13 Ways to Find Creative Inspiration

Seeking Inspiration for Art?
Create your own library of research by collecting through these 12 Inexpensive and Fun avenues. When you have your own library, you have inspiration at your fingertips.

"Bicycle" Charcoal on paper © Wendy Froshay

Many artists use the internet for research (and so do I), but I'd like to share with you other ways I enjoy gathering photos, pictures, images of paintings and everyday treasures to draw and paint.

1 - Go through Old Photos. Especially those black and white images from the past! They are excellent for value studies.

2 - Browse Thrift Stores and seek out old magazines, books and prints. This is great for your wallet, great for the economy and super terrific for the environment!

3 - Junk Mail. Believe it or not - go through your junk mail! Lots of eye catching images are sent for just that reason - to catch your eye. So clip them out and save them.

"Worn Companions" Ink on Bristol © Wendy Froshay

4 - Visit Yard Sales. You'll find children's books, unique magazines, prints in frames and lots of interesting knick-knacks (by the way, yard sales are fantastic way to get a deal on frames!)

5 - Got bored kids? Send them on a Scavenger Hunt for magazines and save the pictures that interest you. It'll keep them busy for an hour or so and you'll have lots of fodder when they're through. Have them help you go through and cut out images and place them into categories.

What's a Scavenger Hunt?
Yikes! If you don't know what a scavenger hunt is, email me - I'll give you the guidelines (I think I just gave away my age.....)

6 - No kids? Ask for “toss-aways” from professionals who have waiting rooms (hair salons, physicians, dentists, optometrists, dermatologists - you get the idea). They often have tons of magazines they get for free, and are happy to have someone tote them away when they are done with them (another great way to recycle!)

"Range Hangs" Ink on Bristol © Wendy Froshay

TIP
It's rare that they'll call you when they are ready to throw a stack away, so you'll need to call every once in awhile and be willing to come right away for pick up.

7 - Wander your home and look for Lost Treasures. Old vases, candles, hats, bowls of fruit, dried flowers, shoes & socks, garden gloves, piles of dishes - you name it! There's loads of things around your home.

8 - Use your digital camera or smartphone for any excursion. If you are out early in the mornings or late in the evenings then make sure to take your camera with you and collect images of lighting and composition.

9 - Go for a Walk and gather interesting objects. On my walks I've collected seed pods, pine cones, feathers, dried leaves, and even broken toys.

"Bartholomew" Ink on Bristol © Wendy Froshay

10 - Go through your Kids Toys and borrow the fun things. When my kids were toddlers, I use to pull their toys out for my students to use for drawing practice. Toys for young children are simplified into big and chunky shapes and can be easier to work from.

11 - Pets. Practice doing quick sketches of your pets while they are snoozing. Do closer studies by working from photos of them. Keep using your pet as a subject and you'll greatly improve your observation skills. (By the way, meet Bartholomew - Barthy for short).

12 - Visit the Library Sales. Libraries often sell older, more tattered books when they gain new ones. You can get some fantastic buys for a fraction of the cost. I've collected shelves of wonderful children's books, many of which are no longer available in print (now that's what I call treasure!)

"Cloud Dragon Sketch" Graphite on paper © Wendy Froshay

13 - Lay on your back in the grass and let your mind Play in the Clouds. Drawing with your eyes or grab your sketch pad and take notes. Don't tell anyone, but I once created a dragon drawing from a cloud I saw through the sun roof of my car. I scribbled as fast as I could at a couple of stop lights before it transformed.

Catalog Your Images
Keep pictures, photos and clippings that you've collected in some kind of easy to find storage system. I started with file folders that had my images broken down into large categories. As my 'library' grew, I broke the bigger files into smaller, more specific genres.

I also have a tall stack of plastic storage drawers with good research for my students to use during classes. They are labeled generally as People, Landscapes, Florals, Animals, Black & White Studies, Portraiture, Still Life, Drawing Styles, etc.

Whatever you choose to draw or paint, the more interested you are in your subject matter, the better art you'll create. Take the time to really study your subject from all angles. The more often you do this, the better you'll become at the subjects you love.