Let me guess…
You clicked on this article because you’re feeling uninspired. You just can’t seem to find art inspiration to motivate you to create new art.
Believe me, I’ve been in your shoes. And I know it sucks.
Fortunately, over the years I’ve learned about effective strategies that can help artists rekindle their artistic inspiration.
That’s why, in this article, I’m breaking down:
By the time you’re done reading, you’ll have a bunch of fun and helpful strategies that will rekindle your love for creating art.
Table of Contents
What is Art Inspiration?
Art inspiration is a type of energy or stimulus that inspires creativity.
Many artists rely on this form of inspiration to help them create new artwork because it gives them a lot of new and original ideas.
So, how do you find artistic inspiration?
Keep reading to find out.
Where Do Artists Get Inspiration for Art?
Artists get inspiration from a variety of sources including nature, media, people, other artists’ artwork, and personal experiences.
For example, as an artist, you can draw inspiration from any of the following sources:
As you can see, inspiration can come from just about anywhere.
Depending on your interests, you might find it easier to draw inspiration from certain sources more easily than others.
How to Find Art Inspiration for Beginners
I can’t emphasize this enough:
You can’t wait around forever for inspiration to come to you. If you do, you’ll end up procrastinating and making no artistic progress at all.
So, when you’re feeling uninspired or art blocked, you need to be proactive to get your artistic inspiration back.
In the following list, you’ll discover 10 strategies that will help you find inspiration easily and effortlessly.
1. Create Art Every Day
It’s important to get into the habit of making art every day because creating art consistently helps you maintain a creative mindset.
As well, when you schedule time for your daily art practice, then creating art becomes second nature.
Sure, you might feel creatively exhausted at times, but both beginners and professionals alike experience creative fatigue.
The difference is that serious artists who create art every day are more disciplined because they honour their commitment to produce art regularly.
They’re less likely to procrastinate because they know how to overcome art block. And they understand that motivation and dedication are more important than relying on inspiration.
2. Download a List of Drawing Prompts
I bet that at some point you’ve wondered, “How do you get inspiration to draw?”
Well, if you’re the type of artist who wastes a lot of time looking for the perfect photos to inspire you, then I recommend that you find a list of pre-made drawing or painting prompts.
This solution is brilliant because whenever you feel uninspired, you can look at your list of prompts so that you don’t waste precious time searching for inspiration every time you sit down to create.
Luckily for you, I’ve created a list of 100 creative drawing ideas that you can download for free by clicking the aforementioned link.
Or, if you prefer to customize your list, you can use Google or Pinterest to search for drawing and painting ideas so that you can curate your own personal list.
3. Join an Online Art Community
The advantages of online art groups are many.
When you join free online art groups, you can chat with like-minded people who share your passion for art.
You can ask for drawing or painting advice, discover new artists whose artwork resonates with you, and you can get art supply recommendations.
As well, you can share your art with your peers so that you can learn how to get constructive criticism.
All of these benefits can help you find art inspiration. So if you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read so far, check out our lovely art communities on the following platforms:
But if you prefer to interact with artists in a more personal manner, you can just as easily visit your local museum, art gallery, or community centre to network with artists and creative individuals.
4. Don’t Be Afraid to Make Mistakes
There’s a wonderful quote by Susan Jeffers that I believe many people should live by. It goes like this:
Feel the fear and do it anyway
But how does this wisdom apply to artists?
When applied to artists and creatives, it means to keep creating artwork no matter how many times you fail.
You see, many artists are afraid to make mistakes or produce “ugly” art because they feel as though the art is not good enough.
Even worse, artists have a tendency to hyper focus on only creating “perfect” artwork, and anything less is deemed unworthy.
This, of course, is untrue because in order to become a great artist, you must fail and learn from your mistakes. After all, failure is the best teacher.
So, the best way to overcome perfectionism as an artist is to embrace experimentation by making mistakes.
For example, try new art supplies that you’ve never used before or embrace a new artistic medium that you’ve always wanted to try.
5. Spend Time in Nature
If you check out my Instagram account, you’ll notice that nearly all of my watercolour art is based on landscapes and nature.
Why?
Because I see a lot of beauty and creativity in the natural world. From the common S curves of trees and rivers to the blocky shapes of mountains and stones.
Thus, I encourage you to spend some time in nature. There are multiple beneficial reasons for doing this, including:
So, the next time the weather is good, embrace the outdoors.
Note: If you enjoy creating art outdoors, check out this article on plein air painting for watercolour artists.
6. Draw Inspiration from Media
One of my absolute favourite ways to find art inspiration for drawing and painting is to engage with various forms of media that I enjoy.
For instance, my favourite genre of film and literature—fantasy—has had a great impact on how I developed my unique art styles.
Both of these mediums often involve unique world-building elements and gripping narratives which have influenced the types of landscapes I paint or characters that I draw.
As well, I’ve found inspiration in a lot of music and video games because both mediums can be very stimulating and entertaining.
Basically, the best advice I can give you is to brainstorm the types of media that you enjoy the most and think about the kinds of emotions that they stir up in you.
Consider the different visual elements that catch your attention. Then, incorporate those elements into your own artwork to create something novel and exciting.
7. Tidy Up Your Workspace
Visual clutter can be a huge distraction for many people. In some cases, it can even stress you out because there is too much visual information vying for your attention.
As such, seeing your art supplies or office supplies littered across your desk could discourage you from creating art.
Therefore, the best thing to do is to tidy up and clean your workspace.
Simply declutter and organize the items that are on your desk.
Afterwards, put your favourite art supplies on your desk. By doing so, these visual cues will signal your brain to pick up a pencil or paintbrush.
And just like that, your environment can spark your creativity again!
8. Create A Pinterest Board for Art Inspiration
Art inspiration on Pinterest can be found everywhere. After all, it is a visual search engine, which makes the platform useful for artists.
That’s why I encourage you to sign up for Pinterest if you haven’t already done so in order to create your very own art inspiration board.
It’s really simple to do. Just follow these step-by-step instructions:
In addition, you could create a mood board or a colour palette board to inspire you so that your well of inspiration never runs dry.
And if you enjoy text, you can add art inspiration quotes to these boards and read them whenever you need motivation.
9. Recreate Old Artwork or Revisit Old Ideas
When you’re feeling sluggish and creatively uninspired, have a look at your old artwork and projects.
When you look back at old artwork, you can more easily identify your past weaknesses. With your new knowledge, you can recreate the artwork more skillfully.
When you recreate art, you usually take risks or apply new techniques that were previously outside of your skillset.
By redoing the artwork, you’re able to reimagine the drawing or painting in new ways that reflect your current artistic abilities.
Alternatively, you can revisit old ideas or failed projects that you never pursued.
If you decide to tackle an old project, you can build off of the old idea by fusing it with your new ideas.
This forces the creative wheels in your head to turn, so you’re likely to come up with fresh and exciting ways to create your project.
10. Study Your Favourite Artists’ Work
Lastly, one of the best ways to reignite your creativity is to study your favourite artists’ work.
Ask yourself what you love most about their unique art style. What stylistic elements intrigue you, and consider how you could adopt those techniques into your own style.
When you explore the elements that you find aesthetically pleasing, you have a better understanding of what intrigues you.
With this knowledge, you have a deeper understanding of the artistic elements that inspire your own creations.
So, have a look at some of your favourite artists, illustrators, photographers, and designers to brainstorm a list of stylistic elements that you want to replicate in your own pieces.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, you now know of 10 easy ways to find art inspiration.
As well, you’ve explored 10 strategies that have revealed how to get your artistic inspiration back whenever you’re struggling.
As you have learned, there are many ways to find inspiration in the world around you.
But the biggest takeaway is that you shouldn’t wait for inspiration to come knocking at your door. Instead, be proactive and seek it out.
Therefore, the next time you’re struggling to find inspiration, try out some of these solutions. I guarantee that at least one of them will recharge your creative batteries.
Just give it a try and you’ll see!
Do you struggle to find art inspiration? Or does inspiration come naturally to you? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
MIRANDA BALOGH is a self-taught artist who loves teaching her students how to paint with watercolours. To do this, she inspires her audience to step into their power as artists so they can create beautiful artwork with confidence. Subscribe to her art channel on YouTube to enjoy more art content!
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