Drawing lessons - illustrated lesson notes for teachers and students

Inspiration

6-9 INSPIRATION OR HOW TO GET STARTED

Are you in and artistic Slump?

There are two problems here depending on whether you earn you living as an artist or you do it for

enjoyment or other purposes. In the first instance hunger and finding shelter are great motivational tools. In

the second you need to be obsessional, like knowing you hid a bottle of Jack Daniels around the house but

can't remember exactly where ... and it's 3am ... if only you knew where to start to look?

I suffer both so I find I must plan ahead;

1. Always carry a pair of scissors and be prepared to mutilate any newspaper, magazine or publication that
   comes within cutting range, and if none do, you must actively give yourself time to seek them out (10 min
   per day minimum). Be a serial cutter and cut out anything that startles, frightens, causes you to pause, gives
   you a tightness in the loins or a warm wet feeling, sinks or raises your spirits or any other strong response.
   It could well be a line or a drawing a pattern or merely a color scheme. Caution ... don't be selective in what
   you look at- and try not to be distracted by reading any of the articles. Many excellent artists have some
   difficulty with reading anyway so that is rarely a big professional problem.


2. Put all these cut-outs in a folder.


3. When the folder holds 20 or 30 start a new one. Don't be distracted by trying to catalogue anything ... if
   you do, then you are probably a better accountant than an artist.


4. Try and forget about the pictures you have kept - but every now and then, as you relax at the bar, open a
   folder and look again. Not only will this make you incredibly popular it will enhance you artistic reputation.

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