I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how creative people are inspired. And at the same time, how consciously I seek out inspiration in my own life. I may be a self-proclaimed SuperGeek, but I would describe myself as a jack-of-all-trades. WordPress consulting is just one of these “trades.”
Where Does Inspiration Come From?
Most of my other interests are creative and artistic, so Visualmodo Blog allows me to dabble at the intersection of creativity and tech geekiness.
Have you been watching the Netflix series Abstract? We love delving into the lives of the various types of artists. So, one after the other, and learning about how they carve out their creative space in the world. I have always loved watching the creative process at work, which is why I love Project Runway, for instance. I am always more interested in the designers’ processes than the catty in-fighting.
The artists featured in Abstract seemed to keep saying that their creativity thrives when limits are imposed upon it. Maybe you only have a Sharpie to draw with. Or your only canvas is a picture window. Or your logo design is restricted by the company’s name.
Restrictions & Scope
Similarly, I enjoy having some restrictions on my work. It’s better to be able to immediately reject some ideas before they can even bubble to the surface. Rather than having too much choice and too many options about what to create.
As someone who works on a computer all day. It’s easy to get so obsessed with working that you barely get up to eat, let alone leave the house. But I and other creative types must remember that creativity doesn’t happen in a vacuum. You need to get out into the world and see the colors of nature. Moreover, the typography on local signage, or how the light falls on a building at dusk.
One of the most inspiring things I do regularly visits an art gallery. I have a modern art museum membership, and I like to wander through for an hour. In addition, limiting myself to just one section. Sometimes I find somewhere to sit and write or doodle. Having a membership means taking my time and soaking in the creative atmosphere.
Travel: Where Does Inspiration Really Come From?
I also love to travel, as time and money permit. Getting out of my comfort zone is inspiring, and I’ve been inspired. By discovering how I react to new and often surprising situations. I love coming home and applying the lessons I’ve learned to my work and everyday life.
For me, inspiration comes from learning new things. I have an insatiable need to continue learning, so I thrive on signing up for online courses. I may not complete (or even start!) many of the techniques that I sign up for. But when I do, I am immediately goes into the world of whatever I’m learning:
- I completed a drawing course and gained so much confidence by putting pen to paper and just giving it a go.
- I went through a course on branding and learned some great techniques for visualizing a brand in the very early conceptual stages.
- I did a course about MailChimp and learned how to set up an autoresponder and what it means to segment a list.
All of these courses may have had some elements that I already knew, but the teacher put their spin on them, which framed them as something new. And there was always enough content that was new to me to inspire some new type of creativity.
Share Your Work
Finally, I get inspiration through sharing my vulnerable stories and the work I create. The conversations I’ve had with people after they have read my writing, or seen my rudimentary doodles, have been some of the most enlightening. They have often been having surprising discussions with people I’ve been friends with for some time but have never conversed with them like this before.
I’m so curious! Please tell me how you get your inspiration. Does it come quickly to you, or do you need to put yourself in a specific state to discover it? Leave a comment to let me know!
