeah, we said it was simple, so please do it now if you can. Thanks!

OK, this post is more for fun than anything but I guess it also holds some Historical value too so this could be fun. Here are some random vintage photos we have come across lately showing some Famous Authors… when they were teenagers!

The first Victim, I mean Author, is a picture of Neil Gaiman when he was very young. That’s the photo up above, but you should get that because, really, he still looks the same!

Now I bet that if I didn’t tell you who this next photo is you might have a hard time guessing, give it a try. OK, that’s long enough. This is Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name, Mark Twain. He’s shown here at the tender age of 15! Yes, he does sort of look like Huckleberry Finn, ha!

Next up is a favorite of many Classic Book Readers, this is an old yearbook photo of our favorite “Catcher in The Rye” Writer, J. D. Salinger. He’s only 17 years old in this picture but, to me anyways, looks a lot older.

The next photo here is another 17 year old. Later in life in wrote such books as “The Old Man and the Sea” and “The Sun Also Rises”. Of course, we’re talking about the great American Novelist, Ernest Hemingway.

Now Last, but not least, is another photo you might have a hard time guessing who this is. But shown here, as Robin (The Boy Wonder!) is Chip Kidd himself! This extremely serious Batman Fan grew-up to write two novels, “The Cheese Monkeys” and “The Learners”. OK, he seems a lot younger here “than a Teenager”, but I just wanted to share this fun photo, ha!

Check out this great pic we just got from Author Neil Gaiman! He received a package in the mail recently with an advance copy of the book he collaborated on with Designer Chip Kidd. He was so excited about it! This new book, the “MAKE GOOD ART “Speech Book (William Morrow), is based on the very inspirational Commencement Speech that Neil Gaiman gave at the University of the Arts in 2012.

Chip Kidd not only designed the book’s cover but he also worked on the inside content as well.

Check out this direct quote from Neil Gaiman down below. Then, if you have not seen it yet, please be sure to watch the Video of this wonderful speech he gave that has inspired so many people.

March 18, 2013 – “This arrived. I was scared that it wouldn’t feel like a real book. I should not have worried. Chip Kidd took my MAKE GOOD ART speech and made it into a piece of art in its own right. Along the way he committed, joyfully and intentionally, every design “mistake” he wanted to, and it all adds up to something wonderful, beautiful and, I think, helpful.”