How to Find Art Inspiration to Expand Your Creative Skills in 2024
Are you wondering how to get inspired to complete a new art project or start a creative endeavor? All artists get a case of artist’s block occasionally. It’s a given in the creative world. But how do you push past it and get that painting, sculpture, drawing or other work of art started?
Art inspiration is that energy that infuses new ideas, colors, textures and designs into an artist’s mind and body of work. It’s that magical element that puts the spark into our creative projects.
Whether it’s nature, architecture, music or other artists, art inspiration can come from nearly anywhere. It’s an essential element for artistic mediums from pottery, poetry, sculpture and glass painting to welding, woodworking and even textiles and paper art.
This guide is designed to help you get the creative juices flowing when you have a case of artist’s block. You’ll be filled with creativity, self portrait ideas, art ideas for teens and lots of other ideas for creative hobbies.
Jump to Section
- What is an Artist’s Inspiration Called?
- What Are the 5 Main Inspirations for Artists?
- How Do You Find Inspiration for Art?
- Best Art Inspiration Books
- Art Inspiration Examples
What is an Artist’s Inspiration Called?
An artist’s inspiration is called a muse. Typically, it refers to a muse as being a person who inspires the work of art. The word muse comes from Greek mythology.
Zeus’ daughter formed the nine muses and presided over literature, the arts and sciences. Today, we usually refer to a muse as a source of inspiration, whether it’s a person, a place, an object or another work of art.
What Are the 5 Main Inspirations for Artists?
The five main art inspirations for artists of all types of creative expression can help you learn how to find your art style as well as discover your strengths and weaknesses. You might find that your talents are more tuned into landscapes than portraits or
1. Nature
From spring’s wildflowers and summer’s brilliant blossoms to the bold colors of falling leaves and the pastel hues of winter, nature is an amazing place to get a dose of art inspiration.
Go hiking, stroll around the neighborhood or take mental notes while out walking the dog. Artists like Claude Monet, Winslow Homer, John James Audubon and Henri Rousseau are famously known for their nature-inspired paintings. Rousseau claimed he “had no teacher other than nature.”
2. Life Experiences
Use your own life experiences for art inspiration. A travel journal or photo album can become a wonderful source of inspiration as you recreate sunsets, sunrises, mountain peaks and urban architecture in your work.
Even a bad experience can be turned into artistic expression, or a starting point, as you work through the details of it.
3. Interacting With Other Artists
Connecting and interacting with other artists is one of the best ways to gain new art inspiration. Go to workshops at your local museum or join an artist’s community to share advice, techniques and suggestions with others.
Learning how other artists deal with artist’s block can be extremely helpful in dealing with your own artistic ruts. While not a dancer himself, Edgar Degas found inspiration from the world of ballet for his famous dance-inspired sculptures like Arabesque on Right Side and the Little Dancer.
4. Learning a New Type of Art
Take on a new perspective by learning a new type of art. This is a wonderful way to spread your creative wings. It provides inspiration and a different way of looking at things.
Taking your mind off the painting medium by enrolling in a sculpture class can be all you need to find just the right amount of art inspiration.
5. Other Artist’s Work
Drawing inspiration from other artists’ work, whether that work is in your genre or in a whole different type of art medium, can help you gather ideas and get inspired.
It’s said that Edward Hopper drew inspiration for his 1942 work Nighthawks from Ernest Hemingway’s The Killers and Van Gogh’s Night Café.
Follow local and international artists on social media, go to museums and art galleries or read books by artists you admire.
How Do You Find Inspiration for Art?
Aside from the five ways to find art inspiration listed above, one of the best ways to inspire your own art is to join an art class with a talented and experienced instructor.
These experiences allow you to meet and mingle with skilled local artists as well as fellow students who are developing their art skills.
Join Art Classes
Finding art inspiration can be as easy as taking an art class. From art classes in Columbus and art classes in NYC to art classes in the Bay Area, you can learn new techniques and work on current skill sets by diving into painting, drawing, glassblowing, ceramics and more.
World-class artists lead these fun and interactive sessions with tips, techniques and advice for creating masterpieces to enjoy in your home or office.
Check out art classes near you to find the perfect class for glass painting ideas, arts and crafts for adults and other artistic inspiration.
Join Pottery Classes
Ceramics and pottery are wonderful ways to find creative inspiration. Book pottery classes in Austin, pottery classes in Boston or pottery classes in Portland to learn how to shape, form and throw clay to create vases, mugs, sculptures and bowls.
Book pottery classes near you to gather art inspiration for your next project.
Join Paint and Sip
Not just a fun night out with friends, family or co-workers, paint and sip classes allow you to gather aesthetic painting ideas and abstract painting ideas in a neutral setting.
Join local artists who will share tips for choosing colors, drawing outlines and painting whimsical, seasonal or Van Gogh-inspired works of art.
Book paint and sip in Chicago, paint and sip in Los Angeles, paint and sip in Atlanta or paint and sip near you to get started on your way to art inspiration ideas.
Best Art Inspiration Books
Art inspiration books are a terrific way to add more creativity and art inspiration quotes to your life, and they just might spark a creative flame.
Read a book on the unique qualities of impressionism and cubism to get aesthetic art inspiration. Abstract art inspiration can come from discovering the works of Wassily Kandinsky, Jackson Pollock or Mark Rothko. Following are a few art inspiration book ideas to get you started.
- In Pursuit of Inspiration: Trust Your Instincts and Make More Art
- Inspiration Art Book: International Contemporary Masters
- An Artist's Book of Inspiration: A Collection of Thoughts on Art, Artists, and Creativity
- 365 Days of Art in Nature: Find Inspiration Every Day in the Natural World
- Art is the Highest Form of Hope & Other Quotes by Artists
Art Inspiration Examples
Here are a few more examples of experiences that can inspire art:
- Traveling to new or favorite places
- Pets and wildlife
- Movies, books and music
- Museums and architecture
- People watching
Don’t stress over the inevitable bout of artist’s block. Inspiration can come from a variety of places and often when you’re least expecting it.
Hopefully, this collection of tips has helped you gather creative inspiration and art journal ideas. Take some of our suggestions to heart as you search for art inspo for your next painting project or new creative hobby.
For even more fun art ideas, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!
