At times, even the most talented artists can have difficulty finding inspiration for their work. But there are some simple yet effective techniques to help get you back on track. If you can’t seem to get the creative juices flowing on your own, it’s important that you try using some of these methods. Sometimes it only takes something small to stimulate your imagination.
Listen to Music
One of the best ways to find inspiration as an artist is to listen to some of your favorite music. By doing this you could trigger a great idea for a new art piece within a matter of minutes or even seconds. Music helps a lot of artists get into a creative headspace that allows ideas to flow. Studies have even shown that classical music has a significant impact on boosting your brain activity and creativity. Whether it is classical music or heavy metal, music is a wonderful creative aid for all types of artists.
Take a walk
You could also get a sudden jolt of inspiration by just taking a walk outside. If you are a photographer, you could stumble across an interesting new subject to snap some pictures of. Make sure that you bring your camera with you just in case inspiration strikes. If you prefer to draw, bring a writing utensil and pad of paper with you.
Exercising
Creativity and inspiration is an energy that flows through you and your brain. The brain needs oxygen pumping in it on a consistent basis for it to perform at a high level. People often become stagnant because they live a sedentary lifestyle. Doing any type of aerobic exercise such as running or HIIT training is a great way to get your heart pumping and blood flowing into the brain which is another great tool for increasing your creative juices.
Take Photos of Places & Subjects That Interest You
When it comes to getting inspiration as a photographer, you will need to take tons of pictures of subjects that you are interested in. Whether it is a certain building in the city with striking architecture or some idyllic countryside landscape, this can definitely help. Think about the things in the world that interest you the most and start snapping pictures. When you keep doing this as much as possible, inspiration is inevitable.
Look at Other Art Pieces
Take some time to visit a gallery or even just go online to look at pictures of other artists. You could find that some of the pictures you see awake some creative thoughts of your own. This is something that a lot of artists do to find inspiration, and it can be very effective. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using the works of other artists to get inspiration for yourself sometimes. It happens all the time.
Try Out a New Style
There are countless styles that artists use for drawing, painting, taking pictures and a number of other art forms. If you are feeling a little bit stuck creatively, you might want to try using a whole new style. Playing around with different styles of photography can be really exciting and provoke ideas for new pieces. You could discover a new style for yourself that changes your whole perspective as an artist.
Look up Inspirational Quotes
There are tons of inspirational quotes on the internet, and they can be very helpful with getting you to where you need to be when it comes to creating new art. You will be able to find thousands of quotes from famous and important people, including other artists, that will give you a sense of hope and inspiration.
One of the major problems that photographers and other kinds of artists have is that they allow their negative thoughts to get in the way of the creative process. You are bound to find numerous quotes that will restore your faith in your own artistic abilities.
Here are ten quotes you can use to help spark your imagination:
- Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last, you create what you will. – George Bernard Shaw
- Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not. ― Pablo Picasso
- Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. – Scott Adams
- If you hear a voice within you say, ‘You cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. – Vincent Van Gogh
- Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things. — Theodore Levitt
- Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things. -Steve Jobs
- An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all. ― Oscar Wilde
- Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun. — Mary Lou Cook
- Make an empty space in any corner of your mind, and creativity will instantly fill it. – Dee Hock
- There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost. ― Martha Graham
With all of the different ways for photographers and other artists to get ideas, you will want to try everything you can. Some of these things may sound overly simplistic or even silly, but they can work well for those who are open to them as a source of inspiration.