A few days ago, I was asked for some ideas to use to creates some pictures. The question was asked by an already skilled developing artist, who I also think of as a nice person. In my answer I also provided some ideas of where someone can look to seek inspirations.
The following is an expansion of an excerpt derived from my answer to this artist's question:
Become an observer of life. Look at what is around you and let the images form.
Think of David Lean's advice to Omar Sherif during the filming of [i:16fe6aaf39]Dr. Zhivago[/i:16fe6aaf39]. Paraphrasing from memory, "We can not have you going around reading poetry to show that you are a poet. Instead, stand still and watch the others performing the dramas of the story. You will be seen as a poet watching and feeling the drama. The audience will then accept you as a poet with deep feelings."
We need to adapt Mr. Lean's advice. To be an artist live your life, at the same time though, be an observer. Try to see your life from a third person perspective. When you are at a cafe, enjoy your meal, enjoy the moment and still observe all the little scenes, comedies, and dramas that are happenings all around you. Observe the world and feel it, then let that feeling find expression and let the images form in your mind.
Even before the images are fully formed, start playing with variations on the theme as soon as you feel the inspiration. Not everytime but often enough, the work can take on a life of its own and before you know it, the picture is all but finished, leaving you wondering where the image came from.
Use brainstorming and idle doodling, to your benefit. The urge to just play with some 3d models can sometime become something worthy of being called art. Random connections of sepperate ideas and sometime meld together into an interesting pattern. An example of what I am referring to is the process by which
[i:16fe6aaf39]"After the Evening"[/i:16fe6aaf39] was created. Rather than reposting the information here, I will am including it by reference, see the thread
"The Joke that became [i:16fe6aaf39]'After the Evening'[/i:16fe6aaf39]".
Think of the movies, television, radio dramas, and books that you have loved. Think of a scene from a story that really touches your soul and create an image or a series of images to express your vision of the work. The Valentine exhibition provides us with a prime example of what I am referring to here.
After Tormentor announced the Valentine exhibition, I started thinking of what stories I have seen, heard, or read that presented an image of true love. I thought of several stories, but no image formed so I moved on. I found myself thinking of the Christmas story [i:16fe6aaf39]"Gift of the Magi"[/i:16fe6aaf39]. I started to imagine how to portray it my way and so the [i:16fe6aaf39]"Magi Gifts"[/i:16fe6aaf39] (parts
1 1a 2 e) series was born. After fishing that series, there was still time before the 14'th, and found myself starting to think in cynical frame of mind. Even before the exhibition, I had alread descided that I would like to do a work based on the myth of Pygmalion and Galatea, but I knew that I didn't have enough time left before the 14th so I thought that I would move on to a different story that would be more easy to portray. The combination of cynicism, mythology, and love came together and resulted in the two pictures of [i:16fe6aaf39]"Narcissus in Love"[/i:16fe6aaf39] (
complete and
detail)
In all field of study and arts we have centuries and even millenia of past experience to draw upon. It has been said, "If I see farther, it is because I stand on the sholders of giants". We the sholder of all current and past artists both obscure and true giants of art to draw upon for our inspirations.
So view the art of others and say to yourself how would I have addressed that subject? If it ispires something in you, redo it your way. Don't do a blatent copy of existing art, but rather think to yourself, which part of the original that you liked and disliked, then create your own work that is clearly your own work executed in your style that addresses the theme of the orginal. Of course, give credit where credit is due for the original work that inspired your creation.
If you write poetry or stories, try to express them in your visual arts as well.
Also remember to not force your art into existance. If you are becoming fustrated as you try and try to create something and are making no more progress than a locomotive with a heavy consist and without sand while on a steep grade. Take a break, work on something else for a while. Or walk away and do something unrelated with art all together. When you are fresh again you may be able to produce again.
For this I will cite another example from the production of [i:16fe6aaf39]Dr. Zhivago[/i:16fe6aaf39]. The composer was working on the love theme, one theme after another was written and rejected. Finaly Mr. Lean told him to go on a short vactaion with his lady and to forget about music. According to the version I head about that incident, when he returned to work, the wonderful love theme for that film almost wrote itself.
Pangor
Last edited by pangor on 21 Mar 2005 20:55; edited 4 times in total
Sources of Inspiration
but when something come to my mind then I spend hours trying to make it the way I see it, this weekend listenig some of my music came to my mind to do some renders of my favorite music, hope to get something good from it (I have a wide taste in music, from the 80's pop of local bands to the emotional music of German Gustav Mahler), sometime ago I did some renders to print and put in my little daughter bedroom bassed on things she told me (a 2 and half year old girl imagination is a wonderful source of funny and strange things) 
3930
2560
11
... and the guy, Emi, is my source of inspiration. Thats why my gallery on Renderosity (recently) is all romance 
Bye everyone! *hugs* ~*~K~*~
I won the Loebner prize 
! 
I get inspired by stuff around me, books, sometimes art. Here's a link to a great artsite with galleries of the old masters. Maybe that can be inpsiring or at least you can enjoy the beautiful artworks:)
). Bonvi now is dead 
, but I'm not so sure 
