I've always known what generally inspires me but now to lay them out and really think about the sources of such power I can learn more about myself. Here are the sources that I can currently think of. Most of my art is inspired by an overlap of two or more of these things.
Literature: Books I read have a great deal of influence on me, more than I ever realized. This is main reason I am writing this, so I don't forget. In high school, Greek mythology sparked a lot of ideas for creations that I have yet to start up.
Dreams: I have not specifically painted anything from my dreams but I do see it happening soon. My dreams actually have set a design for one of my tattoos instead.
Art: Art work of others nonetheless always provide some inspiration. I usually prefer not to get inspiration from other art in fear of copying it and not having the feeling of originality. Originality is very important to me when it comes to art.
Nature: The weather, the sights. The story of every sense while being outside. Natural beauty. Specifically the sky and space please me the most.
Conversations with close friends: In deep conversation with the people that mean a lot to me, I always learn about myself and/or evolve my views. I cherish moments like this when I can express my thoughts and really dig into myself better than I can alone. Talking and even writing are very therapeutic and clarifying [hence the purpose of this blog]. Usually awesomely put phrases will spark something in me and I'll have to write them down and later see what I can create with it.
Extreme emotion: Whether it is being depressed or really happy, emotions are one of the best things for a creative mind. As much as I may not enjoy being sad or mad, I take something away from it that I am grateful for. In that mind state I get thoughts in my head that aren't always there and sometimes need an outlet of some sort. Loneliness is probably the most responsible for putting me in an interesting mind state where I see things so different and yet consistently artistically. Right now, I am in a heightened inspired state of mind and just writing this entry feels incredibly poetic.
Music: This is an obvious one, for I cannot paint without music playing. I never enjoy music more than the moments I am painting and blasting music. It doesn't always happen, sometimes my emotions distract me from paying full attention to the music. I've painted or completed a couple paintings when only listening to one particular song or band. Tool, my favorite band, interestingly enough has the sole purpose of being a source or 'tool' of inspiration. They have definitely accomplished that for me.
Films: This and literature are quite possibly the biggest influence, or more so a daily influence that never fail. Music, as much as I love it, may not always have the same effect on me from day to day. Movie and books do, they always stimulate me and make me warm and fuzzy inside. I'm completely obsessed with movies, I get withdrawals if I don't go to the theatres enough. One particular film stands out to me while writing this, The Fountain. It is probably the most beautiful film I have ever watched. When I saw it the first time I cried, because it was sad, but then I could not stop crying because the beauty just captivated me. If I remember correctly I was still crying as we were leaving the theatre. I haven't yet created anything based off The Fountain but it is a plan. That film is a perfect example of what truly pleases me. It is pleasure for my eyes and makes my heart burst in immense unnamed emotion. I cannot even explain it in words, for gestures work better for me. Anyways, aesthetic and thought provoking films are of the best to me.
Finally, imagination. This is more of a subcategory that fits with everything else on this list. My imagination is probably one of the best things about myself. I cherish it yet hate it, specifically when I cannot put it on paper as well as it looks in my mind. All these things stimulate my imagination which is always functioning. They just add more fuel to my fire. The crisp imagery in my mind sometimes makes it hard for me to distinguish what I have really seen versus what I've only imagined. It is truly amazing and I couldn't live without it.
Art: Art work of others nonetheless always provide some inspiration. I usually prefer not to get inspiration from other art in fear of copying it and not having the feeling of originality. Originality is very important to me when it comes to art.
Nature: The weather, the sights. The story of every sense while being outside. Natural beauty. Specifically the sky and space please me the most.
Conversations with close friends: In deep conversation with the people that mean a lot to me, I always learn about myself and/or evolve my views. I cherish moments like this when I can express my thoughts and really dig into myself better than I can alone. Talking and even writing are very therapeutic and clarifying [hence the purpose of this blog]. Usually awesomely put phrases will spark something in me and I'll have to write them down and later see what I can create with it.
Extreme emotion: Whether it is being depressed or really happy, emotions are one of the best things for a creative mind. As much as I may not enjoy being sad or mad, I take something away from it that I am grateful for. In that mind state I get thoughts in my head that aren't always there and sometimes need an outlet of some sort. Loneliness is probably the most responsible for putting me in an interesting mind state where I see things so different and yet consistently artistically. Right now, I am in a heightened inspired state of mind and just writing this entry feels incredibly poetic.
Astrology: This ties in with the next point. I have been studying astrology for years and no matter what person I know that even doesn't agree with it or has a distaste for it, they all follow the pattern that astrology states. Every single one of them. A lot of the times I get ideas for making series of astrological paintings [which a lot of them exist] and just incorporate everything I can that is involved with each particular sign. I even want to make a series of myself, a Scorpio, with each sign and depict the relationships I've experienced [or have not]. I could go into this further but I don't like to discuss my art ideas until they are either in progress or completed.
Human relationships: The previous point sums this up more, along with my conversation with friends. They all affect me a great deal and may not inspire anything specific but they influence my life thus influencing my art.
Music: This is an obvious one, for I cannot paint without music playing. I never enjoy music more than the moments I am painting and blasting music. It doesn't always happen, sometimes my emotions distract me from paying full attention to the music. I've painted or completed a couple paintings when only listening to one particular song or band. Tool, my favorite band, interestingly enough has the sole purpose of being a source or 'tool' of inspiration. They have definitely accomplished that for me.
Films: This and literature are quite possibly the biggest influence, or more so a daily influence that never fail. Music, as much as I love it, may not always have the same effect on me from day to day. Movie and books do, they always stimulate me and make me warm and fuzzy inside. I'm completely obsessed with movies, I get withdrawals if I don't go to the theatres enough. One particular film stands out to me while writing this, The Fountain. It is probably the most beautiful film I have ever watched. When I saw it the first time I cried, because it was sad, but then I could not stop crying because the beauty just captivated me. If I remember correctly I was still crying as we were leaving the theatre. I haven't yet created anything based off The Fountain but it is a plan. That film is a perfect example of what truly pleases me. It is pleasure for my eyes and makes my heart burst in immense unnamed emotion. I cannot even explain it in words, for gestures work better for me. Anyways, aesthetic and thought provoking films are of the best to me.
Finally, imagination. This is more of a subcategory that fits with everything else on this list. My imagination is probably one of the best things about myself. I cherish it yet hate it, specifically when I cannot put it on paper as well as it looks in my mind. All these things stimulate my imagination which is always functioning. They just add more fuel to my fire. The crisp imagery in my mind sometimes makes it hard for me to distinguish what I have really seen versus what I've only imagined. It is truly amazing and I couldn't live without it.
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