10 Ways to Overdose on Art
Inspiration and beauty surrounds us. Why not fully immerse yourself in it all!?
I am someone who can be insanely indulgent. Buy those clothes, visit that coffee shop, write this down, support this artist, get those books, eat those pastries. This behavior is bred from being absolutely overwhelmed by so many things that speak to me. All I want to do is bury my face in it all and absorb as much of it as possible all at once.
It often hinders me from creating anything of my own….BUT! This is an instance where I can be of use to you, you goblin. If you are in an artist block or a creative slump, let’s kick your senses into overdrive and get those creative juices flowing again!
1. Use your sketchbook as a way to ground yourself.
Earlier in February,
’s 10-minute sketch prompt for drawing items in the Ordinary Life brought about a new way that I use this observational practice. Sketching can be so grounding. It makes you pause and really take the time to look at something. Sure you know what a box of cat food looks like, but how thick is the plastic or glass of the box? Can you see the crunchy kibble inside? How is it settled in the box? So many little things to note in your every day that one often takes for granted.It sooths, completes, and immerses me in the items of my daily routines that I need in my every day life. It also makes me insanely appreciative.
2. Go to a museum
Obviously. If you want art, go to where the art is! Maybe even attend a first Thursday event! Those have been very fun for people watching and art viewing. Bring a friend, a sketchbook, and maybe even a wine tumbler.
3. Read fiction
My mind plays movies as I read fiction. It’s a great source for thinking of new compositions or scenes I want to paint (too many ideas, so little time). If you don’t know where to start, you can find lists of books to browse on GoodReads, which you can easily and quickly read the books’ summaries by simply hovering your curser over the cover!
Have a half a day to spare? Engorge yourself in a library and swim through the dozens of beautiful covers on display! Explore the special editions and uniqueness presentations of physical books.
4. Go to an antique mall or thrift for books
I typically find antique malls to be easy for me to window shop. Most of the time, they’re filled with things I love looking at and picking through, but when I find something I really want, it’s usually a too-large-for-my-space piece of furniture, an overpriced item, or an item of clothing that simply doesn’t fit me. It tickles the shopping part of my brain without (usually) spending a penny. It also makes me pickier, evolving my internal curation for things I might want for my home, studio, or wardrobe in the future.
5. Rediscover the library
Going to the land of imagination and lollygagging, aka the library, used to be an occasional all-day outing for me, my brother, and my mom. We’d go to my piano lessons, grab lunch, and hole up in the library until it was time to go home. I read and drew more than I ever did when we were in the library. I also wrote a lot then, too! It’s just a place festering with creativity and play.
6. Cover something in stickers
I. am. a. sticker. whore. After a while, I found myself with one of those half-sized manila envelopes filled with them! I stuck them on my 32oz water bottle, covered my 64oz water bottle, have them all over my iPad cover, and on all of my sketchbooks! Anytime I see a free sticker, I grab it. How else is anyone else going to know I’ve been to Oba Ramen???
7. Create thumbnails for ALL of your ideas
I used to be one of those people who simply can’t start 25 pieces at once. Until I realized…I don’t really have to. If I can at least get the thumbnail or composition down somewhere, then I’ll have a little collection of ideas to pull from when I don’t know where to start.
8. Revisit music you haven’t listened to since you were in high school
“Where are yooeeeeww!? And eym’s seww sawwwrreyyy!” There is something so reinvigorating in revisiting albums. For me, that’s Avenge Sevenfold’s self titled album. Banger after banger after banger. There’s that sense of nostalgia that also brings my headspace back into who I was and what I was creating at the time I was blasting that album on my Skullcandy earbuds.
9. Make a Mess (then make everything just so)!
You’ve got a box (or two or twenty-four) of art supplies or journals or band shirts. I know you do. Dump it all out. ALL OF IT.
Look. at. how. much. WONDERFULNESS. there. is!
Remember those Micron pens you have!? Maybe if you layer those over some water colors, you can make a bold, line-heavy sketch. Remember those paints!? Ah, that phthalo green is calling you to paint a rich scenery.
When you’re done playing in it all, you can organize! Take care of each item, and take note of what you may no longer want. Maybe half of those pens have dried out and you need to get new ones!
10. Go through ALL of the profiles you’re following on Instagram (or TikTok)
The relentless force that is the algorithm has pushed so many of our favorite artists out of sight. Take the time to revisit some of them. Unfollow the things you no longer want serving you. Hell, even comment on artists’ pages that may have slipped away from your feed entirely. Re-discovery is truly a wonderful thing.
Go and get inspired, goblins! Until our next encounter.