3 Simple Ways to Find and Gather Inspiration

Have you decided that you want to create art but you aren't sure where to get your next idea? Sometimes the hardest part is deciding what your next subject will be. When it comes time to decide what you will create next it can help if you have already gathered some inspiration.

Gathering inspiration can come in many different forms. The first step to gathering inspiration is paying attention to what inspires you. What is inspiration? According to the Online Dictionary the definition of inspiration is:

1. the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.

Inspiration is found when we stop and look around and allow ourselves to use our senses and feel the world around us. When you do, what do you notice that speaks to you the most? What catches your eye? What makes you feel something intense? What colors do you see? What do you smell? How does the air feel? Is there a taste? The moments that make you feel the most alive, these are the moments you are inspired.

Gathering inspiration is a fun process. Taking the time to document and recollect the moments you felt inspired will help you create a collection of inspiration that you can come back to again in again for ideas. Here are three ideas to help you start gathering inspiration today.:

1. Journaling and Sketching - Write about your experiences or sketch out the details about your day. In the future you can come back to your recollections to help you create ideas for your next art project. Writing and sketching can also help you to remember details about your experiences that you can use to come up with new ideas.
   

2. Photography- Take pictures of all of the things, scenes and/or people that inspire you. Pictures make great reference photos; print off one your favorite photos and recreate it with your own artistic freedom. You can use pictures to create color palettes; the world is full of color that you can capture.

3. Gather inspiration from magazines, books, Pinterest, online searches etc.

Spend some time online searching for ideas and create your own inspiration boards on Pinterest. Look through magazines or books to create an inspiration board. on poster board or to collect the photos in a folder.

Inspiration is all around us. We just have to slow down and take the time to document what inspires us. Art is an expression of what we feel inside. Use your five senses to help you create art that shares what your soul is longing to say. Inspiration can not always be timed, planned or found. When that happens practice art anyway. Work on a skill or technique you already know and love. Create something simple, give yourself freedom to explore, try things and enjoy the process. Even if at the end you don't love the product, the real joy of art is in the creating itself. Enjoy the process of collecting inspiration that you can come back to again and again in the future.