Where do you get your inspiration?

[Sherry]

I'm wondering where others get their inspiration for new designs?  I find myself noticing different things when I'm out and about and have even whipped out the camera, when I've seen something I like.  Usually when I'm looking for a design I'd like, I search Google images and take pictures of things I like and store them in different categories on a Photobucket account I have.  Googling for example, "Puppy clip art" or "4th of July clip art" comes up with some neat ideas.

[Spiritquest]

Hi Sherry,  I find my inspiration from seeing things in everyday life.  I also enjoy pictures from different tarot cards, karma cards, Christian Riese Lassen paintings or even postcards and greeting cards.  I'm glad to get different ideas.  I will check out the areas you suggested.

[GaFacepainter]

Man, does my wife like the tarot cards!!! I'll have to ask her if she has tried anything from them.

[Alison]

There are so many different Topics
we can hone in on.

There's the seasons and holidays of course.
And also College Letters, Signs of the Zodiac, Superheroes, African Animals and Tribals....

My question is less about where do we get our inspiration
than how do we focus to follow through on any one specific inspiration.

[Sherry]

You're right!  I'm constantly taking pictures of designs I see that I like, collecting pictures, looking at things and thinking how this could be useful for a design, but I think it's mostly piling up stuff.  Before I found face painting, it was recipes.  I loved to cook, but I think I spent more time collecting the recipes!   

It's nice when I have a specific theme in mind, to bring out all the stuff I've collected and group out the ones I think are related to what I'm looking for and go from there.

[Wildcatfin]

Everywhere/ everything. Or, if given a theme like all the body comps do, I start by googling the words and often something pops up to give me a direction..

cat x

[Alison]

Oh - I know.  I know.  I get my inspiration from my jobs.

Sometimes people sit down with ideas of their own -
They'll show me a picture or make a recommendation -
Then I come out with something.

It does take much longer than just slapping on the face that I already know, but.....

[Sherry]

If I can see a picture of what customers want to try, then I love this and feel I can make a good attempt.  Otherwise, I'm not really good at taking suggestions from customers on the fly.  I'm hoping that I'll get better with more experience, but I'm not a natural at it.

[Alison]

I was playing around with scrap-book-papers tonight.
Took some ideas from there, and painted them on my hand.

If I ever get around to taking the photos off my phone
(and if they come out visible), I hope I remember to post them here.
How I didn't paint Exactly what I saw, but I used it for inspiration.
Good stuff