Tips for Creative Inspiration

Getting motivated to paint

There are times when you just don't feel inspired at all and it can be quite demoralising.  Here are some tips for creative inspiration that I use and they work for me.

1. Stand at the easel with a large surface, close your eyes to pick a color, use the side of the pastel and start with sweeping movements...oh, the music is blaring and the arm is in time! It's amazing what happens. - very good exercise to do prior to starting a painting, it loosens you up.

2. Have a coffee painting session with a fellow artist or two - or a friend who's never painted before.

3. Actually if you help someone who has never worked with pastels, you'll be surprised at how inspired you become - great motivator. 

4. Take a camera and go for a walk - snap anything (use the camera!) - when you come home have a look at what you've got - maybe even just part of a photo - or take something out of a couple of photos and join them up

5. Off you go to a gallery - leave a sketch pad in the car and when you've finished in the gallery take the sketch pad, go for a coffee and start jotting down ideas from what you've seen.

6. Go online and look at other people's paintings (oils, acrylics, pastels etc) - you only need to see one painting or part of a painting that will inspire you for your next subject.

7. Go into the kitchen/lounge/or pick a room and put one, two or three items on the table and start sketching - you may not end up painting what you've sketched, but the practice will motivate and inspire you.

8. Go to a cafe with your sketch pad and have a go at sketching something or some-one there....just know that they won't sit still for you, so you'll have to be quick - great exercise in not worrying about the detail!

9. You could, of course, go along to your local library and check out the art books.  Sit down quietly (well you have to if you're at the library) with a small sketch pad and jot down anything that inspires you.

If you have any tips for creative inspiration then please write to me emma@paintwithpastels.com and let me know - I'll add them to the list.

Happy painting...