To many people nothing is more intimidating than buying a large expensive canvas only to have it stare blankly back at you. Maybe you think you're only a one hit wonder, that you've already created your masterpiece and that it doesn't get any better than that. WRONG! You're just not inspired. You don't have that intense, burning, desire to create this vision you have in your head, which means your piece is going to suck! Trust me, people notice when you're not passionate about something because it shows directly in your work. Finding inspiration is a lot like being an active photographer. Inspiration is out there, you just have to go get it! Three steps you need for instant inspiration: Exposure, Focus, and Record.
Exposure
My favorite color palate to paint are skin tones. Skin isn't just one color, its a collage of light blue veins peeking under patches of Sienna, Flesh and Raw Umber. Most of my work are paintings of people and I've spent hours trying to get their skin complexion just right. Trust me it's a lot more difficult than trying to find the perfect match for new makeup foundation at Target without a mirror. At the risk of sounding like a pre-destined serial killer, the more people I meet, the more exposure I get to skin. If you like painting beach scenes or sailboats then you need to find some real ones. Go to the harbor or the marina and maybe try out en plein air (French for painting outside). It's fun, gets you outside, and I guarantee you will paint something you wouldn't have if you were inside your bedroom studio.
En plein air painting of a painter painting en plein air. Whoa.
Focus
Start doing things by yourself. Go to a museum alone. Go whale watching alone. Walk the haunted graveyard alone at night. Sometimes your world just gets too loud and predictable. You need a reset, a step back. A place where you're mind isn't divided and your attention isn't paid to someone else. Those places are easy to find, the trick is actually going there at your own accord. Once you're alone, take a minute to realize and truly feel it. Now, you can focus. Sometimes I'll zone out while looking at tree tops thinking about how would I replicate that exact color and texture using acrylics. How much green and how much yellow do I need to create the soft, velvet, caress of the rays of light streaming through the leaves? How many planes make up a human face? How can I break that down into just the basics? Think about composition, and positioning. Which objects and colors hold most weight? How will you transfer it onto a 2D representation? Take your time to figure out and answer each question.
Record
All that exposure and focus will do you no good, if you don't remember it. Keep a small or big unlined notebook with you at all times. Don't be afraid to write anything and everything down. Remember, this is for you and only you. It's not going to be turned in, graded, or published. You'll never know when an idea might hit and you should always be prepared to capture it immediately.
Art is about finding inspiration in all aspects of life. Maybe it's the heat lightning of the storm last night, the delicate petal of a poppy, or even the way you sliced your avocado open this morning. It's about taking the best parts of life and making it tangible. So keep your eyes and your mind open, and don't forget; record everything. Because sometimes you'll find inspiration in all the wrong places.