FINDING INSPIRATION
FINDING INSPIRATION
It has been said that inspiration is the luxury of the amateur and in a sense, this is true. A professional artist can't wait for some inspirational moment before they can paint - poverty will be the result. In fact the need for food and shelter is inspiration enough for those who live by the brush!
The word inspiration has spiritual overtones for the some artists who believe that the very act of painting is the work of a higher power. Although it has to be said that the more you paint, the better your work is likely to become.
In simple terms, inspiration is the urge to paint through an outside influence. These influences are different for everyone, although it's almost always based on emotion and love, and these can be extremely powerful.
Encouragement to get some painting done can come in many forms and if you feel as most artists do from time to time, that you just can't get going, then we have to put some things into action.
Just getting out the paints and fiddling around can help - even cleaning up your studio area can inspire you to paint!
Being in the company of other artists and talking shop can really be beneficial - I know it is for me.
Pick up some art magazines - inspiration to get moving is not far away.
Visit an art gallery or art show and be inspired by what is possible.
Get out and about and take photos of scenes you know could be translated into a painting later on - imagine what a scene could become on a canvas.
Go to an art shop and browse, then buy something, even just a new brush.
Get on the web and look at sites like Pinterest. I'm not condoning copying other artist’s work but just be inspired by what they do. There is so much to be learned by studying other artist’s work.
Do a batch of 'practice' pieces. Without the pressure of having to be perfect, it's amazing what you can come up with!
Organise a day of painting with fellow artist/s - either indoors or out at a location.
To sum up, don't wait for some ethereal notion of inspiration to take hold of you before you can paint. Make it happen and find some inspiration for this holiday period.
Happy Painting,
Mike Barr
Semaphore Summer is one of several I have painted of the Semaphore Jetty in South Australia. It was greatly inspired by Charles Conder's work 'Holiday at Mentone'. We can be inspired by other artists without copying their work or style.