Your Inspiration?

[Eric Terry]

Part of being an artist is knowing how to be inspired. This is especially true for commissions, where a client may require something you're not personally enthused about. But, in order to keep them happy (and get paid), it's vital to keep creating, keep being an artist, and keep inspired. But the same can be true for an artist recreationally. Without some sort of spark or motivation, sitting in front of a blank page or canvas can be frustrating.

That said, I thought it'd be helpful to have a place to share our inspiration. It can be anything, really. A person, a book, an artist, etc. And if you've got specific links to sites you frequent, feel free to post them. Hopefully this will become a resource to overcoming the occasional artist's block.

[Vincent Maglione]

Actually, Eric, I've been meaning to show you this for awhile:

Kandahar Journal, on the Canadian National Post. It is (was, as of a week or two ago) a blog by an artist/journalist in Afghanistan. Some of the stuff he wrote, along with his (really, really terrific) drawings, are quite touching. I subscribed maybe four or five weeks ago and always found something to be inspired by. It's a shame he's home now. I mean great for him and his family, but he won't be updating that anymore as far as I know...

Anyway. Always found that to be quite inspirational, as far as drawing. Design inspiration comes from lots of things, but one of my favorite design books is The Art of Looking Sideways by Alan Fletcher. It's not so much a how to as it is just a collection of thoughts and anecdotes by the author, presented in a really beautiful way. Much of it is thought provoking.

[Eric Terry]

Wow, that journal is incredible. It makes me really want to work on my sketches. I may just make that my focus for the next book... Thanks for sharing!

[Vincent Maglione]

No problem. Actually, I found that site through the Drawn! weblog, which is also in my feed reader. That blog finds some of the best illustration and animation from across the Web. Almost everything they post is inspiring in some way.

[Victor Hernandez]

My inspiration comes from several sources. Spending time in a bookstore or library; watching old, sci-fi movies; reading old pulps (sci-fi, detective stories, etc.); reading old, vintage comic books (i.e., Flash Gordon, Tarzan, Conan, unknowns with great line art) and some new comic books; Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Boomerang; playing with my two boys; spending time with my wife; old cultures (Aztec and Maya are my current favorites, strictly for their art); and of course, perusing the art of other artists, much like all of you :-).

As you can tell, I'm very much driven by visuals; you could say that I'm 'dazzled by shiny objects' (ha ha ha!).

[eddie humphrey]

Hey Victor you said a mouthful and I couldn't agree with you more. I'm going to shoot for the all of the above answer... and speaking of "Boomerang" I emailed Eric and want to start a sketch book and it'll be called "Throw-back toons" dedicated to your favorite old school cartoon drawn in your style. It's still up for being cleared by Eric but hopefully I can get that started and get folks in on it... Thought I throw that in there Victor since I seen Boom is one of your inspirations as well as mine. *Ah a man after my on heart* Holla back at you cats later. peace.

[Eric Terry]

I've approved it and I'm getting things organized right now for it. I'm sure Victor will want in on this one. ;)

[eddie humphrey]

Thank you sir. I'll send you the specs for the book this evening.

[shea]

inspiration? inspiration comes from everything, whether consciously or not. it might be that perfect color blue of the sky that you’ve been looking for but never realized you were, the color patterns and texture of a rusted door hinge that you excitedly dismantle to scan to your computer, or the thought-invoking trueness of random graffiti. you have to learn how to see things you’ve never seen before but have seen a thousand times already, how to teach your brain how to put two and two together to get ‘z’, and to unlearn everything you’ve been conformed through life to either notice or ignore, to accept for truth or disregard as impossible. “there is an art, it says, or rather, a knack to flying,” says douglas adams, “the knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”

there is never one specific place I ever go to look for inspiration - there are so many. more than i could ever write here. it could be magazines such as computer arts or printmag, other artists like paula scher or edward gorey, musicians such as danny elfman and moby, cartoons like samurai jack invader zim, or even just the random google image search of whatever is the opposite of what I’m looking for inspiration. it’s all considered ‘research’ to me(or just 'waisting time' to others), albeit fun research. i’ve come to learn that one can only design what they know, so i’m always looking for something i can store in the back of my head or rip from the magazine of a doctor’s office or the occasional poster stolen off a community bulletin board.

so yeah, my main inspiration is usually myself. what i’ve learned, seen, absorbed, or taken.

Good artists copy, great artists steal –pablo picasso

[Lisa Lipgloss]

I like to look at this website for inspiration: http://www.postsecret.blogspot.com/

Lisa

[Eric Terry]

Yes! This was partial inspiration for Squibo, actually! Great stuff. Such a simple concept.

[Eric Terry]

Yeah, I check them out from time to time. Really cool stuff.

[klehrke]