Where Does Our Inspiration Come From? (1 of 3)
Where Does Our Inspiration Come From? (1 of 3)
If you enjoy the creative process, no matter what medium you are working in, you are probably always anticipating your next project. What will your next creative challenge be?
I've been thinking a lot recently about where we can look for inspiration to improve and expand our creative endeavors.
There are several obvious answers to this question. In this age of spontaneous sharing and the internet there is a rich store of images and instances of people's creativity. You have only to type in a very specific description of the project you want to create and up comes a multitude of examples of what has already been done.
Likewise there are probably dozens, if not hundreds of magazines, self-help books, and classes which focus on the exact skill you are pursuing. They are all great starting points to refine techniques, build competence, and develop an appreciation for the possibilities and limitations of a given discipline. It's a place to begin, a vehicle to gain confidence, experiment, and learn.
When the creative journey ends with project directions and website posts, we are simply imitating someone else's creativity. While "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery", it really should be reserved to meet a personal need, not passed off as "original" work. (Remember to give credit to your inspiration source where credit is due.)
But imitation only provides limited satisfaction if you really yearn to be creative. You've gained proficiency and can use your new skills to tackle a growing number of projects, but now you want to be original... What next?
If you enjoy the creative process, no matter what medium you are working in, you are probably always anticipating your next project. What will your next creative challenge be?
I've been thinking a lot recently about where we can look for inspiration to improve and expand our creative endeavors.
There are several obvious answers to this question. In this age of spontaneous sharing and the internet there is a rich store of images and instances of people's creativity. You have only to type in a very specific description of the project you want to create and up comes a multitude of examples of what has already been done.
Likewise there are probably dozens, if not hundreds of magazines, self-help books, and classes which focus on the exact skill you are pursuing. They are all great starting points to refine techniques, build competence, and develop an appreciation for the possibilities and limitations of a given discipline. It's a place to begin, a vehicle to gain confidence, experiment, and learn.
When the creative journey ends with project directions and website posts, we are simply imitating someone else's creativity. While "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery", it really should be reserved to meet a personal need, not passed off as "original" work. (Remember to give credit to your inspiration source where credit is due.)
But imitation only provides limited satisfaction if you really yearn to be creative. You've gained proficiency and can use your new skills to tackle a growing number of projects, but now you want to be original... What next?
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