How to Get a Better Imagination for Drawing
The blank page can be daunting for any artist. Sometimes the hardest part of drawing is figuring out what to draw. If your mind is empty when you turn to a new page in your sketchbook or you find yourself drawing the same things over and over again, you need to tap into your imagination to use the creativity that lurks below the surface. The best way to get a better imagination for drawing is to really use your imagination, every day.
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Instructions
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Writing in a journal every day helps create imagery. Keep a journal. This can be a dream journal or a journal of your waking experiences, but you should try to write in it every day. If you don't like writing things out by hand, do it on a computer or make voice recordings. Later, you can go back through the journal and find imagery for your drawings.
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Take pictures of things around you that inspire you. Take pictures of what you see around. As an artist, everything is a potential subject for you to draw. If you snap a picture of every interesting thing you see, you'll have a portfolio of potential pieces at the end of the day. Most cellular phones have cameras, so you shouldn't have to buy an expensive camera.
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Look at other people's art. Not every artist needs a degree in art history, but it's good to know what other artists are doing. Take regular trips to your local gallery, or sign on to Deviantart.com, and look through other artists' online galleries. You may have a completely different style than the artists featured there, but seeing other people's work can give you ideas.
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Just by drawing anything, you can get inspired. Draw what's around you when you're at a complete loss. It doesn't matter if it's boring -- it matters that you draw something. Halfway through drawing a chair, you might get an idea about how to make it interesting. Drawing itself can be a sort of meditation that leads to increased creativity.
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Create a drawing stash. Artist Carol Rosinki says this is a great way to collect ideas. Collect small things you see outside, such as stones, birds' eggs or pine cones. You can also go to thrift stores or garage sales to pick up drawable trinkets. Put everything in a box to sift through on a rainy day when you have nothing to draw.
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Tips & Warnings
Set aside a certain time to draw every day, so you can get into the habit of it.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Thomas Northcut/Lifesize/Getty Images Jupiterimages/Creatas/Getty Images NA/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images Comstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
