Hello and welcome to another Sketchbook Saturday. These sketchbook Saturdays I share a watercolor speedpaint from my sketchbook while talking about various artist topics, and today I’ll be sharing 6 tips on how to find art inspiration and ideas while painting a robin nest and feathers (video is above or click HERE).

Before I jump into the 6 tips, I’d first like to say that I’ve found that inspiration and ideas for my art usually comes to me naturally, when I don’t force myself to come up with ideas. So these 6 tips are things you can do to have art inspiration and ideas to come to you naturally.

The first tip is to just create. I know I just said that you shouldn’t force inspiration, so what I mean by just create is to create without pressure. So this could be drawing in your sketchbook or painting over a painting you already messed up, or doodling in a notebook.

I’ve found that when I begin creating, inspiration come to me and I come up with more ideas even though before starting I didn’t have any inspiration. Sometimes we just need to start creating to let our creative juices flow.

There’s a quote from Pablo Picasso that I like, “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.”

The second tip is to do something that isn’t creating and that allows you to think and dream. Here are some examples: dishes, folding laundry, taking a shower or bath, and going for a drive.

My best and more exciting ideas for my art comes when I am driving or doing the dishes. It’s weird, but true and really works. Doing activities like these allows your mind to wonder without pressure. 

The third tip is to have a collection of things that inspire your art. This could be photos, poetry, movies, books, music, and objects that inspire you like flowers, feathers, shells, leaves, crystals, etc.

I also like to save Instagram posts from artists that I admire. You can create a collection on Instagram (kind of like a Pinterest board) and when you see art on Instagram that really inspires you, you can save it to the collection. I talk more about this in the first Sketchbook Saturday about finding our art style (click HERE to watch).

The fourth tip is to explore and experiment with your art regularly. This could be trying a new medium, painting or drawing a subject you haven’t before, using new colors, creating in a different space, doing an art challenge, doing art studies of others work, painting or drawing on different paper or surface, and more.

This will not only help you find more inspiration and ideas, but it’ll also help you grow as an artist, improve your art skills, and help you refine and evolve your art style. 

The fifth tip is to take a personal day by yourself and do something that makes you feel good and happy. Some call this an artist date.

You can go somewhere where you’ve always wanted to go or somewhere that inspires you. Like a garden, beach, park, coffee shop, museum, art galleries, etc.

You could also stay home and do whatever you’d like such as take a long bath or read or whatever will make you feel good.

The idea is for not only self care, but to relieve the pressure to create and find ideas for your art. This way, ideas can come to you naturally.

When you do something that makes you feel good and happy, creative ideas come because you’re not pressured to create or come up with ideas.

The sixth tip is to journal and write down all your ideas. Make a list of all the ideas for your art, and you can expand on them and dream up others and as you journal about your ideas more may come.

Here’s a wrap up!

1. Just create ~ “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” (Picasso)

2. Do something that isn’t creating and allows you to think ~ dishes, driving, folding laundry. Some of my best ideas comes to me when I’m doing dishes!

3. Have a collection of things that bring you inspiration ~ books, music, photos, objects (shells, dried flowers, etc)

4. Explore and experiment with your art regularly ~ trying a new medium, painting a new subject, etc.

5. Take a personal day and do something that makes you happy ~ going to a garden, park, anywhere you’d like, or staying home and taking a bath, read, or whatever you’d like. Sometimes our brains need a break from creating so we can replenish our creative wells.

6. Journal your ideas ~ and expand on them and come up with new ideas. You can also brain dump a list of all your ideas.
   
   

How do you find inspiration and ideas for your art? Comment and let us know!