Inspiration can have an influence on all kinds of art forms. Artists are generally inspired by what they see around them. Whether it can be taken from nature, objects, past emotions or from other artists, the desire to find what drives you to paint can be a daunting or an easy experience.
Inspiration comes primarily in the form of close observation of what is around me. I tend to notice things that perhaps some may not immediately see and that comes with having the “artist eye”. There are several ways in which I can develop my creative ideas. One is my ability to take reference photos with my camera as it can open different possibilities of working from life. I like the process of figuring out on my computer what to leave in, crop out, focus on, darken to see values and what is less important from the photo in order to use it for my paintings. This is especially helpful if you are mostly an in-studio artist like I am. When not using reference photos, I enjoy finding unique objects for painting purposes. I love going to thrift stores, antique shops and the like to find objects that are both interesting and colourful. I often include the use of flowers for my Still Life paintings. I currently have a fair number of objects in my studio which I can use.
I’m known as the RV painter. I love travelling in my travel trailer with my partner Bob who enjoys photography as his main hobby. Together we look for inspirational subjects to which I can use in my paintings. Subjects of interest to both of us are often found on location in various places we visit. I also enjoy sketching and art journaling, which helps keep the creative thoughts flowing. I’m constantly writing down ideas in my notebook to quickly record what I’m thinking. I used to have subscriptions to several art magazines until many of them ceased publication. However, I still browse through them for inspiration.
I can’t stress enough the importance of one particular place in order to help drive those creative juices and that is the Public Library. This is one of the first places that I have found with the most information needed to help with getting inspired in any medium. If you are self taught as I am, this is a great resource. And lastly, who doesn’t keep various inspirational art books in their own studio library. To see more of my paintings and those for sale, visit my gallery here and at mypassion4art.com.
Reference photo of Lake Newell
Birch Trees at Lake Newell, 20x26 Acrylic on canvas $800
Reference photo of Peony flower
Enormous Peony, 30x30 acrylic on canvas $600