Staring at a blank canvas/page/space can be terrifying. If you have been staring for longer than you would like to, try one of these ideas for inspiration. These ideas can be the start of your creation, part of it or the whole thing. Use one, use many…use this rooster!
1. Look to your last piece. In every piece that you do, there are decision points that led you in a specific direction. Try going back to one of those points and take another direction…
2. Analyse your body of work. Is it holistic, does it have a signature? If there seems to be different styles or little cohesion, you may have an opportunity to tie them together in a new work or series(!) of works…
3. Fish out an older piece in your collection that you love or hate. Try to remember what your thoughts were when you created it. From there you could go on a similar tangent or do the complete opposite…
4. Reproduce one of your works in a different way. Whether it be in different colours, or black & white, maybe a totally different style…
5. Browse through personal photographs. Often inspiration comes from an event that is important to you in a positive or negative way, and if it was important, you probably took some photos. Looking through your photographs will remind you of a time when you…and you felt…
6. Refer to something you have written. Whether its your sketchbook, a dream journal, a daily diary, or simply your calendar, these musings can spark your imagination…
7. Do a self portrait. Have you ever done one? Its original because its you, and there are so many styles to chose from, try a style that is unfamiliar or better yet, do it in your signature style…
8. Start painting something in your current view. Sometimes you just need to get started to allow your creativity to flow-you can always paint over the vase/coffee cup/sandwich/rooster…
9. Just start painting. Lay down some pigment for a layer of your background. Play with colour-get that perfect greenish-gray. Use a different size brush, paint with your eyes closed, paint with your other hand…
What do you do if you need inspiration? How do you get started? Please share in the comments!
