art inspiration?

Question

I am currently an art student in graphics design.We have alot to do in our module. Some very practical stuff like drawings, sketching, painting, composition, colours. I am only in my 1st year you see. Now its time for the final project. In fact this problem keeps coming back. Everytime i try to work on something, i am always stuck for ideas. i understand that ideas and inspiration don't always flow. We are kind of focusing on composition. The main problem i have is that i would always have an idea but when i look through books and pictures. the idea seem to sidetrack abit. I don't know if its cause i have been too unconfident of my work. And i just dont know how to start. And i'm scared that once i start, i would be sitting there stoning because i really dont know what to work on. As and when i have random ideas. But i really dont know how to put it down. There is just something, a barricade holding me back and i dont know what. A kind of fear i think. Please comment??

Answer 1

2nd year animation student - Starting is always the hardest part. I go to school with some people who can just throw out brilliant ideas left and right I think they just have over active imaginations.
Personally I find it hard to come up with ideas but I've found keeping a personal sketchbook helpfull. When ever I have an idea, or see something inspiring I can write a note, sketch, thumbnail in my sketch book. I migh never use the ideas but at least I wont forget them.
Also If I'm starting a project spending some time sketching random things will spark a bigger idea.
One of my teachers said to me recently - what do you want to animate? and I was totaly caught off guard, I spend so much time drawing for the school, and doing assignments that sometimes I forget why and what I love to draw.
Ask your self that question- what is it I love to draw? that's what your assignment should be about. Find a way to incorporate your interests into your assignments and they'll come out better in the end. Having an interest in what your doing not only allows you to enjoy the asignment, but you'll pay more attention to details because you'll have more patience.

Try not to worry about your current skill level. If you were amazing and could ace every assignment they put in front of you then you would be waisting your money attending school in the first place. your there to learn, not to be the best. Take every assignement as an opportunity to apply everything you know. Always try your best and you will succed dispite what ever grade you get, or what other people think of it.

Answer 2

I find it helpful to visualize the end result.

Other things that are helpful is to take the initial inspiration and do a series of small thumbnail sketches to develop your vision and what you are trying to say. Often the first idea is the best, but not always.

Mozart said something to the effect of having to be ready to catch the melody as it flowed past him and putting down as much and as accurately as possible while it was there.

Once you know what you are going to do, don't be sidetracked by outside influences-if possible. Try to be true to your own vision.

*And, for what it's worth, your work will improve dramatically if you can stay true to that original idea and vision.
Something to remember when trying something new...You can usually learn more from a failed attempt if it is a genuine effort, than you can when everything goes perfectly without any problems!

One more thing... A sketchbook is a great place to tap into the creative side. 15 minutes a day. or, fill one page a day. anything and everything. You could do that however you wanted to... it could be an artistic journal.

Good luck with that, hope some of this is helpful.

Answer 3

I am also a graphics student in my first year, as well as a fine art one. It's taken me a long time to belive in myself and my ability, but in the end I have managed to create some good work. When I'm stuck for ideas [which I always am at the beginning of a project] I make big mind-map/spider diagrams with the title in the middle and write down anything and everything I think of, even if they don't seem like good ideas, or they seem to obvious, just write everything down. Once you start thinking you often find that the ideas keep flowing, write eveything you think of down, the best pieces often come from the craziest or far-fetched ideas. Once you have these initial ideas within your theme, pick the one that interests you most, talk to people about this theme, find out what they think about it and their view, and then put as much research into it as you can. It may seem daunting before you do it, but I promise once you get started it is actually a lot easier than you thought. I have had to learn not to be a perfectionist about my work, and not to be scared or embarrassed of my ideas, so I'm not saying it's easy as it has taken me a while to do so. Post your ideas on here to, it's less daunting and people have given me good feedback in the past.
Good Luck =]