Tuesday, April 10, 2012

A to Z, 2012-- I is for...

INSPIRATION!

I absolutely love this inspiration board-- pardon the pun, but it's such an inspiration! It's not mine, but you can click on the image to be taken to the original source~
I originally intended to post up a photo of my own inspiration board, from my studio. Unfortunately, my board was one of the casualties of the flood-- it was hung on the wall where the water came from, and is no longer useable. So many of my pretty images are gone-- I'm only glad that my "current project" inspirations are hung immediately above my work station, no where near the water source! I would take a photograph of *that*, but there's only one or two images currently up... nothing truly exciting or inspiring there!

While I'm a huge fan of Pinterest, and the website was a complete game-changer in the way people store images and links, there is way too much to talk about for it to be part of today's post. Since that's a different issue, I'll have to save that discussion for a different day.

As a side note, for those of you who, like me, look for inspiration in the world of color, there's a website out there that lets you create palettes of up to five colors. It's called ColourLovers-- and they have programs that let you pull colors from a photograph, and others that help you turn those colors into patterns. I find myself inspired by at least one thing, every single time I go on the site! But again, the site deserves more of an in-depth look, so I'll have to hold off on this topic as well.

Studio flooding issues and interesting websites aside, in addition to my "Pinspiration" boards as I call them, I have (or had...) bulletin boards. I think I'm going to use this flooding incident as an opportunity to start over in the studio, and get myself a TON of bulletin boards, basically cover a section of the wall with them (akin to the photo above). I use these boards mostly when I'm in the studio, and need more ideas for a project I'm working on. I swivel my chair around, take a look, then spin back and create.

I looooove my spinny-chair!

... Moving along ...

I also have a notebook that I carry around with me, wherever I go. My phone is a camera, so inspiring color combinations are easy to capture for later~ just one click away~ but designs are awfully hard to replicate on a digital sketch via a small screen and clumsy fingers! That is where my book comes in. It's shaped like Harry Potter's book for "Care of Magical Creatures", and it looks absolutely ridiculous:

Rawr!
In addition to being awesome, this notebook has the added bonus of freaking people out when they see me pull it out. Striking terror into the hearts of strangers is apparently my new hobby. SCORE!

How does inspiration play a role in YOUR studio's layout and your creative process?

6 friends stopped by to chat:

Nikki said...

Lovely blog and post :) I love that inspiration board but was sorry to hear you lost yours in a flood. It's sad that you lost many pictures.

I really like your blog :)

Nikki – inspire nordic

Karen Jones Gowen said...

I love the idea of an inspiration board, or wall. I have artwork and a few things around that inspire me, but not really because I get so used to seeing them that I barely notice them anymore.

Nice to meet you, and I hope you're enjoying the Challenge!

KarenG
A to Z Challenge Host

Laura said...

Julia, I checked out that link for the Ella F. song and I really liked it! I would enjoy it if you wanted to share more music links:)
Great inspiration for an inspiration board! Once I saw a pic of somebody who used an old crib spring for an inspiration board- I loved it! Now I'm on the lookout at yard sales and doing some "curb shopping" so I can find one for myself:)
Sorry to hear about the flooding!
Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Laura said...

Oh, I meant to mention in my first comment that I love the look of your blog!! I would like to something similar to this on mine.

YNP.214 said...

I love your inspiration board idea. I have sort of expanded on that by incorporating the things I love ALL OVER my house. I know that is easier for me than for you, but it makes it so that when I am home, everywhere is "comforting".

The bedroom is painted in deep eggplant with a mauve ceiling. As you know purple is MY color (much like blue is for you). Hubby doesn't mind and the color "wraps around" me and makes me feel at peace.

I wish you peace as well with lovely cerulean blue thoughts!

Lost Star said...

Great post. I have had an inspiration board since I was a teenager, and doubt I will ever not have one. Mine contains photos, memorabilia, postcards and for some reason, a couple of sharpies. Being as I am about to move house, I guess it will completely change shortly as I will have to take it all down and redo it at the other end!

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