Where to Find Inspiration for Artists
There are days when I start hitting roadblocks in my creative journey. Rather than hitting my head against a brick wall and trying to squeeze out something subpar, I look for inspiration in other places. Here are some of my sources of inspiration:
1. Visit the museum
This is an excellent source of artistic inspiration. As a Singaporean, we get free access to a number of museums. Looking at paintings and art installations usually gets me thinking about different subject matters, compositions or even other techniques to try. A nice artistic atmosphere of just being quiet and contemplative in a museum helps as well.
2. Look at work from different mediums/styles/cultures/eras
It is easy to fall into the trap of only scrolling your IG feed to look at art within your area of expertise. But keeping only to your own style does not help you grow as an artist. The more variety you are exposed to, the more you can learn from other genres to grow your work in ways you may not have expected. For example, a recent visit to the museum had me looking at both traditional Chinese art and Australian Aboriginal art. I have no idea how either of them could influence my present work, but they might eventually become ideas I draw from some time down the track.
3. Explore nature
Sometimes you need to get outside for some sunshine. Listen to the birds, smell the grass and walk amongst the trees. I often find that the creative block I am experiencing isn’t because I’m out of ideas, but because I have too many thoughts jumbled up from all the different areas of life. Taking in nature helps me straighten out my mind and rejuvenates me. Once that happens, the ideas start flowing better.
4. Explore the world
Don’t just explore nature around you. If you can, go out and explore nature in other parts of the world. For someone like me in the tropics, I love going overseas to experience other seasons. It literally expands your horizons and gives you new memories, experiences and perspectives on life. I find that the best art comes from a personal place. When you and your mind grow, your art will grow as well.
5. Art books
There is always something to learn from art books. Whether it is artists like Nina Cosford, Mateusz Urbanowicz or the greats like Monet and Van Gogh, pore over their styles and examine their techniques. Find an artist you like and see what you can learn from them. Try imitating them at first, then change it up a little to make it yours. Everyone starts out by imitating the greats, just like how those greats started out by imitating artists that inspired them. If inspiration really isn’t coming through, take some time out to grow your technical skills. When you’ve eventually found your rhythm again and get back to making art, you will be thankful you have a wider range of skills to draw on.
