It’s 2 AM. You have an art project due in six hours. No, you haven’t started it. But it’s not your fault, you swear. You just don’t have an idea yet.
For better or worse, I’m sure any dedicated artist has experienced this situation on occasion. Unlike most other people who just have to find time to get work done, the artist must first find inspiration and then, upon finding inspiration, must then find time to create. In places like art school, where an artist is required to have idea after idea on a deadline, it’s easy to simply run out of creative.
Eek!
Take a deep breath; don’t panic. We’ve composed an “Artist Emergency Kit.” In this kit, you will find 6 of our favorite websites that we go to to give ourselves a creative “jump start” when we are simply out of inspiration. Take a look and feel free to add what websites you keep in your own “Artist Emergency Kit.”
1. This competition-based website for photographers, photoshoppers, and illustrators brings in some real talent and inspires some interesting concepts.
2. A random search engine that caters to the artsy, the interesting, and the inspiring. Hey, if you’re going to waste time, you might as well do it here.
3. FFFFOUND! A wonderful wondering blog site set up to help you see related aesthetics in an endless search through photographic, design, and typographical imagery.
4. National Geographic has always been known for it’s rich international imagery, and what better to lift your creative mood than National Geographic’s Photo-Of-The-Day.
5. Popular Photography has proven itself as a very resourceful magazine, and now as an awesome online source, it can help giving the everyday photographer great tips, reviews, how-to’s, and buying suggestions.
6. The99Percent (a site unrelated to, and predating, the Occupy Movement) is an amazing resource for the motivation, organization, self-promotion, and focus of creative individuals everywhere.
As someone whose mind has lately consisted of an incongruous clumpy mush I find this posting quit interesting. Inspiration is an essential part of being an artist. How can we want to create, or know what to create, without any kind of pushing force? We can't, at least not successfully.
ReplyDeleteSo where do we look when we're lacking in that motivation?
I've tried sites like the ones listed here. They seem promising at first, but they never seem to live up to those promises. It's not that they're boring, but just the opposite. They're interesting; so interesting that you never want to leave. Particularly in a sight like stumbleupon where the next "discovery" is a mystery. You keep clicking that stumble button because deep inside you there is hope that on the next screen will be the most amazingly mind blowing thing you have ever found. If it isn't, then it will certainly be there the next time I click that button. Or maybe the time after that?
Basically, sites like these end up being a huge waste of time. Or maybe that's just me?
Surely everyone is different and finds inspiration in their own place.
I have known about some of these sites for a while, some of them are fun for the occasional waste of time or to look at eye candy nature pictures. the only site that has real meat to it for the artist is the 99%, but even at that site i found my self spending too much time reading and not enough time doing. Websites like popular photography serve a purpose. I have learned a lot about current trends and equipment from that resource. I dont think it has ever been a real inspiration to me other than causing me to salivate over pieces of gear I would never be able to afford or use. I subscribe to popular photography magazine and find the articles to be informative and enjoyable. the print format is far more useful to me than the web format as it is less distracting. over all I find trying to search the web for inspiration to be frustrating and time consuming. On the internet I am going in circles sifting through all the information and wasting time getting distracted by all the extraneous information on the internet. this is probably why I have so many books.
ReplyDeleteOh the guilty pleasures...when I want to kill time I read blog's about the Bachelor, I would imagine that going to these sites would be kinda the same idea. Only, you wouldn't feel as bad looking at these! I think they have value in terms of staying informed/updated. I have to agree with Matt here, and the idea of "eye-candy-naturegraphs". I also have a hard time believeing these sites offer much inspiration! Maybe you guys are being too nice to these websites.They are mind-vacation images, useful for many things, not always inspiration.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has spent a large chunk of her boring life on the internet, I am beginning to see the problems of art "inspiration" blogs, but much more specifically with--and watch me digress--sharing websites like Tumblr, which I am actually using for the Grapevine/Soramimi project. It's totally useful, but also totally frustrating at times.
ReplyDeleteTumblr is used for blogging and "reblogging" inspiration boards and personal work, by a mix of teenagers, artists, writers, designers, professionals, interns, teenagers, and teenagers, which in itself is a problem. The idea of "reblogging" essentially creates somewhat of a popularity contest amongst posts, with the unpopular, unblogged images disappearing into internet obscurity, while well-liked images are recycled and viewed over and over again.
The way these images are displayed are via a "dashboard," which is a feed of the users someone follows posted in real time, so the images can be viewed in a mix of styles and categories. So yeah, you could view a totally inspiring "HOLY CRAP I WANT TO MAKE ART LIKE THAT" kind of image in a mix of Marilyn Monroe quotes (unfollow that friend, NOW), fashion design, and eye-opening, chilling videos from Syria. The way the images are designed to be viewed via the dashboard is absolutely NOT with delay or much hesitation, because the scroll IS infinite, yet my time monitoring in the cage is not.
That is not to hate on Tumblr or other websites that aim to inspire. I love it, I just think that there are huge problems with it just by virtue of its functions. I am leaving out a lot of positive aspects of Tumblr (linking the content source! following that content source! LEARNING SOMETHING NEW! the honey badger?), but right now I want to blame Tumblr for all of my problems.
Ffffound is almost like Tumblr in a way, but it has (or had, at some point) exclusive, invite-only "curators" who posted inspiring and groundbreaking art and design. But I've also seen my fair share of unwarranted "T&A" on it. Come on, you guys. I'm just trying to look at some awesome packaging for artisanal cookies, and 3-D photography .gifs, not feel like a pervert and cry in a corner for two hours.
While the internet is a great tool for sharing ideas and building off of those ideas, Dutch artist Erik Kessels recognizes this "infinite scroll" of a problem and has addressed it in Foam's Future of Photography show in 2011. He exhibited prints of every image that was uploaded into the photo-sharing website Flickr within a 24-hour timeframe, filling the gallery space with overwhelming mountains of images (take a look here: http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2011/november/24-hours-in-photos). Just take a look at these images of the space! Don't worry, I totally get the irony of looking at images ON the internet of an exhibition of PRINTED images via the internet that makes a statement about how we view and share images BECAUSE of the internet... yeah, whoa.
Seeing these images of this overwhelming space makes me think about how on Earth we are processing the images that we see DAILY on the internet, and the shear volume of my own personal images that are floating around and can be viewed by total strangers in some basement in Latvia. I have no problem posting my art on the internet, but the more I think about how this CAN devalue the images and time spent creating them, the more hesitant I am of doing it.
I lost steam. Good night.
To a certain extent I agree with you guys. I also have a very hard time getting inspired over images like these. I mean, I love stumbleupon, but mostly because I like watching silly videos on it. I do look to the internet for inspiration from time to time for sure and I appreciate you guys writing about it, because I think it's important, but I enjoy going to sites with a little more oomph in them. Personally I really like sites such as http://theexposureproject.blogspot.com/ My favorite thing about the site is that it shows new photo books and gives you an inside look, so you can see how they formatted it and what's in it and all that. I do enjoy the 99%, but I like it in an informative way I guess? In the end though, usually I'm looking for inspiration furthering my concept and not so much with aesthetic.
ReplyDeleteIn one night I have changed my mind. I now think that stumbleupon is the best resource on this list.
ReplyDeleteLast night when I got home I was restless. I decided I wanted to waste some time on the internet so I went to stumbleupon. Then I did something that I have never done before, instead of choosing one of the interests that was on the list that appears upon opening the page, I typed in a different interest. I thought about something that usually generates some sort of self inspiration, philosophy. When I "stumbled" with that term almost immediately I found a resource full of great articles on art and the like. I found something that really interested me and afterwards I felt really inspired.
The reason I was unable to find motivational material from this site before was not because it's not an effective site, but rather that I was not using it properly. Once I realized I could type anything I wanted into the search bar I could find all sorts of information.
Sites like these should really come with an instruction manual.
Yeah! It totally needs an instruction manual. I think convenience has a price--for example, this idea of "personalization" which can hinder our potential to look beyond certain ideas, because Google can be like, "I'm just gonna show you results based on your past google searches" (http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/disable-googles-personalization-search-results/). If you think you've been using StumbleUpon incorrectly...
DeleteDid you know that you can turn off these personalizations?
Deletehttp://support.google.com/websearch/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2410479
Cool right?
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ReplyDeleteI know I am not alone when I say that I have definitely found myself in need of an artist emergency kit at least a few times over these past four years. Usually when I find myself in need of an idea I turn to subjects that have always held my interest, like science fiction and comics. Besides browsing through some pages of photographs that relate to one of these interests I have never really used any of these sites like that.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do well enough in the category of getting sucked into a website without the help of these sites, I think it's time to test them out on my next need for inspiration.
Of course everyone has been stuck in a rut at some point. I usually just stick to Tumblr, watch a movie, paint, WRITE/READ for inspiration. I feel like if I would even attempt to go on these websites I would just end up procrastinating even more. I think we all have our own ways of getting out of ruts at this point, but maybe I'll try one of these websites next time (hopefully not a next time in the next two months!) for a nice switch up!
ReplyDeleteTo be 100% honest I dont know if Ive ever gone to any of these sites for insperation. For me insperation usually does not come in the form of a web site, though I do like to refrence lighting situations by other artists online, but the subject is never the same. For me insperation comes from life experiences and my interactions with other people. I dont think Ive ever been inspired by things Ive found on the web but we all work in different ways. I also have to agree with Matt. I feel like when I go on the web to look something up I always become side tracked with a million other things and I do spend more time reading and not enough time doing. I know that I am the worst when it comes to getting distracted so I have to set a goal to not become easily side tracked this year. Some people may use these sites to find insperation, but for me id rather find it in life so that I can have more of a connection with it and become more enthusiastic about my work.
ReplyDeleteOnly recently have I found myself using sites like Stumbleupon for ideas and inspiration. I felt really stuck over the winter break and thought maybe, just by chance, I would find something that would give me some great ideas or spark some kind of fire under my ass to get me motivated to create more. It helped a lot, and I was able to jump start my brain to come up with some ideas. Most of the time though, I find myself doing google searches, hoping to find an example of an image I've had in my head. I am usually disappointed in what I find. Other than the internet I find that I get the most ideas when laying in bed at night before I fall asleep and often have to get up a hand full of times to write things down because I'm afraid I'll forget by morning.
ReplyDeleteAfter having had the chance to get out of the U.S. I have also realized that I'm bored here and need to travel. I search a lot of other people's travel photography as well as search National Geographic. I often wonder if I'll be able to possibly find a job that would pay me to travel. Maybe someday I'll get lucky.
But any how, of the sites listed by Tiffany and Victoria I've only ever used Stumbleupon and National Geographic aside from Google to find reference or inspiration. It's amazing what typing one word in a search bar can do.
These websites are definitely great for the occasional awe-inspiring image, but I have to agree with Ivan and Matt. I try to stick with reading and physically going out and finding inspiration when it comes to making work. One thing I have recently found to be helpful is making an effort to get to a few exhibits every month. I make sure to put my email down for the mailing list at each gallery I go to, that way I can keep up to date with current shows and work of local artists. Not to mention, the emails take me to exactly where I need to be looking so I don’t get side tracked on the way there.
ReplyDeleteI have tried many times to convince myself that I can find things worth while on websites like StumbleUpon, and while I'm not saying it's totally impossible, these things come with endless distractions. Unfortunately I am not one of those people who can get online, find what I need and move on. Even as I'm writing this I'm playing five different people in Words With Friends and trying to find bus tickets home for spring break. So for people with an attention span like mine, I find that committing to going out and making work, whether I have an idea or not, has better results %100 of the time rather than browsing the internet in hopes of finding something that could truly affect my work. Sometimes just making images for the fun of it can trigger an idea for something that could potentially turn into a future project. But even if nothing comes out of it, I’ll at least have something to show for my time spent searching.
I am not much of an internet browser so when it comes to finding inspiration the internet is surely the last thing on my mind... I'm still not tech savvy, and I grew up with technology in my hands or at least within reach! I do occasionally browse NatGeo, but it's not for inspiration. I tend to read the articles and sometimes go through their gallery of photographs, but I have to say that I view those photographs as something more along the lines of "desktop backgrounds", but that's not saying that I don't find them beautiful because half the time I truly do. However, I'll probably find myself using these links out of curiosity now that they have been brought to my attention.
ReplyDeleteMy inspiration stems from reading, writing, philosophy, (being in) nature, and interactions with people. These things I can't find on the internet. I am more of a tangible person - I need actual interaction to stimulate inspiration.
Websites like this are really difficult for me, personally. Probably because websites like Ffffound.com, worth1000.com - they're all set up the same. You see an image along with a lot of other images. Some with a lot of meaning and really are images we can take from, but when compared next to a .gif of a cat jumping out of a box or a cliched image of a bird in a cage with the text "BIRDY" on it, the images that actually mean something don't hold their own anymore.
ReplyDeleteIt's much more satisfying or inspirational to hold something in my hand or have a physical image as inspiration. Like going to a gallery or flipping through a magazine or a book. I've begun my own "photo" sketch book. Where I'll find images in magazines that I cut and paste into a blank sketchbook. It's a great thing to flip through when I need help, and is a relief from sitting in front of a computer. I get a little crafty, pull out my PVA and scissors. It's a nice break, but also rewarding when I have a physical thing. (And National Geographic Images are definitely some of the best images in my book)
BUT.
That's not to say the internet isn't a source for inspiration. I just feel as though certain sites speak more to me than others. One website that I've found images that inspire me.
http://hafny.org/women-in-photography/ ----> This Women in Photography site is very nicely put together. I get a biography and a statement from the artist as well as a series of their works. I think a site like this that it's images has been carefully selected with a nice chuck of information to get someone interested is really important and effective way of not only seeing great art but extracting inspiration from it. It's a clean website where it's just that artists photographs on one page. No .gifs of dancing cats.
Like my physical photo sketch book, I also have a non space digital "~~*INSPIRATION*~~" folder on my hard drive that I pull up when I need some inspiration. I try to drag images from the internet into these folders and play a slide show. It's a nice way to take what I've seen on the internet and curate it into something I can take meaning from.
I'm really surprised that in all of this no one has mentioned pintrest. I know a ton of people that are falling in love with this site, and it's not hard to see why. There's an unlimited number of things that can be found and you could post yourself and get feedback on. I think it would also be really great for finding, documenting, and organizing inspirational art/artists on different boards. I, however, do not really use it. I have big plans for sites like this. Like just looking at them in general, but I never really find the time to inspire myself which is seemingly becoming a problem with me. I have a really hard time putting my other priorities to rest and focusing on one thing. There's always the bag I need to pack, the response I have to write, the job I need to go to, etc. Hopefully some of these sites will prove to be positive influences on my creative mind, but I fear that they'll just end up being another thing on my never ending, always growing to do list. That's the big thing. Where is the site that tells you how to successfully prioritize and let go of the dead weight?
ReplyDeleteI once read a really good story about "managing grief". The phrase is almost an oxymoron. And the same goes with managing your dead weight and things that don't mean anything to your art or you anymore. I think a website would depersonalize the "letting go". It's a really quiet and slow process, especially if that certain something you want to get rid of meant a lot to you at one point, or a major part of your work. I think letting go can also be inspiring, but also is kept personal and individual.
DeleteI think without knowing it, I have gone to some of these sites to feel uplifted and inspired. Particularly the National Geographics one. Maybe it's because I wish to be involved with that magazine some day? As I catch myself browsing through the beautiful, captivating photographs on that site and other sites, I find that I can feel uninspired... or discouraged at times. I think this is due to how overwhelming the photographs can be. I know it's suppose to inspire, but sometimes it does the opposite for me. Lack of self confidence.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try out stumbleupon.
-Eunice
This got me thinking about all the times I've spoken to non art majors about projects I have. They always say things like "That's so easy, all you have to do is take pictures. I have to write this 15 page paper. You're so lucky." But what they don't understand is before we can even start our assignments, we have to come up with a concept, figure out how we're going to do it, and then do it well. And even after all that, everyone might hate it.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, when I'm faced with an inspiration block I sometimes turn to websites like Stumbleupon or Tumblr. Sometimes they help, sometimes they don't. But what I find helps me the most is going to the photo section of the library and just grabbing a ton of books and sitting there for an hour looking at them and writing names of photographers and images down.
Personally, I find it very helpful to use the internet as inspiration. There's literally an endless amount of photos, art, not to mention everything else under the sun to try and wrap your mind around. The problem I see with this, though, is with this unlimited amount of information, we could very easily just clog up our brains with this and that and never actually come to an inspirational conclusion. For me when I need inspiration, I look inside my bank of collected inspiring images and try not to copy something, but take aspects of things I enjoy and try to mend them together as a starting point- which I may or may not just end up throwing away anyway.
ReplyDelete