Finding inspiration can be one of the most challenging aspects of the creative process.
Creators may often feel frustrated because their works seem to lack originality or fail to evoke intended emotions.
But the truth is, you can boost your artistic expression through various techniques that stimulate your creativity and push your inventive boundaries.
If you’re experiencing a lack of art inspiration, this article delves into ten efficient techniques that can significantly enhance your creative process and help you overcome creative blocks. Keep on reading!
What does inspiration mean?
Inspiration is about overcoming creative blocks through mental stimulation.
A creator can generate fresh ideas and think outside the box when inspired.
You can seek design inspiration from various sources like art, nature, personal experiences, interactions with people, literature, and music.
For example, from 1906 to 1909, the renowned Spanish painter Pablo Picasso was inspired by African sculpture, which drove the development of his iconic cubist style.
Moreover, inspiration is not drawn solely from the visual arts but from various other creative endeavours, including storytelling.
You can create a new story by exploring old fairy tales and legends.
One great book about inspiration—Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon—states that this feeling can be sought out by doing ordinary things like enjoying the outdoors or making something with your hands.
Moreover, the author declares that nothing is unique; great creators just borrow and rethink ideas.
How to find art inspiration: 10 practical techniques
One reason creators may lack ideas is that they’re distracted by noisy and overstimulating environments.
However, discovering and generating new concepts often begins with self-exploration; take the time to understand what you enjoy and why.
1 Study other creators
Many creative people have become famous for introducing new meanings, ideas, and sensations to the world.
Why don’t you leverage these emotional experiences to enrich your own thoughts?
For example, you can explore inspiring photos from contemporary creators like Annie Leibovitz, Sebastião Salgado, and Hiroshi Sugimoto.
After all, photography is one of the most potent stimuli that allows you to look at events from different perspectives.
2. Carry your sketchbook around
A brilliant idea can come at any moment, e.g., when you’re doing household chores or chatting with friends.
However, these thoughts can fade from your memory if you don’t capture them on paper. You can use your sketchbook to gather interesting photos and quotes.
This practice will help you get into the right mindset during your creative process.
3. Allocate time for creativity
It’s difficult for the human brain to work in multitasking mode, especially when most everyday tasks are routine.
This robs creators of inspiration.
That’s why you should set aside dedicated time for creative activities.
Several scientific studies indicate that the most productive time for creative work is the early morning.
During this period, the brain is less overwhelmed and can effectively generate thoughts.
4. Be open to new experiences
Since routine negatively influences creative thinking, seasoned creators are always open to something new.
Attend exhibitions, explore new countries, and discuss global topics with friends.
Do everything that goes beyond your usual order of things.
You can also read specialized literature.
For example, explore some of the best design magazines like Communication Arts, Dwell, and AIGA Eye on Design.
5. Observe your surroundings
The perception of the world is different for everyone.
What may seem ordinary to one person can be a source of beauty for another.
By observing your environment, you can spark new ideas in your mind.
This process is reminiscent of childhood, where everyday household items took on new meanings through imagination.
6. Visualize your emotions
Emotions are at the core of compelling narratives, adding depth to characters and plots.
To make your visual stories vivid and convincing, ensure your heroes experience deep human emotions like genuine joy, anger, sadness, fear, love, etc.
However, conveying emotions can be complex because you must possess deep empathy and understand your characters’ motives.
To learn how to effectively represent emotions, try visualization.
For instance, consider which colour is associated with love for you and which is linked to sadness.
7 Set challenges and goals
Sometimes, it can be difficult to motivate yourself to be creative.
Especially when you lack the energy and time for artistic endeavours.
In such cases, set clear goals for yourself.
For example, aim to create five sketches per week or master a new drawing technique within a month.
To unlock your creative potential, you can participate in art contests.
Platforms like ArtStation and 99designs often host challenges for artists.
These contests have strict conditions that encourage your mind to think faster.
8. Trust your intuition
A common mistake is to fear trying something new, worrying that it might not turn out well.
However, take action if you want to explore a particular storyline or idea!
Your consciousness often offers brilliant ideas; you only need to bring them to life.
9. Consume inspirational content
Creative barriers can appear because people often have to do things they don’t enjoy.
So, make time for activities you love.
Watch your favourite TV series, return to iconic old movies you love, read a book in your preferred style, or play a song that evokes nostalgia.
You can also jot down inspirational quotes from your favourite characters, authors, or actors.
10. Take a break
If nothing’s helping, it might be time to take a break.
Step away from creative tasks for at least a week and see how your productivity will improve afterwards.
No matter how much your brain craves to reach new heights, your heart always signals when a
breather is needed.
3 Inspirational Online Galleries
The most potent aspect of gaining inspiration is browsing art references.
Below are some sources where you can discover new and fun concepts.
Google Arts & Culture
This online platform was developed specifically for users wanting to engage with old and contemporary culture.
You can find artwork collections, virtual museum tours, famous artists’ biographies, and even culture-based games here.
National Gallery of Art
This online museum can serve as a great source of modern photography inspiration.
You can browse their website collections for art, creators, and unusual stories.
Also, go through their research papers to dive deeper into the history of culture.
ArtStation
ArtStation is a popular creative community where illustrators share their works.
You can browse this gallery for concept art, character designs, and matte paintings.
All images are sorted into topics for easy navigation.
Conclusion
Even experienced creators may lack inspiration because developing new ideas is not always as easy as it seems.
However, engaging in various activities can boost your creativity and inspire you to generate original concepts.
Discover efficient practices like visualizing your emotions, studying other creators, and collecting photography and art quotes to ignite your creative spark and continue crafting striking artwork.
Leave a Reply