WHERE DO I GET MY INSPIRATION?
Where would I get my inspiration from? As artists we probably ask ourselves this question over and over again especially when we are on the starting point of our specific crafts. At first it might seem as if the artists we normally admire and aspire to be were born talented and/or chosen to do that specific art. In some cases we get confused on how massive the creative minds of some artists are that we get demoralized that we might not be able to do the same. Well, it's not particularly true that some people were born or chosen to do that particular sort of thing - being artists - and it is not particularly true that they were born with a massive creative mind. Yes some people are more creative and are better than others in their craft - or art - due to several other factors but the most important thing is where they learn from, what inspires them, what level of effort they put into learning a variety of things etc.
While that might be easier to say than do, we have to start somewhere right?! The greater question here would be where to start and even more how to start seeking for said inspiration. Well, while I might not be the person to answer that question; Youtuber, designer and artist Carey (hope I pronounced that right) who also owns the channel Division05 recently released a video mainly concerned in exploring how one should go around seeking inspiration and references for expanding his creative mind.
Courtesy of Division05
As seen from the image above, Carey gives us a hint on how creativity and inspiration are connected.
1. In order to expand your creative field, limits, horizon - whatever you would call it - you have to have a place of reference(s). These references should keep growing because as the world moves forward every other field tends to change as well. References might be anything from websites, magazines, films, paintings, infrastructures, people, the world itself - it's limitless, so don't limit yourself.
2. Well we only digest and excrete what we've eaten. If you didn't eat...say starch your body wouldn't digest starch. So what is important here is that input=output. Input more stuff and your creative mind would tend to output more creative stuff. For starters watch works of other artists to learn from them. If you're a filmmaker watch various films (a lot of them), if you're a painter research and study a variety of paintings etc.
3. Don't stay only within your limits, go beyond. Yes we're artists but that shouldn't stop us from searching inspiration from outside our specific scope. Read business books, take an elective in biology, interact with your local store manager/ salesperson, try new foods. All these add up to create a flexible creative mind. But for starters start exploring other arts - if you're a photographer explore a little bit about paintings, if you're an architect explore a little bit more about graphic design etc.
4. Copy, Transform, Combine. Well the great saying is that great artists cheat from other artists but in the process they refine the work to create their own style. So cheat from other artists but don't just copy it 1:1, combine different works, transform them into something new and create your own signature style because as we all hear; everything has been done already it's just a matter of refining that makes us unique. So go out there, learn, get inspired, create, refine and make your signature style.
Courtesy of Division05
And here's one great example of stretching the limits, combining different elements to create a signature style.
Matthew Frost - Fashion filmmaker with a touch of humor
A really short film for Vogue starring Kate Winslet by Matthew Frost