10 ways to get inspired

1. Go outside
    We tend to spend way too much time indoors. Try to do some plein-air painting/drawing. Explore the world around you - It's not only good for your health, but It's also a great way to get inspired by nature, people in streets, clouds and sunsets etc. 

2. Gather pictures in inspiration folder
If you see some amazing art, photography - save it on your computer. Or fave it in dA, or collect in your tumblr/pinterest board. Look at that folder every once in a while.  If you see some really advanced and cool art - don't put yourself down, thinking that you'll never be good enough to make something like that - instead focus on why the specific artwork looks so great - whether it's the composition, colour choices, technique and how you could improve on those things. 
    
3. Sketch
    Write and sketch every idea you have - it doesn't have to looks absolutely perfect, the main thing is the concept and how you could develop that idea further. Don't be afraid to make changes, apply different materials - use those sketches as ideas for future artworks, when you struggle with ideas, what to draw. 

4. Make something on a daily basis 
    Whether it's a sketch or study - if you do something every single day, you'll eventually get better. There are some great speedpainting groups on Facebook - Daily spitpaint, also Virtual Plein Air - for making studies of google street view sights. I really adore the 365 day project by Picolo-kun and the 7 Day Drawing Challenge looks so wonderful. Take a look also at amazing daily character art by Cryptid-Creations 

5. Watch/do livestreams
There is a great resource by Wolkenfels  - livestreamstatuslist.appspot.com, it shows when artists are doing a livestreams, so you can watch them in process and ask some questions. It's more motivational do work on your own work alongside and with software as Xsplit or Procaster It's easy to do your own livestreams on Livestream, Twitch, Ustream or YouNow 
    
6. Listen to new music
    Discover some great tunes, even the genres you usually don't listen to. Be diverse and search what best suits for you. Try 8tracks (feel free to take a look at my weekly playlists), Stereomood, Spotify, Grooveshark, youtube playlists (here's mine. 

7. Have other hobbies
Whether It's a photography (lovely way to gather your own references), riding a bike, gardening etc. - It's lovely to have something beside art that would be a way to take a break and let your mind wonder about other things. 
    
8. Develop your visual library
   Travel (there is so much to see also in your own country - even the small town near you has some great sights and views to discover), visit museums, look up for great art/photography/videos online, watch some great movies, animations, tv series. Read a lot - in order to be able to expand your creativity and imagine scenes that you read. 

9. Clean your workspace
In order to get things done a clean, inspiring working environment is such a necessary thing. Put away all the distractions, delete all those not-needed images, shortcuts, folders that are on your desktop, put some inspiring artwork, postcards, quotes all around your desk. Arrange your chair in most comfortable position, put your art supplies in visible place and in some order, so that you'll know where to find them later on.

10. Get started
    Just do it. Don't always wait for some magical inspiration, as artists we have to work even when we don't feel incredibly inspired. And that's okay. Just start doing something, experiment, fill those blank canvas, put some random lines and colour - get in the zone as soon as possible. As you'll start you'll notice how amazing it feels to create something and carry on. You can do it and you know that. 


So, how about you - what are your favorite ways (resources that help you) to get inspired? 

This week I found some lovely resources - Expanding the comfort-zone by FOERVRAENGD - lots of great insights and useful links, spectacular photos of space by Hubble, my all time favorite Bastion soundtrack, amazing TED speech "Don't be afraid of the blank sheets" by  Ricky Nierva, amazing abstract/urban art by Morten Andersen, helpful tumblr - kisstheartist.tumblr.com with so many great resources and tutorials, chrome app "Momentum" that helps to get inspired and set your focus for the day - every time you open a new tab, it allows to see an inspiring reminder, weather and beautiful scenery and I also adore this cute & animated musical short "Desire" by Scott Thierauf.

P.S. I quite frequently post some sketches and artworks in my art tumblr - snowmarite.tumblr.com/. and I have a weekly Music Sunday post on aerismade.blogspot.com/  and weekly 8 songs playlist.