The most common and frequent question any artist gets is about inspiration. Where do you get it? One of the things that many people don’t realize about inspiration is that it can be fleeting and fluctuating. It’s not always consistent, it’s not always obvious, and it’s not always one thing.
An artist can have moments when inspiration flows and fills them with one idea after another. So many that they don’t know what to do with all the new ideas in their head.
But it can also happen that there is a complete lack of it from time to time. Sometimes, it seems like no matter what we do it just doesn’t happen. This can be especially true when we need it the most. It can be a lot like writer’s block and these times can be incredibly frustrating and worrying, especially if you have a deadline or it’s time to launch a new collection.
It happens to the best of us but there are things we can do to fight it and help the river of ideas flow once again. Here are some of my favorite tips for getting back into your creative flow when you feel like you’ve already used up all of your best ideas.
1. Try a New Technique
When we get comfortable with our techniques, it’s easy to sit at the table and immediately begin working the way we always have. We know that we have to choose a color of clay and begin by conditioning it. We tend to take the same steps in the same order and pick up our favorite tools only to find that nothing we try is working because we’re just not feeling it.
My suggestion is to explore a technique that you’ve never used before and allow yourself to get lost in something that isn’t quite so automatic. It can be a great way for you to use your hands to create different movements other than the ones you are used to while using your tried and trusted methods.
Unplug from any distractions like social media or television for a while and really let your mind take you wherever it wants to. Remember, this is only for you, nobody else needs to see anything that comes out of these experimental sessions.
2. VISIT A MUSEUM OR ART GALLERY
One of the best ways to find inspiration as a visual artist is to look at visual art and there is no better place to do this than an art museum or gallery. This gets you away from your studio and into a new environment that is not only filled with artwork but also with other people who have similar interests. Look for things in paintings like color pallet and composition. Even if you are a jewelry artist for example, you can find a significant amount of information in painting and sculpture. It can be anything from the smallest detail to the entire composition. Good art is meant to be interpreted and that means what you see or the feeling that a work of art evokes in you is sure to be unique. Pay attention to those things and it very well may lift you out of that slump.
3. Travel
I know that physical travel is not always possible for everyone but if it is, there is a world of creativity out there to discover. Travel is an incredible source of inspiration for me. It opens your mind to a whole new way of looking at the world and the work you create. It forces you to think about other cultures and customs in a way that can only enhance your approach to your work.
And it's not only about experiencing the art but rather how they approach everyday life that filters into the art that they create.
If physical travel isn’t possible for you, don’t feel badly about that. There are other ways in which you can experience culture in your own area. Libraries and book stores are incredibly underrated these days but there is an entire world to discover through books. There are many talented photographers out there who have done an amazing job at putting books together to showcase hundreds of colors and cultures around the world.
The next thing that you can do is immerse yourself in documentaries. With the number streaming services available these days, there are cultural documentaries about every corner of this earth.
4. PINTEREST
As much as we all need a break form the internet from time to time, I find Pinterest to be different from much of the other noise out there. Technically not social media, Pinterest is a visual artists dream. A feast for the eyes, filled with images of anything and everything you can image. From artwork like painting and sculpture to interior design to fashion, to recipes. I find Pinterest is a great way to let my mind wonder and relax. It’s in these moments when I feel relaxed and I am making no attempt to create my next masterpiece that the ideas being to flow. And whats great about Pinterest is that you can create an inspiration board right there. Save the images that you love and go back them when you get to your studio or better yet, print them out and pin them on your wall and you’ve got yourself a nice mood board to refer to as you work.
5. THE FARMERS MARKET
I realize this one may sound a little strange but it works! The farmers market is full of color, texture, shapes, and sizes. As artists we tend to see the world through the lens of how we can fit what we see into our artwork. It’s amazing where our minds can take us when we look at common objects or in this case something as seemingly banal as fruit and vegetables through this lens.
6. GO FOR A WALK OR TAKE A SHOWER
As simple as this one sounds, its often in these simple gestures that the best thoughts come to us. Lean and pay attention to your thoughts in these moments. Sometimes it can be tricky to remember them once you're done but a little trick I’ve learned is to use my smartphone to record voice notes.
7. Admire and celebrate other polymer clay artists
Our beloved medium is one of the most amazing art materials out there! I have heard many times over stories about artists who started out using different mediums who then discovered polymer clay only to never look back and fall head over heels in love. I am one of them! This material is fascinating on so many levels and if you’re reading this you probably know that already and that’s why you’re here.
The polymer clay community is filled with incredibly talented artists creating mind-blowing work. It’s an underrated material that deserves to be celebrated and within that comes a plethora of inspiration. Looking towards other polymer clay artist to see how they handle things like, color, pattern, texture, weight, armature, and many other things is a world of inspiration all on its own.
I encourage anyone who is interested in polymer clay to dig deep and explore the virtually limitless ways of using this material as well as those who paved the way and worked so hard to have polymer clay recognized as a serious art medium.
What’s important is that we use these explorations as inspiration and not to copy. Find what it is that you love about that artists work or a technique they are using and turn that into your own.
8. Celebrate yourself!
I’m saving my favorite one for last! Sometimes we need to be reminded that it’s ok to say that we are good at what we do. As artists we’ve been made to feel like it's boastful or arrogant to say this and that we are supposed to let other people determine if we are good or not. But who decided that? No matter where we are in our career, that is the only part that people will see. They will not see all the years that came before and the mistakes and the improvements that we have made. As we hopefully, consistently grow and evolve and become better artists, we must feel comfortable celebrating ourselves and the victories along the way. This is the best way to stay inspired and not allow the thoughts and comments and ideas of people who may not even truly know us to get in the way of our progress. So take a look back at how far you’ve come and celebrate that even if you’re just getting started, we get better every day.
As you begin to gather ideas and being to feel creative again, notice the things that you are most drawn to. Which are the color pallets that you continually gravitate towards? What are the forms and textures that you find most interesting? Which types of compositions speak to you most? Which culture fascinates you most and why? What is the connection between all of these things? Once you find that common thread it becomes easier to understand where your inspiration comes from and once you know what moves you to create it becomes easier to tap into that source in the moments when you are feeling less than inspired.
Sara Amrhein, Sculpey Design Squad
