Calling On Inspiration PT 1: Resources and the Muse
Hello my Moonsongs,
Welcome to another Waxing Moon Session, a monthly post I like to do that discusses ways in which we can learn and grow in our creativity with topics ranging from organization, inspiration, mental health and more.
This month I wanted to write about finding inspiration. I get a lot of questions about art block or how to get ideas and stay inspired to finish work.
I am going to start with some of the gentle, more loving and even spiritual aspects of inspiration and next month we will dive into some of the tough love sides of hard work, tenacity and pushing through (lovingly as well of course).
I personally see my creative process as three beings. One muse is at the head of it all, supplying energy and resources that I need. I have represented him as a sacrificial bull in my work. When his blood is drained, I have gone too far, and I need to resource myself to bring him back to life.
One is the passion and inspiration. At times I feel like there is a stallion banging his hooves against the stall doors of my mind, demanding that I give him attention and tempting me to come and ride him away into the faerie realms of creativity.
Finally, there is the black fox Ivan, who is all about focus, and the perseverance needed to see work through. He will be our main companion next month.
This might seem like a weird way to process things but I promise, it has its practical applications.
Gathering Resources
I wanted to start by speaking on resources to keep the creativity flowing.
External resourcing First and foremost, as creative creatures we probably get our inspiration from something. For me, obviously nature and animals are a big source, as well as music, certain environments that make me nostalgic and a whole slew of other smaller pieces. When I wish to go seeking inspiration or recharge, I seek these things out.
Of course most of us cannot afford to do nothing but read, watch tv, go for walks and play video games all day, every day, but if some of these things are what bring you inspiration then it is absolutely essential that they become a part of your creative process. When you plan these moments of rest and resourcing with intention, they start to become a part of your flow rather than pastimes that bring you guilt.
Make it internal: As you take the time to recharge and resource, hopefully little pieces of inspiration will start flowing to you. Making little notes in the form of writing, thumbnail sketches, or whatever works best for you will help you keep a record of inspiring ideas as they come so that you may return to them when you are feeling stuck. Sometimes I will even combine multiple ideas or random sketches into one piece. In time, your brain may be brimming with so many things you feel like you could never possibly have time to create them all! But give yourself patience as for many of us, this takes time.
Monthly prompts/challenges: There are literally thousands of creative prompts and challenges to be found across the internet. Things like Vonnart's Drawtober, or Stephanie Law's Undying Tales to name a couple. These can be a great way to push out a bunch of ideas all at once in one month because they have pre-existing prompts and the added benefit of a community focused on a similar goal which can be incredibly motivating. Whenever I do monthly challenges, I allow myself to be a bit more simple with my work, just experimenting with whatever whim comes to mind. Once finished, I essentially have a bunch of small ideas that I could use for larger pieces. I sometimes think that doing a monthly challenge, but only creating rough sketches or thumbnailing ideas for each day, rather than trying to create finished pieces might be just as useful!
Developing a relationship with the Muse
The topic of muse is so dear to me. For me, the muse has always been more of an external presence than an internal one. My muses are linked to me, but they are not exactly me. At least how I see them. Being able to connect with my muses as outside resources that I imagine understand my creative process in ways no one else ever could, has helped me overcome some of the self-deprecation guilt and struggle I feel when things are not going right. It has also helped me greatly with self-care. Knowing that caring for them means caring for myself so that we all have energy to actually create has been incredibly helpful.
I realize that not everyone sees the muse as something external from themself at all which is completely okay. Find out what muse means for you and whatever that is, remember that both it and you need, and deserve the utmost patience and understanding. When you feel blocked, ask yourself, or ask your muse what is needed to thrive. Learn to listen to them and over time it gets easier to listen to yourself and allow yourself to take what you need to feel better.
Finally,
Make sure you check in honestly with yourself and regularly. Sometimes when you feel super stuck for a long time, it might go beyond an "art block" or feeling uninspired. It could be linked to mental health that that needs some love and care. Therapy and professional help are MORE than okay to seek out when you feel this way. I know it can be tempting to just look for quick tricks or power through alone but sometimes when we do that for too long, it catches up with us and can lead to damaging results that take a long time to heal. So please, be kind with yourself, be honest, and know that you are not alone in these struggles. We all feel stuck at times for various reasons but with the right medicine, whatever that means for you, it is always possible to come out of it and heal.
I will see you next month to talk about the physical working aspects that have helped me get through blocks but please know that none of the above is fluff for me. The more spiritual aspects are just as much a major part of my working process and I believe that whether you choose to see these intangible methods as spiritual rituals, or symbolic meditation, they are still very relevant and valid. Art is an emotional process and it is okay to get a little unconventional when it comes to creating it.
~Aria
