What's your inspiration?

I generally only run out of inspiration for my writing, not for creating new pieces of art. But occasionally I do need some new inspiration, or feel like I need a creative jolt to complete a new idea. These are my fall back methods for finding what I need:

1. Dig through my tens of thousands of stamps finding great pictures and stories. This always gives me a boost, and I spend a lot of time doing this, even when I don't need a creative boost. I can literally spend hours at a time sifting through stamps, admiring the artwork, lines, colors, shapes, fonts, etc...

2. Look at my travel pictures from around the world. A lot of the influences of color and shape are from my many travels. Especially Balinese woodwork and Chinese pagodas. While they haven't shown up in my work directly yet, they will. I also love the architecture found in Egypt, Paris and Slovenia.

3. Read. I love to read and frankly, I don't have nearly the amount of time to read that I wish I had. But reading always gives me new ideas, although sometimes I think perhaps reading just gives me the distraction that my mind needs in order to work something out without me continually trying to focus on it, kind of like how ideas come together when you're sleeping and not trying too hard to focus on something.

4. Peruse vintage books. I love vintage illustrations and designs, as I've posted about already. This is a sure way for me to generate new ideas or finish constructing ideas in the works. Right now I'm fascinated by the vintage Paris book and book on trees that are both posted in my vintage shop, which secretly, I hope don't sell too soon so that I can continue to love them for a little bit longer.

5. Wander around the net or museums perusing and admiring the work of other artists. GREAT inspiration always. (btw- new posting on art that I covet tomorrow!!!)

These are probably the top 5 ways that I get new inspiration, but there are others. Here are links to a couple of other artist blogs on ways to kick start your inspiration to create:

http://www.julesandnate.com/9-ways-to-inspire-yourself-as-an-artist/

http://smashill.com/33-strategies-to-creative-capital.html


No excuses- go create something now!

Andrea at Studio6