Where I Get Inspiration!
Monday, January 10, 2011 at 01:32PM I often get asked where I gather inspiration so today I thought I'd share a little about that. The short story is Everywhere. I think that's true for a lot of creative people. Of course there are sources that I like to return to as well and that's what I'll be sharing now.
Some of My Pin-Boards on Pinterest
My current favorite is Pinterest (a web-based image cataloguing and sharing space). I love being able to have and organize my images in one place (including the links from where I got the original image). I love being able to tap into what other people are finding inspiring, surprising, beautiful or informative. If you are a visual person i would definitely suggest you check it out. Click here to see my page of inspiration boards.
Public Library: Sometimes I know what I'm looking for (Macramé, Victorian poetry, a Billie Holiday biography, a travel book, etc) but quite often i just go in and browse until I find something that sparks my interest. The Cork Public library is not huge, but it's got a quirky and interesting cross section of books and it's certainly saved me money. Helpful hint if you are Cork-based, use the online catalogue to search and request books, this way you are getting the benefit of searching the other branches of the library as well as what is not on display. It may take a few days to a week to get your requested book, but they'll email you when it is available for pick up.
Nature: Put on boots, go for walk. Pretend you are a puppy but sniff with your eyes. I don't do this enough, but I'm always glad when I go. The walk I take most regularly (if you could call it regularly) is the Banks of the Lee walk to Fitzgerald park.
Techniques: A lot of my inspiration comes from just diving in and trying new techniques with fabric or yarn (or other materials). I will check out books from the library, review my own collection of art/craft books, or look for tutorials on the internet. Or I might have seen someone else using a technique and ask them to teach me.
Coming full circle: I often get disenchanted with things and later come back to them with renewed interest, machine knitting is one of those things. I'll do quite a lot and then I won't touch it for months.
People: This is probably the most important element of inspiration for me. I find that surrounding myself with creative, independent, and open people motivates me to be making as well. Furthermore, I find that sharing my work (even in its "in progress" stages) and receiving encouraging feedback is hugely stimulating for me. I most often share my in progress work through facebook.
Deadlines and Collaborations: Deadlines, while stressful, are super motivating for me; they really help me to move from indecision to a mindset of making choices and ACTUALLY DOING. I'm still not at a point where I'm able to stick to self-imposed deadlines, for me, they must be external. When I know someone is depending on me, I am much more inclined to get it done. Similarly, doing collaborative creative projects can have the same kind of inspiring effect. I prefer to work with someone with a different but complimentary skill set and a flexible and positive attitude.
Related to this is the way that limitations can be useful. For example, I usually ask a custom dress client to give me images that inspire her and/or to show me her favorite dress(es), and then I work from there with a clearer sense of direction. When I have the world of inspiration to draw from it is hard to know where to begin. I have a tendency toward inspiration overwhelm, constantly seeking sources of inspiration instead of APPLYING it, so giving myself (or asking the people for whom I am working to give me) themes, direction, etc. can be useful.
I would love to hear about ways that you find inspiration, or ways that you apply it.
Reader Comments (3)
Laura,
I am so glad you shared this! I had never heard of Pinterest before and will definitely have to check it out. I read a pretty wide cross-section of blogs: home improvement, food, knitting, design etc and would love to be able to collect images from my favorite posts all in one place. Awesome.
- Beth
I know, right?! Super handy. yay for innovation!
I'm so glad you shared this! Pinterest looks so cool. And I have been meaning to spend a morning or afternoon at the bookstore, browsing photography books - this is a good reminder to do so.
I tend to get my inspiration from nature. Just wandering and looking and noticing what I see.