What to Draw When Inspiration is AWOL: Easy Ideas
Ever felt that frustrating lack of artistic inspiration? You're not alone. Good news: there are numerous ways to kickstart your creativity. In this blog, we'll explore simple, easy-to-draw ideas and innovative AI tools to fuel your imagination. Let's dive in!
The Artist's Block: Identifying and Tackling It
You're experiencing artist's block, and it's completely normal. Identifying the reasons behind it is the first step to overcoming this hurdle. Whether it's stress, fatigue, or a lack of ideas, we've got tips to help you power through.
Inspiration in the Ordinary
Life itself is a canvas. Drawing from the world around us often brings forth the most unique and relatable ideas. Whether it's your morning coffee mug or a bustling cityscape, the ordinary can be extraordinary!
Sketch, Sketch, Sketch!
Consistency is key. Sketching doesn't have to be perfect or planned. Just sketch anything and everything! Make it a habit and witness the magic of improvement over time. Here are a few ideas to start off:
Find a simple object to sketch. Then find a slightly more complicated object to sketch. Keep going until you have filled the entire spread of your sketchbook with progressively more difficult shapes and textures.
Use an image you have in a book or on the wall. Imitate the shapes first before adding the detailed line work. With every addition to the page, slowly bring out the form through series of shapes.
Choose a favorite TV show. I have to say, with much annoyance, I learned so much be recreating a scene from an animated film. The added bonus of loving the show motivated me to finish the piece. When you use someone else’s work as a learning tool, the key is reverse engineering. You have to decide how they began and what came next. (PS: Never steal someone’s art and say it’s an original. It’s okay to try someone else’s style if credit is given where due.)
Skillshare Class, Wildflower Wonderland: A Gouache Adventure
Take a SkillShare course: for those with a small budget, I can’t recommend this tool enough. The artists and teachers they bring to the table take you from start to finish on your next drawing, painting, artwork, and what else have you.
AI as Your Muse: A New Age of Inspiration
AI tools can conjure up fresh and original scenarios, giving your creativity a legal boost. With so many fears of copyright, using AI generators is a safe way to form new scenarios, shapes, and ideas to sketch. I often use this tool as a visualizer when I have an idea but I can’t find a reference photo. It helps to see shapes in space so you can determine where subjects belong in your work.
Use AI to form a unique image.
Use AI to see shapes in space.
Use AI to learn a new art style.
Use AI to generate options for a style you are trying to nail. (I find it very useful with sleeves!)
Mix It Up: Unleashing Your Inner Artist
Why stick to one medium when you can blend them for captivating results? Experiment with mixing traditional and digital tools, and watch your creativity soar to new heights. The key to keeping it sketchy, is to go in with an open mind. Get experimental. Concentrate on a texture, or on a result. Experimentation is an excellent way to stretch the mind and teach. Even failed experiments have their place in art, whether as an unintentional result or as a teacher.
Your Creative Challenge
Try out the drawing some of these ideas, experiment with AI prompts and mixed media, and share your incredible creations by tagging me on Instagram: RigbyCo_.
