Art Inspires Art

What inspires you?

This is probably a question every creative gets during their interview. This is also a question I ask myself every day. My passion for design goes back to my grade school years. I had a favorite Pantone color before I had a girlfriend. Colors just fascinated me. I would look at what other kids wore every day to compare their color preferences (or that of their parents). I would go through bookshelves to see what colors stood out the most. Color books led me to design books which led me to art books which took me to more design books, typography, and eventually architecture. I was introduced to a whole new world at a young age. I was inspired by art all around.

These days I’m still inspired by art and design. Obviously. Every now and then I like to visit the MoMa in NYC, The Modern in Fort Worth, and galleries all around town to fill my mind with visuals, ideas, and newfound artists. But I don’t have to travel or even leave my apartment to find new inspiration. I can put on some British music while I flip through pages of HOW, I.D., CA, etc. I can get online and browse Design Milk, Awwwards, The Dieline, bloggers, and other design outlets.

What do I look for? Anything really. Ads from the 70’s, acrylic art, new typography, album covers, interior design, concept art, nature, film, and even friend’s Instagram shots. Any visual representation, whether good or bad, can trigger my mind.

Below is the result of a simple search query that led to 10 minutes of exploration and inspiration.

Look at the first graphic and try to guess what my search was.