How to Study and get Inspired by your Surroundings
We can find nature just about anywhere, how do we engage with our environment when we are looking to get inspired?
And here are some tips that I use almost every single day.
There second you leave your house start to engage with the world around you with the eye of a child, curious and pay attention to everything around you. Don’t be embarrassed to get really close or even get down to the ground to analyze a subject.
REFERENCES:
In this modern world just about everyone has a smart phone and the basic tool for taking pictures in the moment. Make sure to start storing all these images and start creating an inventory of different folders of photos you’ve taken, so you can grow your archive of references.
These can be by category of nature, architecture, patterns, portraits, etc.
This becomes my holy grail to dive into in those moments when I’m seeking for something creative.
Macro:
Macro photography is one of the best techniques I use, this brings me really up close and personal to the subject, Where the subject is greater than life size.
It brings attention to every single detail from the patterns, textures, flow and its environment, it gives a better understanding of the subject and how it has evolved to coexist with its environment.
Take many, take hundreds. Only a few will make the cut.
Study:
This is a key component to how you’re going to develop your mind's memory, by studying the subjects. This will help you develop the muscle memory to draw these just from thought, take the time to analyze all its details, patterns and textures. You will start noticing the patterns as to how each leaf grows and at what point do they split for a new bundle.
Once these things are coming together make sure to bring some samples or draw from the photographs you have taken, make sure you draw a sequence of different angles and sizes on your sketchbook.
Conclusion:
As we learn how to study our environment, we will learn to appreciate the little things that we have taken for granted and see that there's a whole other world that functions alongside us humans. Make sure you get out there and capture its beauty.
