How to you decide what to paint? Where do you find inspiration?

Question

Is there something you specialise in like portraits or landscapes?

I love painting, but I’m having a hard time coming up with an idea.

Answer 1

As a painter there is something you should specializes something that would capture your interest and people could relate into... your masterpiece should be a way of communication the more you could express yourself through your piece then you absolutely know what you are doing and why? It is a matter of self-realization... deciding what to paint is a method of exploring your mind of what issue or view you what to show to the public. The inspiration comes within when you finally understand the significance of the portrait you are about to make. GOODLUCK!

Answer 2

I have been paining for a couple of years now. I don't necessarily specialize in any type or style. When I run out of inspiration I usually put in some kind of music that matches whatever mood I'm in at the moment and just start sketching away. Half the time I don't even have a clue as to what I'm sketching. When I get to a point that I feel my pencil has no more sketch left I begin to choose colors. Then once again I kind of go into a trance and let the paint brush and paints guide me.

It sounds crazy I know, but most of my best work is a product of this open minded approach to a painting. It works great for me since most of my paintings and drawings end up taking a turn and almost always end up different than what I imagined in the beginning anyway.  

Answer 3

My inspiration comes from what I see around me. I do lots of landscapes in watercolor. Some from on site sketches and photos I have taken and some plein air painting. Even when driving, the world I see moving past and coming up are scenes my mind paints. I am seldom without my sketch book to take advantage of my surroundings. Flowers also are a subject which inspire me, but the constant changing of light, movement and changing shapes and colors of clouds are exciting to be a witness to.

Answer 4

Well, try this.

Pickup your easel and paints, etc.

Get out of the house/apartment.

Walk until you won't block someone's path setting up.

Stop.  Set up looking northeast.

Paint some portion of what you see - almost the whole thing or a little bitty part like where the corner of 3 boards or 3 branches come together.

Turn everything to face northwest

Repeat.

If you can't find something to paint, near or far, large or small, abstract or real, it is time to go chop wood or dig holes until you are in the mood to paint.

Answer 5

When I’m not working on an assignment for a class, or a gift for someone – like a portrait, I paint whatever image emerges in my mind.  I know that sounds odd, but I think art dwells within our subconscience and we just have to find a way to let it develop  in our mind and then put it on canvas.  Have you ever had a song randomly playing in your mind? The next time that happens pause and think about the lyrics, and you’ll probably find that it’s so appropos to whatever is going on in your life at that moment.  Art is like that too for me. I love to to paint the way I see a song. Music is amazingly inspirational to me. Close your eyes and listen to a song, and mentally paint an image of what you see. Write it out, then put in on canvas. Right now I’m painting Simon & Garfunkel's “Sound of Silence.”  I also love to paint literary characters from different books hanging out together, and the way I interpret a quote or a feeling.  Like this summer I painted out the way I see peace. Carry your sketchpad with you everywhere, and if you see something interesting, sketch it out, and also take a picture of it with your phone. Go through photos of past trips and think of moments or people you met and draw them. As soon as you wake up in the morning when your dreams are still fresh write them down and then paint them. I'm really into abstract, so this works for me....

The most important thing to do is chillax. Breathe in, breathe out, then paint.

: )

EDIT

Occasionally I'll have to really seek out what I want to paint, but usually the image just appears in my mind, and I meditate on it until it becomes clearer, sort of like the way an image does when you are developing a photo. I know that sounds so bizarre, but that's just the way it works for me.

Answer 6

From the work i am mostly ask to do, one would think my specialty is in portraits. I don't consider myself a portrait artist and would rather not be known as just that. For inspiration i will take a little time off from painting and not think too much about my next painting project, but simply read or scan through my library of art books i have put together. If an idea pops into my head because of a painting i saw or a painting technique i would like to try, i'll make a note of it. My work can be checked out at hellosanantonio.com under artist name GUERRO1. I sometimes post images of a painting at certain stages of its progress.