What Inspires Me.
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As I wrote in this post last week, when the freelance work is waning, it's important to motivate yourself to create your own projects and make your own work. I can find inspiration from everywhere to give me new ideas for new work- here's a few tricks and tips to find some mojo.
1. News.
Watching the news might not be for everyone (I tend to have it on whilst I eat tea, it's just what was on when I was a kid and now it's a bit of a routine) but the news is such a good source of inspiration. Read digital content, read newspapers, read magazines, download news apps; find your inspiration through current content and people really dig a hot topic.
2. Outdoors.
Getting outdoors and out in the world is good for the soul and good for your mind and good for inspiration. Take your phone or take a camera and get snapping-it's good material for blogging and you might see a scene you want to recreate or something that just sparks your interest. After my holiday in Sussex & Kent (read about that doll here) I have an idea for an illustration including lots of red brick houses which has been in my mind since August and will one day be realised on paper.
3. Social Media.
Get on Insta, Facebook, Twitter, Behance, Tumblr...whatever your social feed, get scrolling and see what other people are up to. Looking at what you admire and what you might not like is such a good way for getting inspiration and social media is just full of people talking, sharing ideas and a gold mine for ideas.
4. Hashtags.
On the same lines, hashtags are such a good way of coming up with ideas and projects. There are loads of hashtags during seasonal holidays particularly and if you really have nothing of note to get working on, unofficial days that have hashtags trending are a god send (they make up 30% of my Twitter feed).
5. Culture.
Anything, museums, travel, film, theatre, music, literature- any of the above and so much more can just hit you with inspiration for the perfect piece of work. Re read your favourite book, watch a film you've always wanted to see, go to the cinema, go see a show, watch foreign TV with subtitles, anything old or new, just doing something could get that old brain working.
6. Blogs.
Blogs are such a niche and unique way of generating ideas simply because of the diversity of the content on them. I frequently get my ideas from things I've read in blogs or content I hadn't thought about before, not only for my own blog but for work as well. Just make sure you aren't directly copying someone else's ideas or topics, keep it informed or inspired by, not stealing or infringing copyright.
These are just some of the ways I find things to inspire me to create new exciting work! The best is obvs your own imagination, cannot beat it for originality. Thanks brain.