Welcome to Draw Tip Tuesday!
Here’s your weekly dose of inspiration To build a creative habit
One drawing at a time Brought to you by Sketchbook Skool.
I’ve been making these Draw Tip Tuesday videos for a while now, and sometimes people ask me:
‘how do you come up with ideas?’
And in fact, that question is interesting to answer not just for draw tip Tuesdays,
but for art in general.
If you want to keep a creative habit, you’ll need to make art regularly.
But what if you run out of ideas?
And there is not one general answer for this questions.
We’re all different, so the way we come up with ideas is different for everyone.
But one thing is certain: You can’t just sit around and wait for an idea to come to you
Picasso said it already: “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.”
So I have collected some random tips for you, based on my own experience.
Look around you. Ideas can be found anywhere.
You don’t even need to go anywhere for it, you can find them simply inside your own home.
When I don’t know what to draw, I just draw whatever is available: my feet, the tea pot,
the toilet bowl even… anything goes!
If you’re looking for ideas outside of your home, keep it simple too.
Look at the shadows and reflections casted by the sunlight.
When doing groceries, take a close look at the fresh produce.
Smell it.
Open up your senses.
Look at the people around you.
Talk with them.
Often, from even short conversations, you can learn a lot about or from someone.
And even if it doesn’t feel like a big aha-moment while you’re chatting, that minute of small-talk
can give you big ideas.
Read. Pick up a magazine, flip through its pages,
look at the photos and illustrations, but also take the time to read the articles that
seem interesting to you.
They can be completely unrelated to art.
In fact, fashion or interior design, or cooking are all about creativity just as much.
And I think even a magazine about fishing can be an inspiration, if that’s your thing.
Read books.
You can find a certain topic you’d like to learn more about.
Read all about it, study the subject. Think about it, make notes.
But reading is also very relaxing – I love it when it’s hard to put a book down
because of its suspense or compelling story.
And I love how different writers have such different styles in writing and using words.
Every book is a different adventure.
I am lucky to be able to read both in Dutch and English, so the choice is even bigger.
And sometimes just one sentence can spark a completely unrelated idea!
Or what about children’s books?
Looking at the illustrations, seeing how the illustrator’s imagination is reflected in the art…
If it doesn’t give you any ideas, at least it’s just a lot of fun!
Watch a movie Any form of storytelling can be inspiring.
Sometimes a scene, one sentence, or the way an actor is playing their role, can give unrelated ideas.
In my experience, inspiration strikes best when I go to the cinema to watch a movie,
rather than watching one on Netflix at home.
Too many distractions to really open my mind and absorb it all.
Speaking of absorbing. visit a museum. Not because you want to make art that should
hang in a museum… too much pressure!
But because looking at art is fun!
Look for color inspiration, themes or topics that you could apply in your sketchbook.
Look for interesting mediums you could play with.
And sometimes inspiration strikes in the museum shop, not in the museum itself.
You never know!
You can find Inspiration online. I will be the first to admit that I am an
Instagram addict.
It’s just something about the visual format, so easy to scroll and see a lot of different art styles.
I follow a couple of hundred people on instagram, all artists.
Often I wonder about the tools or techniques they use, and I’ll find out more
about it through their websites.
Then I’ll try mimicking it, if I want to learn and learn about their approach, a certain style or subject.
So you can real try to find out more about how they work, how they come up with ideas and learn from that.
Isn’t it amazing that we have an infinite library of art online, that we can explore,
and learn from every day?
I do have a side note to this tip.
because if you’re starting to feel intimidated rather than inspired by looking at other artists work,
then stay off social media.
It won’t give you any ideas, it’ll just crumple your self-confidence.
Don’t forget that being an artist can feel vulnerable.
Realize that and don’t torture yourself.
Instead, go for a walk.
It's really good to get out of the space you're in, to change your environment and that will help new ideas come.
All great philosophers and thinkers in history were also enthusiastic walkers.
It’s because walking frees up your mind.
There is an element of repetition in the act of walking where you can forget about stuff.
There’s a peacefulness to it, because it’s a slow movements, compared to driving for example
And it’s not about getting from A to B. It’s for the sake of walking and thinking.
When you are walking on your own, the thoughts and feelings can be more intense.
When you are with someone else, the discussions can be deeper.
Walking allows us to explore thoughts and play with ideas, it can help clarify your thinking.
I once had a mental coach, who would get up and take me for a walk whenever I felt blocked
and didn’t have any answers.
Just the change of environment, landscape, and the fresh air - it would just ree up my thinking
again. And i could breath again, even in my head.
Bring a small notebook, to write down your thoughts and sparks of ideas.
You could use your phone, but chances are, as soon as you open it, you’ll get distracted again.
Find new ideas in your own art. Look through old sketchbooks or journals.
Just seeing a color combination you once used, can spark a new idea.
Or you might be reminded of a certain subject you’d like to revisit.
Maybe even find a storyline you’d like to works with.
Be curious!
Have a chat with that new neighbor, they might have an interesting story.
Ask questions, always.
Buy a product. And I don’t just mean art supplies!
Just any product you've never bought before and try it.
Find a recipe you’ve never tried before.
Call a friend to ask how they’re doing and what they’re up to.
You might just come up with new ideas and fresh thoughts
Make lists. Have a list where you add ideas as they pop up.
Be sure not to judge your ideas at this point.
What feels like a silly idea today might end up being the right idea tomorrow.
I use lists to generate and prioritize ideas for my Draw Tip Tuesday videos.
That way I create an archive of ideas that I can add to
from time tot time. It’s a great resource.
You can make Mind Maps. Begin with an idea or a word that inspires you
and circle it.
Then jot words or phrases that you associate with it, around that initial word.
Use lines to connect certain words that are related in some way.
Circle the types of words in different colours to try and see connections, likenesses or direction
You can get back to the mind map and add ideas whenever you like.
It’s a different way of list making, in a more associative way.
Don’t try to come up with ideas. If you can’t sleep, it doesn’t help to
tense up and think ‘I need to sleep, I need to sleep!’
It only makes things worse.
If you don’t have ideas or inspiration, then thinking ‘I need to come up with a great idea’,
that really doesn’t help.
Keep it playful and realize that some things need to simmer a little bit.
Don’t try to come up with the perfect idea, just enjoy the process of imagining, associating,
thinking and letting go.
You will see that ideas will pop up at some point!
I hope these tips help. And if you have any other tips,
please share them. I would love to know them, because sometimes, I can use tips too!
So share them on social media, using the hashtag #DTTinAction
And then I'll see you next week. Bye!