Where does Inspiration come from?

Discover how to proactively and intentionally curate inspiration in your creative practice and daily life with this empowering series.

During the final project of my MA, I delved into the nature of inspiration; my central inquiry revolved around the individual experience of inspiration and its diverse manifestations, specifically during drawing — putting pen, pencil, or brush to paper.

Suppose you are interested in harnessing the power of inspiration and want to take a more proactive and intentional approach to curating inspiration in your creative practice or daily life. In that case, this series is for you!

Over the next few weeks, I will release my research and findings here on Substack. I want to create an ongoing conversation with you all, so I will post questions to gain more insight and build the conversation around how we approach finding inspiration in the modern world.

My visual research was produced by combining various observational drawing techniques.

The first few posts will provide a conceptual framework, defining inspiration and its significance in the creative process. Subsequent posts will dissect inspiration within psychology and the social sciences and explore the dualities in the creative process that contribute to new ideas and feeling inspired. I will scrutinize the more structured approach to cultivating inspiration regarding one’s mindset, habits, environment, and individual experiences. We will also explore the spontaneous experience of inspiration and consider the influence of personal emotions and collective expertise when developing new ideas.

Part of my research involved drawindon'tplaces I don’t usually draw, such as the back of this bank project's

The project's outcome, a series of illustrations I did at the Morspoort Bridge in Leiden, highlights the connections between theoretical insights and practical application. The visual research I produced explores various illustration techniques to cultivate inspiration through daily drawing practice.

A screengrab from a website I made to host all the artwork created for this project; think of it as a digital gallery!

Here is what you can expect: My research evaluates the contemporary context of inspiration in visual arts and illustration, examining the impact of computer work and online sources on creativity. Furthermore, it anticipates the future implications of inspiration in the age of artificial intelligence, evaluating the potential benefits and challenges. Proposed strategies for mitigating issues arising from AI integration are presented alongside the benefits of the evolving landscape.

Thank you for supporting my work, I hope you will follow along this exciting series I have put together all of my research oninspiration!