Artists: where do you find inspiration?

Question:

Artists: where do you find inspiration?

Some days you're overwhelmed with ideas that come naturally to you. Then you go through a dry period where you have to think and think but you get nothing! How do you find inspiration when you have none?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

When I have a dry period I use that fallow time to either learn a new skill or hone what I am doing already. My daughter and I have both noticed that we go through these times not only monthly (in synch with our cycles) but also seasonally. For me this means that I focus on editing or practicing a new form of writing with which I am not always comfortable. Or I sketch and practice my penmanship. For my daughter it often means she will do some fanart or sketch a drawing or photograph from a book or magazine.

The soil of your inspiration needs to rest so it can bring forth more and better fruit. Go to art galleries and museums. Visit a fabric store and explore texture and color. Read beautifully written books. Listen to music you normally wouldn't listen to. Explore foods and music of other cultures. Watch foreign films. Refill your personal creative well. When the time is right, you will find yourself once again being prolific and will be surprised to see that what you are producing is far superior to what you were doing before.