How do you get your inspiration?

[Ohnomysweet]

Inspiration comes to me from just living life. If I see something that sticks with me, or heart something (a name, a phrase) then that will transform into something else that I can work with. I think a lot of it has to do with how my mind works though, like an ongoing jigsaw puzzle. One thing will just stay solitary until I hear or see something else and it they fit together. I hope that isn't confusing.

On the whole if I find that I'm stuck on an idea, I look at religious paintings or "flip" (because it is an online book) through the pages of my encyclopedia of symbols if I find I can't transfer a message across accurately by my own means; I'll look for ancient symbology.

Looking through stock photography is also very useful for poses, for one, and because the surroundings of that person or thing, or how they are positioned may spark inspiration.

Overall, though I think art is a transitional thing. I don't normally know exactly what I'm drawing until I get started with it. Or if I do have an idea in mind, I still don't know exactly where I'm going. To me, art is something that is living. The page tells me what marks to put where and how heavily. I probably sound completely bonkers but as personal as art is I think it makes it understandable.  

[Poetic_Skater]

Well I am a Portrait artist so I get my inspiration from seeing a Good face, with great composition. Not to mention I have an Eye for seeing a Great portrait in certain faces. Yea so I get it from faces that Interest me.  

[Errol McGillivray]

suddenpenguin

Inspiration comes to me from just living life. If I see something that sticks with me, or heart something (a name, a phrase) then that will transform into something else that I can work with. I think a lot of it has to do with how my mind works though, like an ongoing jigsaw puzzle. One thing will just stay solitary until I hear or see something else and it they fit together. I hope that isn't confusing.

On the whole if I find that I'm stuck on an idea, I look at religious paintings or "flip" (because it is an online book) through the pages of my encyclopedia of symbols if I find I can't transfer a message across accurately by my own means; I'll look for ancient symbology.

Looking through stock photography is also very useful for poses, for one, and because the surroundings of that person or thing, or how they are positioned may spark inspiration.

Overall, though I think art is a transitional thing. I don't normally know exactly what I'm drawing until I get started with it. Or if I do have an idea in mind, I still don't know exactly where I'm going. To me, art is something that is living. The page tells me what marks to put where and how heavily. I probably sound completely bonkers but as personal as art is I think it makes it understandable.

What a great point.  

[arcane_halo]

All I do is look around.

A quote I made:

"To make something extraordinary, we must find beauty in the ordinary" ^____^  

[shani26]

I usually draw realistic stuff, so i just look around me and find something. if the drawing is going to be in my room i am trying to make something that would be positive and make me feel good, like drawing color and brushes to inspire me to draw more, or drawing lite ball to make me feel smart, or drawing battery to make me feel charged.
I try not to look at other drawing if i do that i will only find my self copying works of others. i am really trying to find my own style, so i am trying to avoid looking at other painting before drawing.  

[[evangline]]

Inspiration usually comes to me when talking to my friends.

Once in a while, they would say something interesting, and a new idea would just come to me. Most of the time though, I don't actually use them, and they'll be forgotten.  

[Avali_Sunstrider]

Hmm...for me it is a mix. I have no one who can directly help my with my artwork where I live, so looking at other artists' work and studying it really helps me get geared up.

However, the single biggest form of inspiration I have is music. 3nodding
If I pick a particular song to sketch an image by, I will continue listening to that song repeatedly until the work is finished. (Yes, I always choose a song, and yes, it drives everyone else nuts. lol! sweatdrop )  

[Haloquine]

'suddenpenguin'Overall, though I think art is a transitional thing. I don't normally know exactly what I'm drawing until I get started with it. Or if I do have an idea in mind, I still don't know exactly where I'm going.[/quote

Ooh, I agree with that! I have done some lovely things drawing from life, but most of my pics are based on an idea that evolves as I make the picture.

Inspiration... Dreams mostly. If I get stuck I'll think over any dreams I can remember and I'll get images or feelings. Quite often one aspect of a dream will jump out at me and I'll use that feeling/idea as a starting point. Thinking over mythology and meditating also works.

I spent a while blowing coloured ink around pages and then using them as the base for pictures - picking out shapes and adding in details to make a picture. (Like bluebell wood on my DA) Thats something like Austin Osman Spare's techniques - he'd scribble on a page and see what images arose, then work on them to make them more obvious. (Spare on Wiki)

As other people have said, looking at other art work gets me wanting to paint as well, as does hearing people talk about art.

I'm keeping a file of webpages in my favourites to look at when I feel like making but have no inspiration, things that have made me go 'oooh'. And I always mean to make a physical folder, but for now I flick through art magazines I've collected, and really beautiful comics.

 

[sadaoakimichi]

Most of the time, I'll be inspired for a month strait, and then bam, theres a whole other month where I couldn't draw a stick figure without shredding it. I've found if I focus too hard on making something, it just drains and frustraits me, inevitably killing my inspiration. I kind of kill it myself sometimes, because I'll start drawing something, and then about half way through I talk myself out of defiling the subject with my art. It's very sick, when you think about it. xd

I get inspired by alot of things. Music, my books, comics, manga, cartoons, anime, normal tv shows, movies, but surfing deviantart is a personal favorite. All I do is type a certain subject i'm interested in in the search bar, and I can view hundreds of peoples versions of that subject. I also like to surf youtube once in awhile for tutorials on how to draw things, which instantly sparks entire sketchbooks full of inspiration for me.  

[Murkytea]

A verity of things inspire me. But it's mostly harder forms of music and other peoples art that gets my pencil going. ^_^ sometimes it may come from cartoons or statues...  

[Klavere Clan]

To get inspired I usually watch things on the TV and walk around the neighborhood, but i guess i draw better when I'm bored.  

[Sandcastle]

I suffer from art blocks and re-occuring burnouts now and then, as we all do. There were a few tried-and-acknowledged methods throughout my drawing journey.

First is the classic divert-your-attention-to-other-media. Chat with friends, look at others' artwork, read novels and storybooks, watch movies and animated films, try an activity you haven't done before and visit places you haven't yet. Sometimes I'm back on my feet in several days. Sometimes, I disappeared from the community for like, half a year?

That one is subjected to the forces of inconsistency. One good way to motivate and inspire oneself, I found, is to have a strong belief. Beliefs gives you habits, thoughts and concepts. From there, one can feed off the endlessly evolving body of the beliefs and churn out artwork whenever you feel like it. I think this is way those commited artists do it: strong belief in something that keeps providing them with something to express and interpret.

I did the latter and now I'm working on a comic story which I haven't for a very long time. smile  

[katkarkri]

yeah me too, i draw when im reallly really bored.
when everything seemed so plain. you wanted to make a difference. but oh please, don't draw on the walls. lol biggrin  

[Orockthro]

I can't say I often feel inspired. I just draw and paint anyhow. xd But then, I have a very straightforward view of the world. If you wait for the perfect idea to come and save your paint for something truly special.. it will never happen. 3nodding
I do get that antsy, "must paint feeling" sometimes, though not often. Usually it's during periods of high stress. xd
I do, however, really enjoy painting to music. xd Yeah, sounds corny. But, blasting the tunes gets me going and helps me get into the groove of it all. mrgreen
*shrugs*
Maybe I'll get more inspired over time. Maybe not. I'm alright with things as they are, though.  

[Orockthro]

Can0py

yeah me too, i draw when im reallly really bored.
when everything seemed so plain. you wanted to make a difference. but oh please, don't draw on the walls. lol biggrin

xd
There's an Art House (a form of special interest housing) on my college campus where you are actually encouraged to do just that. Anything and everything is open to artistic change. xd I know a girl who lives there who is having quite the blast with her ceiling....
heart