Inner Hero Creative Art Journal by Quinn McDonald

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1. Oh, I know my IC too well! Infact she is sitting right next to me keeping me at the laptop, showing me how good others are and that I will never be able to do what they do. It is so much easier to accept that than just start and see where my cheerleaders take me…
   Thank you so much for sharing this book! – Irma

2. This sounds like a fun book, My IC is always whispering over my shoulder, sometimes I feel paralyzed by it, I would love to find ways to silence it and would love to meet my Inner Helpers.

   I also follow you on Twitter and just signed up for your newsletter.

3. Love your website and your artwork!! Already a fan and have been a facebook, newsletter, and postcard swap supporter/participant. My inner critic is hypercritical!! EEKKK. So much so…I have to talk over her (haha). Anyways, this sounds like a great book for these issues! I mainly try to talk positively to myself to escape the evil!

4. My inner critic likes to play the comparison game- taking my dislikes and likes and making them somehow seem invalid because someone else has a different style. I am learning to quiet this voice and just go with what I like, but it is hard.

   Thanks for the giveaway !

5. I know that inner voice well, she has been with me all my life, causing me to doubt and procrastinate. I’m beginning to learn to ignore her but it is a constant struggle. Sounds like a go to book for those struggling times. Thanks for sharing it.

6. My inner critic is HUGE but she actually usually leaves me alone about my art, except for bugging me that I shouldn’t be wasting my time doing it in the first place.
   Then I hear her then is when I’m trying to draw something realistic and it’s coming out wrong!
   Thanks for this, I also get your newsletter and like you on FB!
   And I love Quinn :)

7. Yes, I have an inner critic, and she is such a drag. I get rough with her (I also play roller derby), and when she starts carrying on, I tell her to shut up or I’m gonna punch her in the face! LOL!

8. Fun! I’d love to see the advice for an art journal…I haven’t found a “system” yet and have things all over the place. ;) I swear at my IC quite a bit and ignore her…something I have gotten quite good at in the past year or so. Liberating!

   I don’t “do” Facebook, and I’m already a newsletter subscriber. I’ll tweet the giveaway too. :-)

9. Oh, the dreaded inner critic! I definitely have one, who often tells me that I’m not doing enough, or I’m doing too much, or why am I doing any of this stuff at all. I give myself LOTS of pep talks, and engage in lots and lots of repression! It might be a better idea to work through it with this idea of an Inner Hero…I love that! I enjoyed Quinn’s Raw Art Journaling, and I like the looks of the sewn pages you show here (I’m a sucker for stitched paper!) Thank you so much for the chance to win this book! I have “liked” you on FB, and am already signed up for your newsletter!

10. I have a very domineering Inner Critic who is often loud and obnoxious. Currently I am reading Brene Brown’s book, The Gift of Imperfection, to help me in this area. I’d love a chance to win Quinn’s new book as I need all the tools I can get! I took a workshop with her at few years ago (at Zinnia in South Pasadena, CA) and loved being in her presence. I “liked” you on FB and love your newsletter, blog and art. Thanks for this opportunity/giveaway!

11. I find that I don’t have much of an inner critic, at least not when it comes to art journaling. I make pages that I hate, and pages that I love (and everything in between), ad I’m ok with that. When I try to force a certain result, that’s when creating time and the final outcome become frustrating. But in general, I enjoy the process, I enjoy learning what to do more of, what to do less of… Even if I hate the page I make… it’s just a page in my journal!… and look at everything I’ve learned at the end, how much I’ve gained just by practicing.

    I would love to look over the book anyway, try out prompts and new techniques. But mainly, I would like this book for a dear friend, whose inner critic screams so loud, the people around her can all hear it. And she’s so talented, she just needs to ignore that mean old IC of hers and run free.

    Have been a subscriber to you newsletter for a few years now! Thanks for introducing us to the book, and for you always honest reviews.

12. I love Quinn McDonald! I can’t wait to read her new book. I have lots of inner critics, and I really need to learn how to quiet them down so I can get something done. This might sound weird, but I have an inner critic that tells me I am not right brained enough to be a creative. That I am too analytical and left brained to be any good at anything creative. Which, in my heart, I know is false and wrong, but it still stops me from doing things I want to do sometimes.

    I have liked your facebook page, and I was already subscribed to your newsletter, too.

13. Ohhh the IC aka the ego…nasty beast, really.

    The best thing I can do to battle the IC is just to ask myself, “What’s the worst thing that can happen if I try x or y?” and then I let the dust settle on IC’s judgement. It’s about having fun and trying, not about perfection. Getting messy and playing is fun. Trying is safe : no one will die or be hurt and I won’t be karmically in trouble either.

    Let’s stop being so serious and just let ourselves discover who we are and what we love to do!

14. Yes, I have a very large inner critic. The best thing I can do is to work in a hurry so I don’t think so much, and be willing to just throw things out. thanks for the giveaway!

15. Hello Hanna,

    I have an inner critic or two. The main one is a perfectionist and it often stops me before I even start. I have to move quickly so that it doesn’t have time to talk me out of being creative!

    I have another one who is very insecure and doesn’t want me to share my art ever! I have found that a regular project keeps me creative and sharing my work. I’m doing one 3 days a week as 7 days a week turned out to be too much for me – but I was very inspired by your project last year.

    I subscribed to your newsletter. This looks like a great book. Thanks for the opportunity.

16. Kia ora Hanna. Yes I get the newsletter and I ‘like’ your Facebook page and what’s more I have Quinn’s marvellous new book (and the first one). I’m really impressed with it because it’s taking me down pathways of self-exploration that have huge cobwebs in them and the cleaning out is so worthwhile.

    So why would I love to win another? If I do, I’d like you to take it straight down to your local library and donate it to them on behalf of a woman who lives in far off New Zealand. That way, who knows how many others would benefit from it?

17. I have a very harsh IC who never thinks anything is good enough!
    Creating with friends helps keep her at bay!

18. I signed up for your newsletter!!

19. My IC causes me to give up a lot of times. I hear, you can’t do it properly, there is others better than you. I know that the process is the important but my IC tells me too often not to bother. I do follow you on FB and have your newsletter.

20. My Inner Critic is always telling me this looks bad, you suck, you will never make anything anyone else would want to look at. But I know that is not true. It really helps to join some groups where other people look at the artwork you post and tell you good things about it. Helps a lot to silence that critic. WE are our own worst enemy.
    Aloha, Kate
    P.S. Liked your Facebook page and signed up for your newsletter. Already follow your blog.

21. My IC won’t SHUT UP! Or she takes away my Inner Energy that I KNOW is there. I desperately need that book to shut her up!

22. This book looks great! My inner critic and I have a love/hate relationship sometimes she inspires me to push myself harder, and sometimes she threatens to stamp on all my creativity… I think I’ve already signed up for your newsletter and like you Facebook page :)

23. I can keep my inner critic locked away most of the time, but she does rear her ugly head once in awhile. And then I just want to either smack her, or make her listen to really bad music until she shuts up. ;) Thanks for the chance to win the book. I’ve liked your FB page as well.

24. My inner critic is pure evil. It tells me that I am not and will never be a ‘real artist’. That I don’t measure up to other peoples art. That I might as well give up because what I do is awful in comparison. Because I can’t draw representationally and prefer abstracts and doodles and my art journaling is more collagey that painty I am not doing it ‘right’ so I might as well quit. That even though I’ve been digital scrapbooking and digital art jouraling for years and love it that I should just quit because I don’t do it the way others do. That my uniqueness is something to be ashamed of instead of something to revel in. “Bah!! Back, you blathering beast!! I say!!” And I continue to create.
    But it definitely gets to me. “Am I doing this right?” The little scared voice inside of me says. “Is my stuff horrible and everyone is just being nice?” Since my art is for me, and since I enjoy the process and creating it makes my soul sing — I will continue to try to bash my inner critic down.
    But it’s soooo hard sometimes. I definitely need to find my inner hero and free her. This book sounds amazing!! Thanks for the chance. I am already a fan of yours on facebook and I already get your newsletter. I love your blog as well. You are amazing!! Take that, ICKY!! :D
    -Johanna

25. My IC bombards me with choices to be made until I freeze up entirely! She’s a canny one, she is.

    • Oh, I’ve “liked” your Facebook page!

26. I would love to check out this book. Right now I’m kind of at a lull with artmaking, but I hate when the voice inside my head paralyzes me from trying new things and taking risks when I’m in the middle of a project.

27. Love Quinn´s work! I´m sooooo waiting for my copy as I´m one of the contributors. Looking forward to your part too. Thanks for the preview. :D

28. This book sounds wonderful. I recently had surgery and all creative, artistic, thoughts left my body. I am now trying to do a craft a doodle each day reminding myself it is just a piece of paper. This is helping. I really have in the past enjoyed art journaling and hope to continue soon.

29. I’d love a copy of this book. My inner critic is strong but is always utterly squashed when I am complemented on my artwork by myself or others.

30. I really love Quinn’s book ‘raw art journaling’ and I do grab it from time to time, just to get inspired again… I find my inner critic is roaring its ugly head lately… after my burn-out (still recovering from that) I feel vulnerable and the critic dived right on to that… I could do with some ‘fighting tools’ and Quinn might give me just what I need… Have a great weekend Hanna!

31. Oh, and Hanna, I just subscribed to your newsletter (didn’t know you had one!) and of course I like your FB-page… we are friends already on FB but I never looked any further to find your page – shame on me! Well, that’s solved now ;)

32. Well, my inner critic kept me from creating something for years, because it always told me I’d never do something great anyway. After learning about art journaling last year helped me to mute the IC, at least for most of the time. ;)

    I also liked your Facebook-page and wondered why I haven’t done this before, because I love your ideas! :)

33. My inner critic is always present. Sometimes that is a good thing, because it keeps me at my most creative. Sometime it stops me in my tracks.

    It’s hard to balance my inner critic – I’m always trying to.

34. I must admit that the inner critic’s voice often try to scare me, but at the same time, it forces me to constantly improve myself and my creative abilities. So I try to listen to what can be helpful and don’t bother with the rest ;)

    Thanks for this giveaway.

35. My IC is a killer… it says: it’s no use, there’s no point… and makes me feel I’m sinking below ground level… and sometimes I answer, well, in that case I can do whatever I like and start spraying colour all over large sheets of paper, or making a sticky mess of acrylics on other sheets of paper…

    Just some minutes ago I visited your Facebook-page for the first time, won’t be the last though, and I already subscribe to your newsletter for which I’m very happy. It always boosts the artistic me.

    Thanks for you being you, doing what you do!
    Outi

36. Thanks for doing the review! And thanks even more for passing along the book–it’s exciting to see people responding to the giveaway!

37. My inner critic has been telling me I’m not artist since I was a little girl and I’ve never got rid of her. I’d love this book if it will help me – Raw Journaling was good.

    Of course I’ve liked your Facebook page and I subscribe to your newsletter.

38. According to my IC I am not an artist–never have been and never will be. I read both your blog and Quinn’s. You have both inspired me to try to enjoy the process, not worry about the product.

39. My inner critic shuts me down before I even start! I’ve got to learn to just play, and not worry about “results”!

40. My inner critic is a nag who keeps whispering in my ear that my art isn’t as good as “so and so’s. It also tells me that I should be more prolific in the art I create and that I am a slug because I don’t go into my art studio every day and work on my art journal or other outstanding projects that I have had for quite some time. I battle the inner critic by turning my attention to thinking about all the art I have created and current projects that I am working on and learning to enjoy that process. Quinn’s book looks so interesting because of all that it offers. I’d love to win it. Thanks for the chance! I have liked your Facebook page and am already subscribed to your newsletter!

41. Everyone has an inner critic, but I am not really bothered by it. When I get into the flow of an idea, or a page I want to make, his voice gets too silent to hear.

42. My inner critic is kind of a bitch. She likes artwork in similar styles as my own but never likes MY artwork. She likes whimsical and comical artwork of others but when I make whimsical fun art she gets pissy because it’s not “realistic”. She doesn’t care that all I want to do is make art that children would enjoy. She’s so pretentious and she always tells me that I’m not good enough. I hate my inner critic.

    I think I would really enjoy this book. I need to find a way to shut up that judgemental voice inside my head.

    I already receive your newsletter and I thought I had already liked your FB page (I didn’t, but I do now!)

43. Thanks so much for the opportunity to win, I get your newsletter and have just liked your facebook page… Which I shall now have a look at….. Thanks :)

44. Yay! Love giveaways!

    My inner critic is pretty soft when I’m learning something new because I have an excuse. But if I waste time and talent it can be harsh!

45. I have been wanting this book since I first heard of it!

    As I grow older, my inner critic is getting quieter. I find that the more I make art, the quieter it gets!

    Thank you so much for the great giveaway..

46. Such an amazing book!
    My inner critic is pretty harsh, but I know her well by now – and use the critic to try harder and be better. Other times I just try to ignore her ;-)

    I liked your facebook :-) /Christine – frkturkis.blogspot.dk

47. So awhile ago I wrote this poem about my inner critic–I hope you don’t mind if I share it here.
    The Belly of the Bogeyman

    The bogeyman lurks ’round my canvas
    Shaking his head–disapproving.
    Lays across my paint tubes.
    Guards against “using up” my papers–keeps them under lock and key.
    Stingy, stingy guy!
    Likes the plain white–Keep it neat–be hesitant.
    Above all–Do not mess it up!
    “Not good, Not good–waste of time,” he chants.
    The Hulking Beast!
    I’ll defeat him! Ignore him. Trick him.
    I’ll act confident, Paint boldly, Use up my “best stuff”.
    And when he begins to shrink away, I’ll thrust my longest brush loaded with the colors of MY PALETTE,
    into “the belly of the bogeyman”
    ….and paint him invisible!

    Thanks for listening, Margie

48. I liked your facebook and I’m already subscribed to your newsletter.
    My inner critic just plays on my natural laziness and reminds me how much “better” everyone else’s art is than mine.
    Like you, I put the “pro” in procrastination.
    I try to shut my IC up by reminding myself that I PLAY and there’s nothing wrong with playing.

49. My inner critic is the worst ever…I get good critiques from friends and family, but I always see improvement to be made!

50. My inner critic is very harsh, always telling me what my parents communicated, that art is not important. To silence my inner critic I read artistic blogs and get inspired by them.
    I liked your facebook pg. and joined your newsletter, thanks!

51. oh yes-i have an inner critic. i try to ignore it. some days, it works, and other times i say “pull up a chair and tell me what you really think” yikes :/ i have many pages in many journals where i have scribbled “why are you even doing this? you call this art? what a joke” sigh… would love a copy of this book. i’ve signed up for your newsletter-liked you on facebook which btw-i didn’t even know you were on fb! (yay) also signed up to follow Quinn’s blog. even if i don’t win-thanks for sharing about her book, am happy to have discovered her thru ihanna :)

52. I think the joy of art journaling is that you are just doing it for your own enjoyment, not for display. How can your inner critic criticize play?
    BTW, I am joining your newsletter.

53. What a great book this looks like. Yes, my inner critic is alive and doing well, thanks. I’ve quieted her recently by telling her it’s ok to rest for a day and get nothing done. Today I have to start fresh and try telling her again. :) I’m becoming more accepting of myself and others, which is a start.

    Hanna, I can’t believe I had not “liked” your facebook page before now. Just did.

54. My inner critic (drawn in an altered book with his unkind words) is in jail (plastic vegetable bag cut to fit page) in the front of said altered book ;) Best thing i ever did to that blabbermouth!

    Have previously liked your fb page and just signed up for the newsletter. Thanks!

55. How do I deal with my inner critic? I don’t think I do, to be truthful. I get an idea, but I have a hard time putting it on paper because my inner critic tells me that I’ll never get it the way I see it in my mind and I’m just wasting art supplies that should be used by “real” artists who have talent.Utterly ridiculous as I write this, but it is what happens in the back of my mind.

    PS I liked your facebook page under a different name with an icon of a gray plaid shirt and I signed up for your newsletter.

56. OMGosh I’m so flattered you shared a picture of page 36! Gave me a total smile…

57. I “liked” your Facebook page. I can’t believe I had not done that already!! I hope all is well and wishing you a beautiful spring.

58. I am a member of both your newsletter and your Facebook page. I always look forward to your inspiration!

    As to my inner critic – she is bigger than life. We are always battling. She keeps telling me that I should quit trying because none of it measures up. But a little voice says that she is just a big mouth and does not know what she is talking about. If what I am doing makes me happy, then that is all that matters. Just put it out there and do not look back.

59. My inner critic is slowly getting suffocated.. Hoping to get in to art academy this summer, and my hero speaks so nicely of me :)

    Signing up for newsletter and liking the fb-page. Truly inspiring book!!!

60. I used to be plagued by my inner critic, with fears of being not good enough, I would hide the fact that I journal because of what people might say or they might ask to see it. But now, I approach art journaling as playtime-my fun time- because I enjoy it (purpose or not) and I deserve me-time. These days my critic remains sleeping.

    Michele Morrill

61. I linked you in Bloglovin, don´t have Fb. And I follow you in Pinterest. You are soooo inspirative artist, thank you for sharing♥ I can´t tell you how much it means to me.

62. I think everyone has a inner critic and I have mine, of course.
    I imagine my inner critic as a tall and very thin woman, a bit old style. She tells me that I eat too much food, that I’m not clean and tidy, that I waste time in not important things (like drawing or surfing the web looking for creative inspirations), etc etc … she is so boring!
    I try to ignore her noisy talking, also telling to myself that I’m a funnier and happier girl than that boring woman in my head!

63. If there’s anyone who doesn’t have an inner critic, I’d like to know their secret. My inner critic is a Virgo without a face or name, but I know they’re a Virgo because I have a lot of Virgos in my family and they practically invented criticism. They can’t help it- Google “Virgo traits” and the word “critical” is sure to pop up. I deal with my inner critic by repeating my mantra, which is “Do it anyway.”

    I liked your Facebook page, and I already subscribe to your newsletter.

64. I have an inner critic I call Henry. I’ve been working on him to try to get him to be more positive in his comments. Sometimes though, he’s just plain stubborn and does not want to leave the negative thoughts behind. Henry’s young, kinda thin but not skinny, though he does have knobby knees. He has tangled curly red hair, freckles and wears glasses…….black plastic ones with square lenses. He usually wears a pair of khaki shorts and a tee shirt and tennis shoes (though sometimes he wears flip-flops). He has blue eyes.

    As you can tell, we’ve spent a lot of time together, lol. He’s not a bad kid, he just needs to lighten up and learn how to critique without being horrible and to look on the bright side of things and see the good in stuff.

    I liked your FB page and signed up for your newsletter. :)

    Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy of Quinn’s book. :)

65. I keep my inner critic in its place by committing to make art every day. Looks like a great book!

66. I tell my inner critic to shut up & go away…art has no rules!