Finding Inspiration: Tell a Story
One of the greatest questions every creator gets asked: What is your inspiration?
I believe one of the greatest inspirations for art is a story.
It doesn't haven't to be the greatest adventure story...
What did you have for breakfast? Toast? Did it come out perfect? Burnt? Under-toasted?
What did you put on it? Butter? Jam? Was it homemade jam? Marmite?
What did you have with it? Water? Tea? Coffee? Juice?
Then draw your toast, or the toaster... or the crumbs on the plate (if you used one... I know I sometimes don't. Sorry mum.) You could draw the butter melting into the toast, the jam jar that might have been a bit hard to open.
Or, find the story behind your sketch.
Have you ever been at a loss of words when asked what inspired you?
I do, sometimes (okay, often); because the inspiration seems so simple and... boring (or weird, in my case).
For example:
Why did you draw that flower?
Because I saw it one day walking the long way home through the park. It was a lovely sunny day and that flower made me stop. Drawing it helps me remember the heat of summer sun, the mother telling off her child, the elderly lady sitting in the shade reading a book. It was such a simple but normal day, and this flower made me stop and enjoy it.
How's that?
How many of you have photos on your phone of something that captured you, inspired you? That you were going to do something with? I have 100s... and I've used maybe 5 of them... but each one has a memory attached, or the thought that inspired me to capture the image. The photo itself might not make sense to anyone else, but to me that moment, that story, is burnt into my memory.
So don't be caught up looking for the greatest inspiration to come.
It's ok if it's in the crumbs from toast, or the way the light shone through the leaves one summer afternoon... or the way the cat slept.
Your story is the greatest inspiration. Be proud of it. Tell the who world.