Where should an artist look for inspiration? Interview with artist Annelie Solis

8 famous advice from psychologists who know where to find inspiration for each of us. Let's save it for ourselves!

So, what do you mean by the word: “Inspiration?”

Here is a Russian language dictionary that explains the meaning of the word inspiration, as “a state of creative exaltation.”

Indeed, not a single artist, writer, director or other person with a creative profession can create a masterpiece without inspiration.

And not only their cash earnings, but also a state of mind.

But to think that inspiration is the prerogative of exclusively creative people is not correct!

Just remember your most successful financial transactions, sewn dresses, baked pies, or any other business. Remember what you felt then?!

Do you remember?

This is called inspiration.

Where to get inspiration so that every completed task is a small masterpiece, that’s what we’ll talk about today.

Remember, in the article: “about the daily routine successful person“Did I tell you about my friend the artist Oksana?

So, there are quite a lot of people who know how to draw, but those who manage to make money from it and have recognition in a specific field creative environment, where everyone fancies himself a genius, you can count on your fingers.

But my friend succeeded.

Naturally, she has more or less successful works, but she never fails.

Oksana claims that - never start working without inspiration!

If she really can’t bear to create, then the artist simply takes a day off or does some household chores: cleaning, laundry, putting things in order in the kitchen or wardrobes.

But if the situation is not so hopeless, then she tries to call the muse to visit.

“Year after year, month after month, day after day, hour after hour, minute after minute and even second after second - time flies without stopping for a moment. No force can interrupt this run; it is not in our power. All we can do is spend time usefully, constructively, or waste it in a harmful way. This choice is ours; the decision is in our hands. So spend your time productively: in my opinion, this is very important.”
Dalai Lama XIV

Three crown recipes, where to find inspiration, she shared with me, and I happily give them to you!

We admire the beautiful.

First, think about what is truly beautiful to you: objects of art, natural wonders, cute animals, musical or literary works etc.

Forget about everything and immerse yourself in the contemplation of beauty for 1-2 hours!

Let's go for a walk.

If the weather permits, get dressed and go for a walk through the streets of the city.

Go to your favorite cafe, visit the park, go to the river.

Firstly, your brain will receive a lot of oxygen, which means it will begin to function intensively.

And secondly, during your walk you will probably see something surprisingly inspiring.

P.S. If outside the window there is rain coupled with a hurricane, virtual walk will also work, although the effect will be worse.

If the muse refuses to visit Oksana, then she tries to appease her with something incredibly tasty.

Think about what you want most in this moment: an exquisite dessert, an original soup, a magical salad, the freshest fish or tender meat?

Head to the kitchen.

Turn on your favorite music and start creating a culinary masterpiece.

Cooking is a fairly creative process, so the muse will not remain indifferent, and you’ll also have a little celebration for yourself.

Where to get inspiration: if you still don't know

The above recipes are suitable for Oksana, but since each person is an individual, you must have a large area for maneuver.

Before starting to write this article, I read many recommendations from famous people, where to find inspiration, sorted them and this is what happened.

Dream.

You must have cherished dream and not even alone.

I hope you already have one or will make one soon.

And when the muse has run away from you, look at him and say to yourself: “I must / must finish writing an article / finishing a dress / plastering a wall, etc., in order to make this or that dream come true.”

True literature is created by geniuses and the most talented people who through the work share their experiences and feelings.

If you read a lot, then in any difficult situation you will be able to recall a similar example from literature.

In addition, reading promotes mental development and imagination.

Become a music lover.


Sometimes, in order for inspiration to appear, it is enough to put on the right melody.

Start your own playlist.

It is better if all the songs in it are sorted into folders.

For example, “Drive music”, “Philosophical music”, “Romantic ballads”, etc.

Travel.

Visit a nearby regional center– already an opportunity to learn something new.

And holidays in other countries are an invaluable experience that broadens your horizons and gives you the ability to do many things!

At least a week out of my annual leave don't spend it at home.

Believe me, you will have enough impressions for the whole year.

And if inspiration disappears, you can always look at the photos.

Watch.

Make it a habit not to move around the streets, going deep into yourself, but to study the world around you.

Believe me, even the route to work that you have taken a million times can bring pleasant surprises.

Look what a wonderful coat this girl has, and there are cute kittens frolicking in the grass, and the trees have already changed their clothes to golden ones...

And why haven't you seen all this before?

I suggest you watch an incredibly inspiring video about

where to look for your source of inspiration?

I believe that the only correct answer to the question " Where to get inspiration?", - EVERYWHERE!

There is magic hidden in every little thing, the main thing is to see it.

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It’s scary to imagine how many world masterpieces of art could have been lost if creators had not turned to nature for help! To this day, artists are ready to rush into unknown distances in order to gather with colleagues at the next plein air. Although not all artists are eager to change places to create the next masterpiece. Eg, great composer Until the end of his days, Edvard Grieg was constantly impressed by his native expanses of Norway, and this can be easily seen in most of his works.

On travel

Change of scenery, acquaintance with new culture and the traditions of residents of other countries, can serve as a good inspiration for people who do not know how to overcome creative stagnation. Perhaps only Paris with its architectural monuments humanity is obliged to the grave of life for those cultural values that arose after a visit there by certain persons.

In love and loved ones

Love is such a powerful stimulus for creativity that it can not only return lost inspiration, but also give it to someone who has never possessed it and has not suffered from it at all. And if the characters of our days, inspired by love, begin to write poetry with an enthusiasm that would make any of the greatest turn green, then what can we say about those who have devoted their entire lives to this craft.

In art

Perhaps great works are great because they have the ability to exert such a powerful influence on human mind, pushing inspired individuals to further creation. Eg, creative heritage William Shakespeare in absentia tried to get into so many works of various authors that it even resulted in a separate movement called “Shakespeareanism.”

However, the work of some figures was based on works that were little known and not recognized by anyone. For example, John Lennon once created with the “canvas” of his little son.

In a random

If your search for inspiration turns out to be fruitless, you should try to take a closer look at your everyday surroundings. Things that can inspire sometimes seem so incredible that they do not always receive due attention. Salvador Dali confirmed this many years ago with the example of his “The Persistence of Memory,” who was inspired to paint the canvas by looking at ordinary melted cheese.

If there is still no inspiration and is not expected, there is no need to attach importance to it. The famous “Black Square” by Malevich, written, as one legend says, without any inspiration by an artist who was angry that he did not have time to deliver the painting on time, will help overcome all the worries about this. Hastily covered up unfinished work, the artist gave the world great picture and received recognition.

Inspiration is simply a necessary thing for all people creative professions, in particular, artists. However, it is quite capricious, and comes when it wants. Sometimes it rolls in, covering your head, and it also happens that it goes missing just at the moment when there is an urgent need for it, for example, with an urgent order. What to do in such a situation?

Each artist has his own methods of stimulating inspiration. For some people, their favorite music helps them find great ideas, while others go out into nature with an easel to be alone and think. Everyone may have their own ways of searching for beauty, but the main thing for an artist is the result.

Finding beauty in the ordinary

A similar conclusion can be made by looking at snowflakes that have completely different, non-repeating shapes, or at rowan berries growing outside the window, and indeed at absolutely any familiar things that flash in front of you. through human eyes daily.

Not only things created by nature can become a source of inspiration. There are cases when artists looked at ordinary nails, glasses or glass bottles and received great ideas for creativity. Even just sitting on the couch alone and looking at the patterns on the walls, you can find something unusual and wonderful in them.

Finding beauty in music

The sounds that inspire artists may not necessarily be musical. Many work to a sound that imitates tidal bore, the rustling of leaves or the chirping of birds. It is not always possible to create directly near the source of these sounds.

The main thing is not what kind of music artists choose to listen to in search of great ideas, but the result obtained from this listening.

Do you make promises to yourself to draw more, and then give up? Find out how to stay creative all year long!

If you're an artist, there have probably been times when you haven't felt inspired enough.

Here are some ideas to keep you inspired and creative.

Ideas for inspiration:

13 tips for artists!

1. USE YOUR SKETCHBOOK REGULARLY

It’s easy to draw in a sketchbook as soon as the desire arises, regardless of your location. Try to do this more regularly.

This will not only improve your skills, but will also help you immerse yourself in creativity as much as possible.

Make it your goal to sketch in your sketchbook every week., use it as often as possible, even for small sketches.

More blog articles on sketchbooking:

2. GO OUT

Many artists get stuck in the daily routine of working in the studio.

Take your drawing or sketch and go out into the world with it.

You can take a walk in the parks, among beautiful buildings, wherever you find inspiration.

When you feel overwhelmed by routine, walking can help you create something new that you haven't done before.

This year, do your best to get out of the studio more often!

3. EXPERIMENT WITH THE SIZE OF YOUR WORK

A great way to spark creativity is to step outside your comfort zone.

One way you can do this is by changing the format of your paintings, the size of your paper and canvases.

For example, if you usually draw on a small format, use sheets bigger size. This will allow you to think and work differently and create unique work.

Try working with different sizes and see how your work changes.

4. PAMPER YOURSELF

At least once this year, treat yourself to materials you wouldn't normally buy.

These can be expensive brushes good quality, new types of paint or paper.

With a clear conscience I can recommend you the online store Jackson’s Art. I buy watercolor paper and imported paints there. It turns out 1.5-2 times cheaper. How to use their site?

5. DEVELOP YOUR IDEAS

If one of your goals is to use your sketchbook as much as possible, then sooner or later it will become filled with great ideas.

To keep these ideas from getting lost in your sketchbook, set aside 30 minutes to 1 hour a week to develop them.

Not enough ideas for drawing? Check it out here:

6. SEEK INSPIRATION

It's important to be able to make time for things that spark your creativity.

This could be a walk, a vacation, reading a book, or collaborating with other artists.

All of this can give you a creative boost throughout the year.

7. DEFINE YOUR ARTIST STYLE

Every artist wants to be recognized.

Of course it's great to try new techniques and materials, but overall you still want to maintain your style so that people recognize your work.

8. TRY SOMETHING NEW

Try at least one new thing this year (and we're talking about not just about canvas size).

Explore other ways to create art, be it drawing, embossing, zentangle, watercolor, sculpture, or even baking art.

This will help you grow as an artist and maybe you will find another passion!

9. MAKE TIME

Unless you're a full-time artist, you'd probably like to have more time to paint.

No matter how busy you are, you can always find some time to do what you truly love.

Find time to draw a couple of days a week., having planned classes in advance in the organizer, sign up for a seminar, or attend a master class together with other artists.

10. LOOK INTO THE PAST

A great way to get inspired is to look at the work of old masters.

Choose an artist whose work you are particularly fascinated by and study their techniques and techniques.

Set aside an hour a week to bring along a sketchbook and art journals with a selection of your work to practice old techniques.

This will give you great ideas for projects in the future.

11. WORK ON YOUR PORTFOLIO

If you don't yet have a portfolio, start working on one.

You can take photos of your work, digitize or print them, create a website, or anything else you want (remember to be creative).

Portfolios are created not only for professional artists. This is a great way to show friends and family what you're working on.

Alexander Grigoriev-Savrasov 2015-09-14 at 03:09

In this article, I answer one of my blog readers to what seems to me to be the burning question of finding inspiration. Thank her for given topic, which concerns all creators without exception.

“I started drawing in January of this year, attended a right-brain training and off we go! At first there was such delight, everything worked out like that. But for more than three months I haven’t been able to gather my strength. And I want to develop in this direction, but I can’t bring myself to pick up a brush. Since I am engaged in self-education, I thought that perhaps this happens at some stage of development, I just don’t know about it. So I decided to ask someone if there are such failures of inspiration among beginners, and what to do about it? I'm waiting for the answer. Thank you!"

Where should an artist look for inspiration and is it necessary to do so?

It happens that from time to time we find ourselves in a vacuum of desires, we are not pleased with our previous hobbies and ideas. We don't find interest in sometime exciting activities, I want to quit everything and never return to this.

I think many people have experienced similar feelings, let’s try to figure out how to deal with this and whether it is necessary at all.

Let me start with the fact that there is no right-hemisphere drawing as a method or as a school, and in general in no way, except for a commercial offer where they allegedly help you turn off left hemisphere and create only those who are right.

The brain is a single organ; it is not divided into independent parts. Its left and right halves are connected by neurons, and we can only guess which part is responsible for what.

We are told that we should turn off the left hemisphere, which is responsible for control, and surrender to creativity, supposedly all the problems are that we control our emotions too much.

I think you understand that there is no switch, and with it, no such techniques.

How can you develop in a direction that does not exist?

I'm not against such a pastime, but, again, let's call everything by its proper name. These classes are not in the area visual arts. It is more like relaxation, a break from everyday work and prolonged depression.

Yes, by going through such trainings, you react emotionally, you open up, removing your everyday inhibitions, and get rid of fears, but this does not last long. You have no control over the switch, simply because there isn't one.

You risk becoming dependent on the emotional outbursts caused by such activities. You are attracted not by creativity itself, but by the emotional shock that accompanies this action.

You are deceiving yourself, and they are helping you with this, but this will not happen indefinitely. As a result, you either pull yourself together, realizing that this cannot continue, or you become despondent, disappointed in your creativity too.

I repeat, you didn’t even touch creativity while taking such courses, but it could really help you.

Let's turn to Wikipedia as the most accessible information source.

Creativity is a process of activity that creates qualitatively new material and spiritual values ​​or the result of creating an objectively new one.

Let's figure out what creativity is? First of all, creativity is a result. If you do not have an ultimate goal, then the process itself will soon cease to please you, since there will be no meaning in it, no matter how much you are assured of the opposite.

If you are moving towards any set goal, you cannot do it uncontrollably, that is, by turning off your brain. IN in this case The brain is far from being the enemy of creativity, but a helper.

A brain that has knowledge easily manipulates it, applying the necessary ones, and achieves its goals. Conversely, the lack of acquired skills can easily lead to a dead end.

Let's summarize: you set a goal and move towards its implementation. Having achieved a result, you receive a moral reward, realizing that you were able to do it, you succeeded.

The process of achieving it depends on what goal you set, and at this stage, I assure you, it is very interesting to create, develop, get carried away, and live.

Challenge yourself with an elusive goal. Let it be like a disease, but a creative disease, then every work you complete will become a pill that briefly relieves the itch of creativity.

A reader asks me how to overcome the lack of desire to create. The first thing to do is set a goal. The second is to obtain the missing knowledge. And thirdly - the most important thing - to learn to see and notice in the world around you the moments with which you will fill your paintings.

Stop thinking that you have less opportunities than those who study in professional educational institutions. I assure you, they don’t teach you how to set goals and see stories that interest you in the world around you.

I have already written about and about the fact that I consider all of us to be such. No one will teach us if we don’t want it ourselves. Treat right-hemisphere drawing as an incident that brought you into the world of fine art, and, finally, do not turn off, but turn on your brain in the direction you need.

What to do with inspiration, where to look for it, how to keep it? This is actually a simple question. I'll scare you if I tell you that it doesn't exist at all!

You should understand what inspiration is? Figuratively speaking, this is a spiritual uplift in which you want to create, create, express yourself.

Returning to the above, how will you express yourself without a goal, without deciding on the direction where you are going and why? Most likely, your inspiration is simply good mood which will soon pass.

For an artist, inspiration is the energy that comes during work, and he tries to use it for its intended purpose, achieving his goal.

Let's finally dispel this myth about the artist - a celestial being who creates only after waiting for spiritual inspiration. Creativity is work, sometimes hard, and sometimes very hard. Your legs may swell from standing in front of an easel for a long time, your head may pound from nervous tension. The list can be continued, but I won't do that.

All of the above difficulties are nothing compared to the happiness of creating and achieving goals! The result is the reward for our work. “Through thorns to the stars” - this is the only way to achieve true freedom to express yourself.

If you have a goal, there will be no failures of inspiration, simply because it does not exist, just like right-brain drawing.

I also have a good mood, as well as not a very good one, but I always have inspiration as energy for work. How to achieve such harmony? I repeat, set a goal, gain the missing knowledge and move towards the result.

In this sequence, the process itself will become a fascinating, exciting journey into the world of fine art.

Once again I thank everyone who comments on my articles, it is important to me Feedback. Based on your questions, detailed topics are born; I repeat, we are writing this blog together with you.

I look forward to your comments!