Finding Inspiration For Your Paintings

Recently I was asked where I got my inspiration from to paint all the time.

At first my mind went back to something I read by Texan artist Jack White in his book “Mystery of Making It“. When asked a similar question his response was …

FEDEX

He went on to explain that every week he received a package from Fedex which contained all the bills he had to pay. That was all the inspiration he needed.

When you make your living from art that’s as true as it gets.

Most think inspiration comes as a bolt of lightening from the heavens, or from mystical muse.

I think this quote though best sums it up:

“Inspiration is for amateurs — the rest of us just show up and get to work. And the belief that things will grow out of the activity itself and that you will — through work — bump into other possibilities and kick open other doors that you would never have dreamt of if you were just sitting around looking for a great “art idea”. And the belief that process, in a sense, is liberating and that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every day. Today, you know what you’ll do, you could be doing what you were doing yesterday, and tomorrow you are gonna do what you did today, and at least for a certain period of time you can just work. If you hang in there, you will get somewhere.”

– Chuck Close

As a Contemporary Landscape Artist  I find inspiration all around. I am lucky enough to live in a place where I am an hour away from some of the best beaches in the country and some of the most amazing bush scenes.

Sue and I spend lot’s of time out bush walking and hiking every chance we get.

And every where I go I take a ton of pictures.

When you use nature as a source of inspiration and ideas for paintings you can never run out of subject matter.

The key is as an artist you want to be constantly seeking sources of material to fuel your inspiration. Don’t wait for it to find you as it won’t show up.

Instead always be looking for, souring and collecting the raw materials you need to create your next painting.

Make it a habit.

Collect photos from everywhere you go.

Make sketches and small studies.

Find more reference materials than you think you need.

Then spend time sifting and sorting through them looking for those few sparks you need to work into paintings.

Where do I find inspiration you ask?

All around you … you just need to go in search of it.