Staying Inspired.
Poseidon - A Mini Fantasy makeup I did freehand using airbrushing and hand painting.
How do you stay inspired? It's a question I hear a lot. I feel like non-creative people have this idea perception that creative people have this constant flow of artistic brilliancy that comes naturally, and that we can look at a pile of dog poop on the floor and somehow create some masterpiece from it. So if you are one of those who thinks that way I have a little secret for you: sometimes, it's not that easy, especially when working on a dead line.
Preview of friday's FF OOTD ... with a little surprise in store!
I got asked today by a friend "how on earth do you think of something to write about on a blog three times a week and come up with a video idea for youtube as well?"and it I found myself struggling to explain to her exactly how I do what I do. Because the truth is? Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I sit and stare at my create new post button for hours and no matter how hard I try and write something I think is worth reading, my mind wanders onto Essie's website looking at different nail polish colours or onto youtube to watch fail videos.
But (and this is a big but) sometimes I have 15 different posts I want to write because when something does hit me, it usually hits me like an avalanche of ideas so overwhelming I almost don't know where to start. So I usually write little summaries of my ideas for reference later if I don't have the time (or creative energy) to get to all of my ideas in that one sitting. So that's how I do it, sometimes I'll write 5 weeks worth of blogposts or film 4 videos in 2 days and then schedule them to be posted later, as a way to allow myself some security that when a I have no inspiration what do I do dry spell happens I still know that something is going to go up.
Showgirl makeup for stage I did on myself
But how do you stop dry spells or get creative juices flowing in the first place?
How do you stay inspired?
Well I'm going to start right off the bat with: If your creativity is running dry, water it.
What do I mean water it? I mean feed yourself the inspiration you need to be able to spark something in your creative side. Thank the Lord that we live in a time today that we have the magical gift of the internet where we have millions, billions even of websites and blogs and social media sites and users sharing their art like us. When looking for post material I obviously read around on Bloglovin or look at videos on Youtube, but I also really love Tumblr and Pinterest. VSCO Grid is also amazing for visual photography inspiration, and Lookbook is great for fashion inspiration too. It's amazing what allowing yourself to be set free to explore will do for your creative brain's absorption of all these amazing things.
Shot of me out shooting taken whilst at Granville Island
But beside's looking to other peoples work as your only source of inspiration, I also encourage you to challenge yourself. Constantly be trying to teach yourself new things, wether it be art related or not. The more you stimulate your brain with things it's never seen or done before, the more creative it becomes. And it could be anything. It could be as small as using a type of makeup product you've never used before, or something bigger like using a new editing software you're not familiar with, or something as huge as going to school for something you've never really done before like makeup artistry or photography like me... teehee.
Another way to find inspiration is by the people you surround yourself by. We always hear how we should surround ourselves with like-minded people, and though I totally understand why and agree with it, I also think you should also make sure to have not-like-minded people in your life as well. Why? Because when people think differently then you and have a different way of doing things and completely different beliefs then you, thats when your own thoughts, habits and beliefs get challenged. When things get challenged, your mind gets opened up (if you're willing to be open minded that is) to a world that's different then yours, and in your art is one of the first places you'll be able to see that.
An extra photo of me from a Fashion Friday's OOTD
But above all, I think the most important thing is to embrace your dry spells. Embrace your artistic block as something that happens. Because when you go with the flow, you move through a hell of a lot faster then you would if you fight or get mad at the current.
xoxo,
